East Suffolk Digital Towns Initiative a Success

More than 80,000 people have logged onto free Wi-Fi while visiting East Suffolk towns during the first two years of a project to boost connectivity and business.

The Digital Towns programme was launched by East Suffolk Council in June 2022 to support market towns through the installation of free public Wi-Fi, digital footfall counters and marketing platforms. 

It followed a successful pilot in Framlingham and included a Digital Springboard service offering access to support, resources, workshops and grants for businesses hoping to create or strengthen online presence.

This June, two years since its launch, the programme was recognised among seven national finalists in the Digital Impact category of the Local Government Chronicle awards.

As well as more than 80,000 free Wi-Fi users, Digital Towns has attracted 20,000 promotional email subscriptions and logged millions of movements on footfall sensors designed to provide more insight into shopping habits to help towns and businesses improve the town centre experience.

Under the Digital Towns programme, free public Wi-Fi has been introduced in Lowestoft, Beccles, Bungay, Halesworth, Saxmundham, Leiston, Southwold, Aldeburgh, Framlingham, Woodbridge and Felixstowe, helping people save on the cost and potential interruption of mobile coverage, while encouraging them to stay in town centres for longer.

Supported by funding from the Getting Building Fund and New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership’s Innovative Projects fund, the technology has enabled better understanding around the number of visitors to towns, busiest periods, average time spent in town centres and much more – enabling East Suffolk Council’s Economic Development team to provide tailored support for local businesses and provide data-based evidence to support ongoing projects. 

Meanwhile, the Digital Springboard has helped boost the digital skills and online presence of more than 200 businesses.

Cllr Toby Hammond, East Suffolk's cabinet member for Economic Development and Transport, said: “I’m delighted to see the Digital Towns programme having a measurable, positive impact on local businesses, with 71% of Digital Springboard users reporting improved performance and 70% of free Wi-Fi users saying the service improved their experience and encouraged them to stay longer. These discernible differences can help drive digital adoption and unlocks further potential benefits for our towns.”