The BedfordBID Company Limited Company by Guarantee Review period from 1st April 2017 to 31st March 2018

Working

Love Bedford is the promotional brand of the Bedford Business Improvement District (BID)

which promotes the interest of over 500 Bedford town centre businesses

Together

Bedford Business Improvement District (BID) wasone of 12 towns which piloted the business-ledmodel back in 2005; 300 BIDs are now establishedaround the country. Bedford is in the third year ofits third term.

The BedfordBID vision is to create a vibrantenvironment and broaden the role of the towncentre beyond shopping towards being a greatplace for people to spend time. The 2015-2020Business Plan details three key priorities:-

To market and promote Bedford town centre and make Bedford a destination through

the presentation of high quality events.

To enhance the visitor experience and develop the customer offer.

To continue to forge strong partnerships, working with others to create a vibrant,

economically strong and attractive town for residents and visitors alike.

During 2017/18, a number of significant areas of business wereaddressed to support businesses and meet the plans of the BedfordBIDCompany five year business plan including:-

A restructure of how we offer services to our town centre businessesthrough the introduction of BID Champions resulting in enhancedengagement and interactions whilst providing the latest informationfrom the BID which is of commercial value to BID members.

The completion of consumer research designed to inform marketingcampaigns and help businesses to grow offering employees an environ-ment with good choices of facilities, shops and restaurants.

Funding support for the provision of two PSCOs in attempt to improveuniform visibility in the town and enable the development of AlternativePowers to address A.S.B.

Launch of Give a Hand Up not a Hand Out poster campaign working withBedford Homeless and Community Safety Partnerships.

Introduction of the latest social media platforms into the marketing mixincluding videos.

Increased redemption rates to over £1m worth of Love Bedford giftvouchers.

Development of programmes to enhance skills for businesses includingtraining for the evening economy businesses whilst also providing Bed-Safe admin support to this valuable sector.

Representation from BID businesses in the Bedfordshire BusinessAwards.

Expanded the BID relationship with Bedford College utilising their linksto over 12,000 students and 1,200 staff using staff intranet ande-magazines.

Designer Weekend free prize drawto promote the refurbishedMayson’s Menswear on HighStreet and to cultivate contactsfor the consumer database.

Enhanced reporting to businessesthrough the BID briefing and net-working breakfasts.

Having good internal controls andcorporate governance procedures areimportant for a BID. This leaflet isintended to demonstrate that incomereceived is spent well and that thereare good internal governance controlsto ensure that this happens. FullAccounts and performance reportsincluding the BedfordBID networkingand briefing breakfast presentations,AGM papers and five year business planare all available for download atwww.lovebedford.co.uk or call 01234404500.

Project expenditure has not declinedwith over 70% spent on services and10% on overheads.

BedfordBID contributes to the BritishBIDs National survey which measuresgood practice by collecting quantitativeand qualitative data through one toone research of BIDs. The data isanalysed and verified for publication atthe BritishBIDs annual conference andthereafter on their website. The levycollection cost per hereditaments:National Guidelines suggest a maxi-mum charge of £35 per hereditament.Bedford is £25 and Overheads industrycriteria acceptable level is 20%;BedfordBID 10%.

The bottom-line success of BedfordBIDis demonstrated in its increase in footflow which during 2017/18 continuedto buck the trend both nationally andregionally, despite reduced visitor num-bers in October and December, causedin part by poor weather conditions andless support for late night opening.

Supporting and promoting a plethoraof events, Love Bedford brandedpromotions and town centre FREEparking messages were key elementsof the marketing for the town. Themultifaceted marketing campaignsalso included door to door, printedpublications, PR, regional press andradio, online & social media platformsall of which have contributed to thepromotion of the town centre and itsbusinesses, helping to attract newinvestment.

