June's Insight from Chris Turner


It is now midsummer; the reopening has been put off for a further four weeks and BIDs across the four administrations are flat-out with levy payers, helping them return to full operational activities. Some BIDs are planning their next ballots, many are working with their local authorities on collecting their levy payments, and all of us are working on safe and secure events, returning to normal and planning hard for what we all hope will be a long hot summer.

The Ballot story is slow at the moment, but the three successes are as ever encouraging: Ripon, a brand-new BID, was successful, whilst the greatly enhanced Liverpool Culture and Commerce BID and Poole BID were also both successful.

As many workers embrace a hybrid work pattern, perhaps commuting 2-3 days a week, the experiment in full-time home-working is starting to end. At the same time, assessments of its effectiveness are proliferating. Work from the Economist this week suggest that despite working longer hours, employees had less focus time than before the pandemic. Instead, all their extra time was taken up by meetings. The Economist promulgates Bartleby’s law: 80% of the time of 80% of the people in meetings is wasted. This study certainly offers evidence for the proposition, and despite working longer hours, employees may have produced less because of nervous employers and an excess of meetings!

The UK economy posted its strongest growth in business activity for more than two decades in May as shoppers rushed to the high street and the lifting of lockdown measures accelerated Britain’s economic recovery. The rebound in the manufacturing and services sectors followed a return to pre-pandemic levels of retail sales in April, according to figures published last month. The Purchasing Managers Index found that hotels, restaurants and other consumer-facing services reported the biggest upturn in demand this month, though improvements were reported across the board in all sectors, leading to the fastest growth since 1998 PMI. The UK is enjoying a growth spurt as the economy reopens, factory orders are surging at a record pace, and the service sector is reporting near-record growth as the opening up of the economy allows more businesses to trade. Business confidence has meanwhile hit an all-time high as concerns about the impact of the pandemic continue to fade.

But there were two very major concerns that many of our levy payers believe government needed to resolve. First, we need an extension of six months to the ban on landlords evicting tenants, and with perfect timing it was announced yesterday that the existing measures in place to protect commercial tenants from eviction will be extended to 25 March 2022. This is to ensure that the sectors who are unable to open have enough time to come to an agreement with their landlord without the threat of eviction (more info here) and second, we need a government-backed framework to share the accumulated pain of unpaid rents. Hospitality firms particularly are estimated to have built up £2.5bn of unpaid rent during the pandemic, potentially killing thousands of businesses before they’ve had a chance to try to trade their way out of crisis. The new announcement suggests that new legislation will help tenants and landlords work together to come to an agreement on how to handle the money owed – this could be done by waiving some of the total amount or agreeing a longer-term repayment plan. This agreement should be between the tenant and landlord and, if in some cases, an agreement cannot be made, the law will ensure a binding arbitration process will be put in place so that both parties can come to a formal agreement. This will be a legally binding agreement that both parties must adhere to.

Allied to this is the evident growth in capital spending. As lockdowns lift, people are going out and spending. Data suggests that some restaurants have been crammed for months and shopping malls are starting to fill with people splurging savings. Cinemas in Britain, which were allowed to reopen in mid-May, are packed once again. Thus, the data suggests that another spending bonanza is just beginning. Businesses are starting to invest and analysts at Morgan Stanley suggest that investment might grow to 121% of pre-recession levels by the end of 2022. Oxford Economics, a consultancy, argues that “the time looks right for a boom in capex”, while ihs Markit, a research firm, forecasts that global real fixed investment will rise by more than 6% this year (more info by The Economist here). This will impact on BIDs as our levy payers slowly benefit from the trickle-down effects.

Much of this infrastructure and capital funding will come from government and they confirmed last month the further 57 high streets across England which will share over £830m to help them reopen and recover from the pandemic. To ensure that local communities are best placed to do this they have also confirmed the UK Community Renewal Fund with an additional £220 million of investment to help support local areas to ‘pilot imaginative new approaches and programmes that unleash their potential, instil pride, and prepare them to take full advantage of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund when it launches in 2022’. An overview of all these overlapping funding streams is available here.

The CBI is adamant that this investment will have to be green and sustainable, and green investment and sustainable jobs must be central to the government’s recovery plan. Their new proposals, Principles for a low-carbon, sustainable and net-zero aligned economic recovery post COVID-19, suggest five key policy interventions aimed at harnessing the growing political business and consumer pressures to tackle the climate emergency. The CBI believe that the need to make quick progress on embedding sustainable economic growth throughout the UK is pressing. Worldwide there is growing recognition of the moral imperative to ramp-up efforts to tackle the climate crisis. And here in the UK they believe that there is also a clear economic rationale for making it a key plank of the post-pandemic recovery, harnessing the desire for action among business, consumers and politicians. Sustainable growth is the centrepiece of plans to build back better post-pandemic. The CBI believe that we must fast-forward policies like a mass energy efficiency programme and building new sustainable transport infrastructure. These steps can both help to reduce emissions and provide the kind of jobs and investment stimulus the economy needs for the longer term. These are key challenges for BIDs in a world in which the young believe passionately in a green and sustainable agenda.

