BBID Business Plan
New Business Plan available: click here to download the BBID Plan (1.9 MB)
and the BBID Plan Appendices (3.2 MB)
With detailed information about the BID, including:
- Why we need a BID
- How it will be delivered
- How much it will cost
- How it will be paid for
- What you will get for your investment
ON YOUR MARKS
Matthew Robinson, the Beeston Business Improvement District (BID) Manager and driving force behind the BID, has become a familiar face in the town. He's been into every business in Beeston talking to you about the BID and listening to your concerns. The overwhelming message from you all is the need to increase the footfall in the town and attract more business investment.
Matt set up a BID Management Task Group consisting of business people in Beeston who have volunteered their time and expertise to help address the issues. Touch-screen directories, an interactive website, PR initiatives and working with the University are just some of the great ideas that have come out of the group's work to-date.
Matt has also been working with the Council over parking charges that Broxtowe Borough Council might enforce this year. "We collected over 294 signatures for a petition to gain a 50% parking discount for businesses in the town. I would like to thank PNDesign, David Boden Architects, Ellis Fermor Solicitors, Wren Accounting, Touchlight Systems and Belle & Jerome for their assistance in collecting the signatures."
On the 11th of June last year Tesco received planning permission. "This will bring a lot more people into the town, however unless we act now these people will not visit the Town Centre after shopping at Tesco. With all the businesses pulling together in the BID we can turn a potential problem into a great opportunity to increase footfall for all businesses in Beeston."
BID Management Group plans the way forward
The BID Management Group met in November last year to discuss the plans for the BID and to discuss how to move things forward. High on the agenda was the Draft Proposal, a 48 page report based on the findings of the research that Matt Robinson has carried out earlier in the year. You can download the Business Plan here.
The key elements of the proposal, which centres heavily on the marketing and promotion of Beeston through the next few difficult years, were enthusiastically debated throughout the meeting, leading to several new suggestions.
Touch Screen Directories: Interactive plasma-screen kiosks strategically placed around the town to give people directions and provide adverts for all the businesses in the BID area, with online access.
Marketing & PR Campaign: A PR service will be offered to all the BID businesses to help them get their own message out to both local businesses and wider afield, in conjunction with an overall PR campaign for the whole town.
Bigger & Better Events: Extra funding to make events such as the Chinese New Year celebrations, the Summer Festival and Christmas Lights Switch-On bigger and better to attract as many people as possible over the course of these events. Radio Sponsorship: The BID will build a strong brand for Beeston by sponsoring the Local Weekend Breakfast show giving local businesses a regular opportunity to promote themselves and to publicise forthcoming events.
Nottingham Uni Marketing: The BID will market directly to the 33,000 students on its doorstep with a variety of sponsorship packages based around Fresher's Fair, including special vouchers for the students to spend in the town and additional business fairs with exhibition opportunities
What's in the BID for you?
We all know that Beeston is faced with several years of uncertainty. The tram, the new Tesco, the Square development – these things are on everyone's radar but it is important to stay focused on what we can do as a town to pull ourselves throughout these challenging times and come out fighting fit.
The main focus of the Beeston BID is on the marketing of Beeston as a great place to do business. We can tackle the issues faced by Beeston businesses today head-on and strive to increase the number of people visiting the shops and businesses in Beeston – whether they are existing residents, students or families and shoppers from neighbouring towns.
So what happens now?
Once we have decided, with your input, exactly what the BID will offer it will go to a vote. Every business in the BID area will be entitled to vote, but more than 50% of the businesses who vote must be in favour, and of those, the 'yes' votes must represent more than 50% of the total rateable value of all votes cast.
This is your big opportunity to make a real difference in Beeston, for your own business and for the residents and visitors alike. Without the fantastic plans that the BID would introduce, Beeston may well get left behind and struggle to compete against other similar towns.
'GO' BEESTON
Voting will take place in June and the results published a few days after the count.
If the vote is YES it will be all systems 'GO' for Beeston with the management team swinging into action.
The plan for the Touch-Screens to be in place and online will be about September. Therefore in July and August the Management Team will be chasing all businesses for their advert content to be loaded up onto the Touch Screens.
The PR and Marketing machine will kick in with interviews of businesses for profiles in the local press.
Beeston BID Task Group
The Task Groups responsibility is to assist Matthew Robinson the BID Manager with key decisions over this coming year, plus to make sure the business plan produced is made up from core ideas put forward by local businesses within the BID area. In addition to this they will confirm the feasibility of the business plan before it goes to your vote in Spring 2010.
The task group has been made up of a good cross section of businesses within Beeston, from Small independents to larger local independent companies plus managers from national chains based in Beeston. This Task Group has a wealth of business knowledge and their input in driving the Beeston BID forward over the forthcoming year will be invaluable.
(From left to right) Philippa Double Double Image Photography, Dan Walker CP Walker & Sons, Rob Darby Belle & Jerome, Chris Timson Touchlight Systems, Derek Wigginton The Guitar Spot, Matthew Robinson Beeston BID Manger, Paul Newson PN design, Steve Turner Economic development Broxtowe Borough Council, and Simon Hale Ellis-Fermor & Negus Solicitors. Members not in the photo: Allan Mele Barclays Bank, Jackie Sutherland Boots, Charlie Fogg Charlie Foggs, Julie Cameron Cameron House.
Operating BIDs
See what operating BIDs are doing to help other Town Centres similar to Beeston
Rugby BID
"This survey shows the Rugby BID Company are doing a good job. I feel the work they are doing in our town centre to make it cleaner, safer and generally a more inviting place to spend time is working.", Christine Edden-Brough, Brookes Restaurant, Bank Street
Bedford BID
http://www.comearoundtobedford.co.uk/
"In terms of advertising the Indulge in Bedford camapign was very successful. Our takings went up 20% with new and old customers taking advantage of the promotion." Gonzalo Noboa, Proprietor, Riobello Restaurant