In the spring of 2017, a new Instagramcampaign was launched featuring avariety of BID businesses whichbecame the back drop to a BBC reportand coincided with key promotionalthemes linked to the 20k+ door todoor BID magazine distribution andthe Brooks Hair & Beauty Show. Itssuccess led to a summer campaignattracting c50k links, spring boardinga further campaign for Christmas2018.

Source of Statistics: The national high street index is a collaboration between Springboard Research Ltdand the Association of Town Centre Management to deliver a national performance index based on footfallin town and city centres. Data for the High Street index has been gathered by Springboard from around100 million pedestrian flows per month in around 140 UK towns and cities

Footfall figures

The dedicated events section on theLove Bedford website is now one of themost popular. It has developed areputation as the ‘go to’ site for thedefinitive guide to the town with uniqueusers in excess of 113k. Third partycollaborations and ever-popular eventslast year contributed to the spikes invisitor numbers including Love BedfordDay, Comic Convention, Chilli Fest, HighStreet Showcase and pre-Christmaslights event with Paw Patrol costumedcharacters and real reindeer whichattracted +82% WoW between 3pm and8.00pm.

Bedford also welcomed the opening ofthe new Riverside Bedford complexwhich, during the launch weekend,attracted +7% growth in foot flow intothe town vs. -1.8% national comparisonlike for like.

The Love Bedford town centre giftvoucher scheme includes over 70% ofindependently-run businesses and hasnow exceeded the £1m target generat-ing cash directly back into various BIDzone businesses. The online vouchersales tripled against the previousChristmas and a new micro site wasintroduced to highlight new members.

BedfordBID’s representation in theBedfordshire Business Awards includedLarge Business, Customer Service, SmallBusiness and Young Business person ofthe Year categories. Engagement withbusinesses is further demonstratedthrough an increased participation infeatures and advertising in the LoveBedford publications distributed to over20k homes and industrial estates (B2B

edition). Thirty multi-branded BID busi-ness e-shots have taken place duringthe year to a growing database of over4000 harvested by competitions and thewebsite Hello! bar. Opening rates circa31% and click-through rates @ 3.5%which is above average. Engagementwith businesses also extends intoFacebook, Twitter, Instagram and arecently launched closed FB page forconfidential matters. There are over 20k‘followers’.

During 2017/18, 164,151 e-shots weredelivered. Peak open rate was 26.59%vs. industry standard of 20.96% (retail).Click-through rates vary subject tocampaign message e.g. Mother’s Day55% open rate and 7.25 click through.New businesses 55% open rate and13.35 click through; benchmark 21.21%open rate and 2.33% click through.Business database: business workshopskills open rate 22% and click through1.26%, GDPR open rate 30%, clickthrough 3%; benchmark 20.9% openand 2.73% click through rates.

Businesses committed to the MysteryShop campaign last Christmas whichsupported 25 businesses with 1-2-1advice from industry experts ShopperAnonymous and the recently launchedBedford town centre business clubmentoring and education initiativeproved added value with commentsfrom businesses including Gallone’sIce Cream Parlour.

“Having taken part in last year's Business Club I have approached thisyear with a positive can do attitude.

Staying focused on the elements thatgenerate real worth within my

business arena. The networking opportunities within the course

structure have proven invaluable andmoved our business to another level. I wholeheartedly encourage anyonewho has the opportunity to sign upthis year to grab it with both hands.”

Martin Keys, Gallone’s Ice Cream Parlour

Utilitrack continue to partner Bedford-BID offering a ‘One Stop Shop’ to helplevy-paying businesses check theircurrent energy and telecoms/broad-band tariffs against the market’s bestbuys. To date the total savingsUtilitrack have managed to securesavings for BID members is £60,685.

BedfordBID’s added value is alsodemonstrated by a number of B2Binitiatives, this includes a conduit forB2B cross marketing opportunities andrelationship development through theBID breakfasts, the visiting and promo-tion of new business arrivals, featuredbusiness promotions on the LoveBedford website and directory. Plus thededicated B2B publication for thepromotion of the non-retail sector.Attendance at the BedfordBID breakfasthas increased to an average of 70,culminating this year with importantinsights into the proposals for the HighStreet from Chief Officers of Highways& Planning plus Economic Growthdevelopment around Bedford as part ofthe Master visioning process.