As ever British BIDs continue to run a range of ten training courses, each running several times in the year, as well as our Diploma and Certificate programmes, and they are all listed on our website. It is really terrific to see so many BID staff joining us each week, gaining new ideas and meeting each other.


Professor Christopher Turner, Chief Executive, British BIDs


Latest Articles

SEPTEMBER INSIGHTS BY CHRIS TURNER

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

AUGUST INSIGHTS BY CHRIS TURNER

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

JULY INSIGHTS BY CHRIS TURNER

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

APRIL INSIGHTS BY CHRIS TURNER

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

MARCH INSIGHTS BY CHRIS TURNER

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

DESIGN YOUR SCHEME READY FOR A SUCCESSFUL RESULT

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

FEBRUARY INSIGHTS BY CHRIS TURNER

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

JANUARY INSIGHTS BY CHRIS TURNER

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

DECEMBER INSIGHTS BY CHRIS TURNER

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

NOVEMBER'S INSIGHT BY CHRIS TURNER

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

10 key considerations from The National BIDs Conference

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

October's Insight by Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

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

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

September's Insight by Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

National BID Awards 2022

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

August's insight by Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

July's Insight by Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

Leadership race: Businesses need competent hands on the tiller

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

JUNE'S INSIGHT FROM CHRIS TURNER

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

Greening our cities

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

MAY'S INSIGHT FROM CHRIS TURNER

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

Bringing back The Golden Mile in Belfast

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

April's Insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

Industrial BID Members to meet at Penrith Industrial BID

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

HINCKLEY BID: Attracting visitors through our annual pancake race

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

March's Insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

February's Insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

Bb joins national campaign to encourage workers back to offices

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

TURNING BUSINESS FOOD WASTE INTO VEGETABLES IN BOURNEMOUTH

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

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

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

January's Insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

Businesses need clarity from government in 2022

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

Over 100 destinations urge UK government to deliver 'business booster

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

December's Insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

Plan B: £4bn Loss Predicted for hospitality sector

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

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

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

Small Business Saturday: Wizard of Oz comes to Saffron Walden

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

Small Business Saturday spotlight: Hidden crackers in Nottingham

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

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

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

British BIDs to welcome new BIDs to the Ballot Buddy portfolio

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

November's Insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

Unemployment is falling, but our recovery is patchy

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

National BIDs Conference 2021

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

Budget 2021 - letter to Chancellor

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

October's Insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

High street app attracts thousands of visitors to Lanark

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

September's Insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

Getting back on track

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

August's Insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

The future health of our High Street Businesses

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

July's Insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

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

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

BIDlife

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

Our rapidly evolving workspaces

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

British BIDs appointed to support Swindon renewal ballot

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

May's Insight from Chris Turner - 2021

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

Indoor service please

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

ACT NOW FOR A STAND-OUT LIGHTING DISPLAY THIS WINTER

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

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

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

Amazon clicks and thirsty punters… now for business rates

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

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

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

High streets a part of life?

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

BIDlife - Send us your reopening photos

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

April's Insight from Chris Turner - 2021

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

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

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

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

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

March’s ballot results – a congratulations from British BIDs

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

Ballot Buddy helps achieve a new term for Sheffield BID

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

British BIDs meets with UK's largest national chains

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

March's Insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

Retail repositioning continues

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

Colour and animation for magical lights this Christmas - GALA LIGHTS

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

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

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

£1bn Towns Fund for 45 areas in England announced

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

February ballot results – a congratulations from the British BIDs team

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

February's Insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

Letter on proposed new Permitted Development Rights

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

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

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

BID ballots during lockdown

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

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

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

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

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

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

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

January's Insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

Digital trends in 2021

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

British BIDs and Industrial BIDs discuss crime prevention

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

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

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

A look back on 2020 BID ballots

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

December's insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

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

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

How can and should BIDs be more community focused?

