January's Insight from Chris Turner


Insight January 2022

This is the first Insight for 2022 and I wish you a very happy New Year. The Prime Minister has now announced the withdrawal of Plan B lockdown rules and we do seem to be looking to a 2022 that might see the beginning of a post-pandemic world

There have not been any new BID ballots since the Insight in December but there are ten ballots in February, of which 2 are new developing BIDs. It is pleasing to see that during last year we saw 12 new BIDs come into being, and there are currently 46 BIDs in the development stage, with others on hold until the pandemic is over. As ever we continue to report on the BID industry; its size, numbers and developments and the annual survey for last year is available here.

During the Omicron surge over the Christmas golden quarter, BIDs continued to provide services to our levy payers, particularly focusing on grants to businesses in our areas, as well as safety, security and confidence-boosting amongst shoppers and clients in our communities. The additional grant funding information is available here.

It is very clear that the pandemic has slowed down the work of government and has put on hold many critical developmental activities that we have been waiting for news of.

Nonetheless, we hope that some clarity is emerging, and on the matter of Levelling Up the White Paper from Secretary of State Gove should be available soon, more info can be found here. There is much gossip and hearsay out in the industry about the content of that report and the financial settlement for local authorities was better than some had feared. There is some analysis of the potential winners and losers in the Levelling Up, which suggests that of England’s largest cities and towns, Bradford, Wolverhampton and Coventry offer the greatest opportunities to level up.  The research by the zero-carbon house builder Etopia Homes pinpoints the towns and cities in England which could make best use of the Government’s Levelling Up funds. They use a Levelling Up Opportunity Index which compares the performance of the 34 largest towns and cities outside of London to identify places which might have traditionally underperformed economically up to now, but which have the size and capacity for substantial future growth.‍ It is believed the White Paper is set to focus on improving living standards, growing the private sector and increasing and spreading opportunity.‍ Rather than simply consider traditional deprivation indicators – which might measure need, but give a limited sense of how a town or city is functioning economically – the Levelling Up Opportunity Index instead focuses on data around potential growth, business rates, commuting patterns and land use.

On the other hand, inflation is roaring ahead, and individual spending reductions will affect many of our levy payers and their future business plans.  The hopes we all had for Business Rates reform continue to be dashed, as the Final Report reaffirmed the importance of Business Rates and its central role in the tax system. The tax is therefore retained but will be reformed to make it “fairer and timelier”. The reforms include more frequent revaluations as well as new discounts and reliefs. Apparently, the Government estimates that the reforms represent the biggest rate cut for 30 years. We know that the Government is also weighing up the pros and cons of introducing an online sales tax (OST) and has confirmed that a separate consultation on this will be published soon. Government have also published a consultation seeking views for how a worldwide 15% minimum corporation tax should be domestically implemented, find more information here. British BIDs will clearly be responding to this and reporting back.

On a more local note, the full list of 38 places which have applied for city status as part of the 2022 Platinum Jubilee Civic Honours Competition has been announced, and this has caused much interest; the full list is here and several BIDs are involved and several got name checked as part of the announcement.

For many of us the Environmental and sustainable agenda grows apace, and it was great to see that Visit Inverness Loch Ness (VILN) has become the first carbon neutral Business Improvement District (BID) in the UK. VILN has completely offset its emissions for 2019 to 2021, making the organisation completely carbon neutral. The BID has established two corporate groves with charity Trees for Life. Trees have been planted in the grove already and the organisation will continue to plant a tree every time VILN produces a tonne of C02. These are projects that we will all be adopting over the next few years.

British BIDs are always hunting down research projects around the world that are BID related, not least to feed into our Certificate in BID Management course. Very recent work at the Institute of Retail Economics (HFI), found in Stockholm that the BID programme increased labour productivity for incumbent firms within the BID by 7.62%, mainly through an increase in revenues, and the results also suggest that fewer crimes were committed in the BIDs. For those interested in the CiBM we are running it in both real-time and online mode this year to allow as much access as possible.