Bedford was declared as the preferredlocation and “most enjoyed” by visitorsdespite the recent opening of neigh-bouring Rushden Lakes development.

The Intercept Study research alsoconcluded that the main reason forvisiting is shopping and the Castle Quaywas the most liked and most preferredarea. This study is also being used tohelp shape the future sustainability ofthe town in which businesses canprosper and offer employees an envri-onment with good choices of facilities,shops and restaurants.

Regular editorials in local media hasalso increased including front pagecoverage with FREE introductory textand branded front cover of ruralpublications distributed to over 90khousehold including new housingdevelopments. Column inches conver-sion is circa £12k.

During the second half of 2017/18,BedfordBID restructured how to offerservices to town centre businesses witha new skills set for the frontline teamwhich included online completion ofpaperwork at business visits to ensurethat every business has a presence onthe Love Bedford website. Providing upto date information about the latestopportunities of commercial value tothem is also a priority. The BedfordCollege Intranet is now providingfurther opportunities with a direct linkto staff and over 12k local students.

Reports for environment issues andremoval of graffiti continue with essen-tial services such as the recruitment toRetail RadioLink and Exclusion schemewhich has over 240 members. EnforcingPSPO restrictions such as cycling inpedestrianised areas is now beingimposed by local authority EnforcementOfficers. BedfordBID continue to deliverthe WipeOut graffiti monitoring andreporting for action programme as wellas being the critical link to emergencyservices and the town’s CCTV.

Coupled with the investment in twodedicated BID PCSOs, measures are alsoin hand to address specific issuesrelating to persistent rough sleepers,begging, street drinking and generalASB in the town centre. From Bedford-shire Police a PC with experience of the’alternative powers’ is working with theBID PCSOs to address the more persist-ent offenders. BID is also working inpartnership with the dedicated multi-agency officer who is addressing home-lessness in the town. In endeavouring toimprove the visibility of officers in the

town, the BID helped facilitate a newtown centre police hub which opened inDecember. The last meeting with theBedfordshire Police and Crime Commis-sioner resulted in a decision that BIDcontact the Minister for Policing directto try and address the issue of theimbalance of funds available to Bedfordto cover its policing needs.

The BID is now also working with theBedSafe Licensees group boosting itssupport to the evening and nightimeeconomy with the provision of admin-istrative assistance, a trial of DatabaseIntranet for Safer Communities, fundingof the BIIAB Award in ResponsibleAlcohol Retailing along with the spon-sorship of the Taxi Marshal scheme.

The evening and late night economysection is currently the third mostpopular search on our website and is atthe top of any Google search such as‘What’s on tonight in Bedford?’

A new measurement of communitysupport has included sponsorship ofthe Community Cohesion businessawards and the numerous raffle prizesin the form of Love Bedford gift vouch-ers to a variety of charitable groups.

4%

10%

18%

68%Projects

How we spend your money

Projects include : Improving the Visitor Experience, Love Bedford

(marketing and promotion) and partnerships with -

BedfordBID regularly deals with a number of enquiries from businesses as well asyour issues; we listen and act upon your concerns.

To contact BedfordBID call 01234 404500, email at info@lovebedford.co.uk; Twitter@lovebedford, Facebook Love Bedford and Instagram lovebedford1.

BedfordBID board meeting open sessions dates are displayed on our web sitewww.lovebedford.co.uk. Look out for invitations to the AGM plus B2B Breakfastupdates and networking meetings or contact us for a further copy of the year plannerprinted calendar. To join the BedfordBID closed Facebook page, to receive updateson police activity in the town centre, contact us.

The full list of BID services is included in the five year plan , a copy of which is available on the website, together with the 2018/19 Year Planner

and 2017 AGM brochure report.

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