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

Christmas lights provide feel-good factor in challenging times

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

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

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

Repurposing our places for the future

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

Arcadia Group – Guidance for BIDs, 1 December 2020

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

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

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

Increase your footfall over the festive period - Blachere Illumination

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

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

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

November's insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

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

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

BID community prepares for second lockdown

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

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

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

Extended Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme - 1st November 2020

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

British BIDs congratulates confirmed areas to receive new Town Deals Fund

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

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

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

October's Insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

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

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

BIDs in the news

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

British BIDs and Industrial BIDs share best practice

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

September's Insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

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

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

​Bb requests further BID term extension from MHCLG

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

Bb to launch new research entitled 'Shaping the Future'

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

Your Pontypridd Receives Accreditation

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

August's insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

Levy reduction letter from BIDs - download the template

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

Local lockdowns and areas of interventions: how to prepare

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

British BIDs' response on levy payments

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

British BIDs supports Business Resilience Survey

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

Get involved in our response to Government

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

Preparing for localised lockdown webinar follow up

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

Look back on lockdown - BIDs (part 2)

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

July's insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

Webinar with high street expert Bill Grimsey

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

Ruth Duston joins British BIDs Advisory Board

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

Towns Fund – updated guidance

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

Look back on lockdown - BIDs

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

June's Insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

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

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

BBC News Channel - Professor Christopher Turner

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

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

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

New research on BIDs and the 'new normal'

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

Important announcement: MHCLG BID Loan Fund

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

Ed Cooke joins British BIDs Advisory Board

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

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

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

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

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

3R Toolkit; Driving recovery in your place

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

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

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

BIDs Advisory Board welcome Resilience Fund

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

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

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

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

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

British BIDs Announces BIDs Resilience Fund

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

Government lobbying for BID levy relief during COVID-19

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

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

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

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

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

British BIDs expands Ballot Buddy portfolio

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

Sidcup BID achieve British BIDs Accreditation

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

Government Survey - your help needed by 22nd April

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

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

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

April's Insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

COVID-19 - Job Retention Scheme Update

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

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

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

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

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

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

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

The Coronavirus Act 2020 and what it means for BIDs

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

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

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

BID levy payments and COVID-19

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

New Q&A sessions announced

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

Communications support for BIDs

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

British BIDs Guidance - Q&A

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

Business Improvement Districts and their Coronavirus Response

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

March's Insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

Join our live Q&A session this Friday

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

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

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

British BIDs' response to the Chancellor's Budget

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

British BIDs launches new Advisory Board

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

Sunak urged to reform rates that ‘hammer’ local retailers

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

February's Insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

British BIDs partners with Welsh Government

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

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

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

New year, new Christmas

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

January's BID Insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

Celebrate our 10th birthday with us

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

British BIDs support Plymouth City Centre BID at renewal campaign launch

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

December's BID Insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

November's BID Insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

Digital Lego Trail successful boost to the City Centre

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

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

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

October's BID Insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

September's BID Insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

August's BID Insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

July's BID Insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

June's Insight from Professor Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

British BIDs appointed to support West Bromwich BID for renewal ballot

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

British BIDs appointed to support Sheffield BID with 2020 renewal ballot

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

May's Insight from Professor Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

April's Insight from Professor Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

Debenhams Administration - Guidance for BIDs

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

March's BID Insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

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

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee - New Policy Issues

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

Celebrating 25 Years in Christmas Lighting - Gala Lights

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

February's BID Insight from Chris Turner

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

InLinkUK - New to our Suppliers Portal

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

BID INSIGHT FROM CHRIS TURNER - JANUARY

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

BID INSIGHT FROM CHRIS TURNER - DECEMBER

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

Thank you to our British BIDs members

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

BID INSIGHT FROM CHRIS TURNER - NOVEMBER

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

Autumn Budget 2018: Highlights for the BID industry

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

BID INSIGHT FROM CHRIS TURNER - OCTOBER

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

Ministry of Housing, Community and Local Government BID Loan Fund

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

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

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

Faster broadband underpins UK BIDs - Openreach

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

National BIDs Conference by Ben Collins

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

BID INSIGHT FROM CHRIS TURNER - SEPTEMBER

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

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

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

BID INSIGHT FROM CHRIS TURNER - AUGUST

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

Do Your BID’s Lights Need A Refresh?

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

BID INSIGHT FROM CHRIS TURNER - JULY

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

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

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

Launch of the Second Grimsey review

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

Launch of the Great British High Street Awards 2018

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

BID INSIGHT FROM CHRIS TURNER - JUNE

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

BID INSIGHT FROM CHRIS TURNER - MAY

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT INDUSTRY CELEBRATES 300 BIDS

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

Check out our photos from the Professional Development Day

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

BID INSIGHT FROM CHRIS TURNER - APRIL

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

What you can discover on the new Bb website

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021

BID INSIGHT FROM CHRIS TURNER - MARCH

POSTED ON: 17/06/2021