BIDs are heavily involved in business crime reduction, and some 60% are funding crime reduction projects. Clearly, accreditation, information sharing, quality and standards are part of that involvement and many BIDs are members of NBCC which brings together the national retailers and their business crime concerns and provides Business Improvement Districts and Business Crime Reduction Partnerships (BCRPs) with a powerful national data-sharing infrastructure. The National Business Crime Centre produced an excellent report on BIDs a year or so ago and they are now reviewing the National Business Crime Reduction Partnership Standards. They have been in place since 2018 so are due a refresh and we will clearly keep members informed as the review progresses.

An increased range of 23 days of BID training courses are available for online enrolment and we are offering all of our programmes both online and physically during the year. Find out more and book your place here.

We look forward to seeing many of you there during the year.

Professor Christopher Turner, Chief Executive, British BIDs

Latest Articles

APRIL INSIGHTS BY CHRIS TURNER

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

MARCH INSIGHTS BY CHRIS TURNER

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

DESIGN YOUR SCHEME READY FOR A SUCCESSFUL RESULT

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

FEBRUARY INSIGHTS BY CHRIS TURNER

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

JANUARY INSIGHTS BY CHRIS TURNER

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

DECEMBER INSIGHTS BY CHRIS TURNER

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

NOVEMBER'S INSIGHT BY CHRIS TURNER

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

10 key considerations from The National BIDs Conference

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

October's Insight by Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

A PRO-BUSINESS (AND NOT SO MINI) BUDGET FROM OUR NEW CHANCELLOR

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

September's Insight by Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

National BID Awards 2022

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

August's insight by Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

July's Insight by Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

Leadership race: Businesses need competent hands on the tiller

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

JUNE'S INSIGHT FROM CHRIS TURNER

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

Greening our cities

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

MAY'S INSIGHT FROM CHRIS TURNER

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

Bringing back The Golden Mile in Belfast

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

April's Insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

Industrial BID Members to meet at Penrith Industrial BID

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

HINCKLEY BID: Attracting visitors through our annual pancake race

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

March's Insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

February's Insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

Bb joins national campaign to encourage workers back to offices

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

TURNING BUSINESS FOOD WASTE INTO VEGETABLES IN BOURNEMOUTH

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

BACK TO PLAN A, NOW NO MORE TO-ING AND FRO-ING!

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

Businesses need clarity from government in 2022

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

Over 100 destinations urge UK government to deliver 'business booster

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

December's Insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

Plan B: £4bn Loss Predicted for hospitality sector

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

Small Business Saturday Spotlight: BRINGING FAMILIES TO TOWN WITH THE HELP OF SNOW QUEENS AND ICE FAIRIES

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

Small Business Saturday: Wizard of Oz comes to Saffron Walden

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

Small Business Saturday spotlight: Hidden crackers in Nottingham

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

British BIDs and The Means are delighted with GO! Southampton BIDs successful ballot

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

British BIDs to welcome new BIDs to the Ballot Buddy portfolio

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

November's Insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

Unemployment is falling, but our recovery is patchy

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

National BIDs Conference 2021

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

Budget 2021 - letter to Chancellor

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

October's Insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

High street app attracts thousands of visitors to Lanark

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

September's Insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

Getting back on track

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

August's Insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

The future health of our High Street Businesses

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

July's Insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

Freedom day is coming… and BIDs are performing an incredible public service

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

June's Insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

BIDlife

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

Our rapidly evolving workspaces

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

British BIDs appointed to support Swindon renewal ballot

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

May's Insight from Chris Turner - 2021

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

Indoor service please

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

ACT NOW FOR A STAND-OUT LIGHTING DISPLAY THIS WINTER

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

Evidence to The Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee on Permitted Development Rights

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

Amazon clicks and thirsty punters… now for business rates

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

Welcome people back to your high street with Plantscape’s floral displays

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

High streets a part of life?

