Leading the BID industry
Leading the BID industry
There have been thirteen ballots this month and we congratulate Manor Royal BID, Victoria Westminster BID, Whitehall BID, The Northbank BID, Kirkwall BID, Halebank Industrial BID, Astmoor Industrial BID, Dunoon Presents BID, Future Wood Green, Banbury BID, InStreatham, Cobham and Culture Mile BID on their successes. Unfortunately, Beckenham Together Bid has been unsuccessful. A further nine BIDs are in ballot at the moment.
The British BIDs team liaison regularly with the police and the various crime agencies. They have alerted us to a new all-in-one safety app from the British Transport Police. The app allows you to report crimes or concerns on the rail network, share your journeys with trusted contacts, and get access to news, guides, or support. They say that they want us to feel safe and empowered when we travel, and by downloading the Railway Guardian app, help is always at hand if you need it. They ask us to download the app here.
BIDs are by definition about Improvement, and so we must reflect or indeed lead the economy. Data from Bloomberg suggests the UK Economy grew far more strongly than forecast in January, adding to evidence of resilience in the face of a cost-of-living squeeze and widespread industrial unrest. Gross domestic product grew 0.3%, recovering part of a 0.5% decline in December when strikes halted activity, and growth of 0.1% in January is forecast. The figures raise hopes that the economy may avoid a protracted recession or dodge a downturn altogether. The economy still remains 0.2% smaller than it was before the pandemic. “We expect the current downturn to be shallower and shorter than previously thought, with stronger business sentiment and a steady fall in inflation expected to support the recovery in the second half of the year,” said KPMG UK’s Chief Economist Yael Selfin. Full details here.
This mood of positivity was reflected in Chancellor Hunt’s budget, which was a very traditional one after the recent few. The details were focused on getting people back to work, childcare and business investment. For BIDs it was very much about seeing how business and the economy can move forward. The best details are here.
We are always interested in BIDs, gentrification and “The romcom effect". Steve Rose's article 'The romcom effect: will a new movie gentrify Peckham as Richard Curtis gentrified Nottingham Hill?' raises some terrific issues. Is Rye Lane a cause for celebration, or more of a warning sign? Director Raine Allen-Miller describes her film as “a love letter to south London”, but a love letter can also be a marketing brochure. From London to Paris, and New York, edgy, up-and-coming neighbourhoods form the perfect setting for movies about young people falling in love, but by drawing attention to these areas, these films risk accelerating the commercialisation that so often ends up destroying them.
A key new piece of research from the High Streets Task Force on Place Leadership in English Local Authorities - a critical success factor for vital and viable high streets, needs to be read by us all. This research aims to understand the role and methods of local authority leaders in the successful regeneration of high streets and town centres. The research focused on seven place leaders, based within local authorities, who have a strong track record of place transformation. There is an extensive body of literature examining institutional and political leadership in local authorities, but little examination of place leadership. High streets and town centres matter, but they face complex challenges and need leadership if they are to adapt to the changing needs of their communities. Local Authorities are seen as the body responsible for high streets, but this is an oversimplified view. High streets and town centres are made up of a plethora of occupiers, owners, users, residents, visitors, organisations and networks. When individuals and groups act collectively, through collaboration and partnership working, the evidence shows that high streets and town centres can be revitalised. Place leaders have the skills and knowledge to do this. They have the trust and respect of a wide range of local stakeholders, whom they work closely with, towards the common aim of making a better place. Nurturing collaboration is key to the place leaders’ role.
An interesting example of how high streets can be repurposed with a health focus, and how BIDs could be a part of that is Health Street: Health creation as a new mission for our high streets by the Heatherwick Studio. While hospitals are pushed to the limit, many high streets across Britain are hollowing out. The Studio’s proposition envisions how communities can benefit from a shift from treating illness to health creation by co-creating services that are more convenient, holistic, and relevant to their needs. The report shows how they have used Lister Gate, a pedestrianised high street within the city centre of Nottingham, which has the ideal conditions to grow a Health Street framework and is very much part of the BID. The project asks us to consider how BIDs could be refocused on improving health, as part of the health street framework. This could shape the content and outlook of retailers to promote healthier choices and how a ‘micro-BID’ could be established to focus solely on the area of one Health Street. Full details here.
The next British BIDs Professional Development Day is on Wednesday 26th April hosted alongside Nottingham BID. This is your opportunity to connect with others in the industry and explore how BIDs and other business communities are working to solve similar problems and develop their areas. Full details are here and do please join us.
The British BIDS Online Academy continues, with 46 online training days covering eleven separate topics through the year, along with the Certificate in BID Management and the Diploma in BID leadership which each run twice on Zoom through the year. Do please join us by booking a place online or contacting shayni.langhelt@britshbids.info or 07971 0071921.
Professor Christopher Turner, Chief Executive, British BIDs