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

BIDlife - Send us your reopening photos

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

April's Insight from Chris Turner - 2021

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

The Big Heart of Merthyr Tydfil BID and Northfield BID achieve Accreditation

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

Maybe* - 7 ways to reconnect with your BID levy payers and their customers

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

March’s ballot results – a congratulations from British BIDs

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

Ballot Buddy helps achieve a new term for Sheffield BID

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

British BIDs meets with UK's largest national chains

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

March's Insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

Retail repositioning continues

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

Colour and animation for magical lights this Christmas - GALA LIGHTS

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

The recovery Budget delivered, where now for our towns and cities?

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

£1bn Towns Fund for 45 areas in England announced

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

February ballot results – a congratulations from the British BIDs team

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

February's Insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

Letter on proposed new Permitted Development Rights

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

Watford BID overcoming the challenges to secure a ‘YES’ vote

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

BID ballots during lockdown

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

Business Interruption Policy Checker, Christmas Support Payments and Lockdown Guidance and elections

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

The headlines are gloomy, but our future evolved local high street looks exciting

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

As we lose a retail icon, we must embrace the change

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

January's Insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

Digital trends in 2021

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

British BIDs and Industrial BIDs discuss crime prevention

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

Government names 72 high streets in England to share £831m recovery fund

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

A look back on 2020 BID ballots

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

December's insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

#BIDlife - putting the spotlight on our towns and cities!

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

How can and should BIDs be more community focused?

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

Christmas lights provide feel-good factor in challenging times

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

Welsh guidance about the coronavirus rules that will be in place from 6pm Friday 4 December

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

Repurposing our places for the future

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

Arcadia Group – Guidance for BIDs, 1 December 2020

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

Calling on the Government to do more to support Retail, Hospitality and Leisure

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

Increase your footfall over the festive period - Blachere Illumination

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

The shop local and loyal revolution from Scottish fintech Miconex with Town and City Gift Cards and Mi Rewards

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

November's insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

LoyalFree: The high street app helping businesses trade through the lockdown

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

BID community prepares for second lockdown

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

Job Support Scheme expanded to firms required to close due to Covid Restrictions

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

Extended Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme - 1st November 2020

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

British BIDs congratulates confirmed areas to receive new Town Deals Fund

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

Paul Clement steps down from British BIDs after long-standing service

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

October's Insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

British BIDs congratulates Melanie Beck on being awarded MBE for ‘Services to the Community’ during Covid-19

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

BIDs in the news

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

British BIDs and Industrial BIDs share best practice

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

September's Insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

British BIDs requests extension of 'Eat out To Help Out' Scheme

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

​Bb requests further BID term extension from MHCLG

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

Bb to launch new research entitled 'Shaping the Future'

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

Your Pontypridd Receives Accreditation

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

August's insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

Levy reduction letter from BIDs - download the template

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

Local lockdowns and areas of interventions: how to prepare

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

British BIDs' response on levy payments

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

British BIDs supports Business Resilience Survey

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

Get involved in our response to Government

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

Preparing for localised lockdown webinar follow up

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

Look back on lockdown - BIDs (part 2)

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

July's insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

Webinar with high street expert Bill Grimsey

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

Ruth Duston joins British BIDs Advisory Board

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

Towns Fund – updated guidance

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

Look back on lockdown - BIDs

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

June's Insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

From BBC news, to virtual meetings & training, we reflect on the past 3 months

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

BBC News Channel - Professor Christopher Turner

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

Industrial and Business Park BIDs share good practice with virtual networking sessions

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

New research on BIDs and the 'new normal'

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

Important announcement: MHCLG BID Loan Fund

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

Ed Cooke joins British BIDs Advisory Board

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

THAT WAS THE BB WEEK THAT WAS #9 (W/C 18TH MAY)

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

THAT WAS THE BB WEEK THAT WAS #8 (W/C 11TH MAY)

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

3R Toolkit; Driving recovery in your place

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

THAT WAS THE BB WEEK THAT WAS #7 (W/C 4TH MAY)

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

BIDs Advisory Board welcome Resilience Fund

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

THAT WAS THE BB WEEK THAT WAS #6 (W/C 27TH APRIL)

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

British BIDs announces new research into the recovery of BIDs and urban centres in the ‘new normal’

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

British BIDs Announces BIDs Resilience Fund

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

Government lobbying for BID levy relief during COVID-19

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

THAT WAS THE BB WEEK THAT WAS #5 (W/C 20TH APRIL)

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

New measures to protect UK high street from aggressive rent collection and closure

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

British BIDs expands Ballot Buddy portfolio

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

Sidcup BID achieve British BIDs Accreditation

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

Government Survey - your help needed by 22nd April

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

That Was The Bb Week That Was #4 (W/C 13th april)

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

April's Insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

COVID-19 - Job Retention Scheme Update

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

That Was The Bb Week That Was #3 (W/C 6th April)

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

That Was The Bb Week That Was #2 (W/C 30th March)

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

British BIDs' Ballot Buddy helps secure a 'yes' vote for West Bromwich BID

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

The Coronavirus Act 2020 and what it means for BIDs

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

That Was The Bb Week That Was #1 (w/c 23rd March)

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

BID levy payments and COVID-19

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

New Q&A sessions announced

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

Communications support for BIDs

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

British BIDs Guidance - Q&A

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

Business Improvement Districts and their Coronavirus Response

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

March's Insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

Join our live Q&A session this Friday

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

COVID-19: An update for Business Improvement Districts (BIDs)

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

British BIDs' response to the Chancellor's Budget

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

British BIDs launches new Advisory Board

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

Sunak urged to reform rates that ‘hammer’ local retailers

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

February's Insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

British BIDs partners with Welsh Government

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

Business Rates - a representation to the Chancellor for the 2020 Budget

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

New year, new Christmas

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

January's BID Insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

Celebrate our 10th birthday with us

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

British BIDs support Plymouth City Centre BID at renewal campaign launch

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

December's BID Insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

November's BID Insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

Digital Lego Trail successful boost to the City Centre

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

Can your BID assist school/college leavers in their area to obtain employment locally?

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

October's BID Insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

September's BID Insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

August's BID Insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

July's BID Insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

June's Insight from Professor Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

British BIDs appointed to support West Bromwich BID for renewal ballot

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

British BIDs appointed to support Sheffield BID with 2020 renewal ballot

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

May's Insight from Professor Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

April's Insight from Professor Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

Debenhams Administration - Guidance for BIDs

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

March's BID Insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

BID Loan Fund Workshops with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG)

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee - New Policy Issues

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

Celebrating 25 Years in Christmas Lighting - Gala Lights

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

February's BID Insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

InLinkUK - New to our Suppliers Portal

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

BID INSIGHT FROM CHRIS TURNER - JANUARY

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

BID INSIGHT FROM CHRIS TURNER - DECEMBER

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

Thank you to our British BIDs members

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

BID INSIGHT FROM CHRIS TURNER - NOVEMBER

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

Autumn Budget 2018: Highlights for the BID industry

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

BID INSIGHT FROM CHRIS TURNER - OCTOBER

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

Ministry of Housing, Community and Local Government BID Loan Fund

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

British BIDs appointed to support South Bank BID with 2019 renewal ballot

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

Faster broadband underpins UK BIDs - Openreach

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

National BIDs Conference by Ben Collins

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

BID INSIGHT FROM CHRIS TURNER - SEPTEMBER

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

Is slow broadband hindering your business and do you want to do something about it?

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

BID INSIGHT FROM CHRIS TURNER - AUGUST

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

Do Your BID’s Lights Need A Refresh?

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

BID INSIGHT FROM CHRIS TURNER - JULY

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

Applications for the 2018 Great British High Streets Awards are now open!

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

Launch of the Second Grimsey review

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

Launch of the Great British High Street Awards 2018

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

BID INSIGHT FROM CHRIS TURNER - JUNE

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

BID INSIGHT FROM CHRIS TURNER - MAY

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT INDUSTRY CELEBRATES 300 BIDS

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

Check out our photos from the Professional Development Day

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

BID INSIGHT FROM CHRIS TURNER - APRIL

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

What you can discover on the new Bb website

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022

BID INSIGHT FROM CHRIS TURNER - MARCH

POSTED ON: 20/01/2022