Good Morning
Please find below an update on current BID activities including:
· New programs
· Marketing
· East Street Vision
New Programmes
Shutters Program - The BID has set aside funding to help businesses paint shutters with art to improve appearances in the evening in particular. If you are interested in the programme please email business@bedminster.org.uk with your business name and address.
Building Decoration Programme - The BID has set aside match funding for businesses (or landlords) to cover 50% of the cost of repainting masonry walls. We aim to put together a list of at least ten of the most unsightly buildings in the area and have them repainted on a single contract in order to gain some economies of scale before the end of summer. Please email business@bedminster.org.uk if you wish to be considered for this.
Greening Programmes - the BID is launching two new greening programmes. Planters (mainly for wide pavements) and hanging baskets (mainly for narrow pavements).
Planters – as these require permissions from the city council we wish to do this in a batch order that will also enable some economies of scale. If you would like to be part of this programme you will need a pavement at least 2m wide (a minimum 1.5m must be left for pedestrians plus allow c0.5m minimum for a planter). We envisage long thin low level planters that would sit in front of shop windows and be planted in order to complement and not obstruct the shop window. Please do get in touch as soon as possible if you wish to be part of this programme.
Hanging Baskets – as many shops will not have a 2m pavement as an alternative we are proposing hanging baskets. As we are too late for this year’s summer planting this programme will be launched later (however we wanted everyone to know that we are seeking to cater for businesses with narrow pavements. Please do get in touch if you’d like to be part of this for Spring next year.
Green Walls – if you have other ideas beyond hanging baskets and planters that you believe will improve the aesthetics of the area then please let us know.
Priority will be given to programmes/buildings that optimise improvements for the wider street and area.
Marketing update –
Confirmed Projects
· Top Trader trump cards – will launch over the next month with packs of Top Trump cards promoting Bedminster’s independent traders distributed widely.
· Upfest has arrived with many fantastic newly painted walls with the event itself still to come on 28-29 May. In addition to part funding the festival the BID has put together a budget for a social media campaign to ensure the crowds circulate the whole area both on Upfest weekend and we aim to draw in the crowds at Ashton Court on Jubilee Weekend. (https://www.lovesavestheday.org)
· Festoon Lighting – the BID will pilot festoon lighting on a stretch of c200m of lower North Street to test its viability for both Christmas Lighting and general ‘mood’ lighting during other times of the year.
· ASH Building on Bedminster Parade – we were delighted to see the council successfully enforce some upgrades on this building and with scaffolding in place we took the opportunity to upgrade with a new piece of street art – the scaffolding is still up so see the artists own images here https://www.instagram.com/p/CcTDC-RMjd6/
· The Bedminster Beer Trail is almost upon us. An initiative from a group of Bedminster bars and breweries which is being supported by the BID. Please support by posting about it across the coming weeks and Jubilee Bank Holiday. https://www.bedminster.org.uk/news-cms/2022/4/13/bedminster-beer-trail
· Celebrating Lion Stores: With an upcoming 50th anniversary we will create a film with Derek and a media campaign celebrating independents in Bedminster
Proposed Projects
#SHOPBedminster Campaign
The remainder of the year will focus on a campaign around #ShopBedminster. This will include a Summer billboard, Top Traders and social media campaign.
· Social media – we have built a very strong following on all the key channels and now to take this to the next level we are calling on all businesses to use our favoured hashtag of #shopbedminster. Please use this as much as possible. If you have any questions at all on this or any aspect of marketing please contact Sophie at Plaster – sophie@weareplaster.com.
· Billboards – We are looking to run a billboard campaign which will be very similar to the successful WeAreBS3 campaign – featuring images from the Top Traders cards and highlighting the amazing characters behind our shops.
A new resident loyalty scheme
We are exploring a campaign where we put together a welcome hamper from Bedminster’s traders, targeted at new residents in the upcoming developments. This would be in partnership with the developers themselves in line with move in dates for new apartment sales – designed to introduce the high street and joys of shopping local to our new generation of residents.
Trails for Halloween and Christmas
We are working on plans to bring back the popular Halloween trail with stickers and a map for children to explore the local area.
The return of Musicians on the Run x 3
We are looking for partners and venues to explore the return of Musicians / Comediens and Magicians On the Run in the Autumn. This highly popular event was well attended and popular in the past.
East Street NOW!
We are moving forward as quickly as possible with the council and our appointed consultants McGregor Coxall covering a 5 Point Plan that includes:
1. Vision/Public Realm
a. Quick wins - planters, street furniture, wall art and ground art bins etc
b. Everything else: bollards, pavements, trees, highways etc
2. Welcome Arc Installation at East St entrance
3. ‘Bunting Hot Air Balloons’ - (catenary wires that will double as Christmas lighting).
4. Sunday Monthly Market – Vintage/Flea (connect East St Tobacco Factory Market). To complement East St Emporium on last Sunday of each month to focus on area between the pocket parks
5. Light installation (decorative and functional – buildings and catenaries
Get Involved?
Attend a meeting? Become a director or Street Representative? There are vacancies for more BID directors so please do get in touch or come along to a meeting if you think this is for you. Alternatively attend a marketing meeting or think about becoming a Street Representative for your area.
BID Street Representatives Role - It is recognised some people do not have the time or inclination to be a BID director. As such the BID is seeking businesses to volunteer to be street representatives and take a special interest progressing ideas and improvements in a particular street or part of street.
Street reps would be asked to follow closely the various meetings, minutes etc of the BID and ideally attend some meetings; share current activities with neighbouring businesses and generate feedback.
If you require further information on anything at all then please remember all meeting papers and reports are available online at https://www.bedminster.org.uk/business-key-documents.
Alternatively come to a meeting. We currently have regular monthly meetings as follows:
· Marketing - first Monday’s 6pm
· Board – second Tuesdays 6pm
· East Street Now! – first Wednesdays 10am
About the BID
Bedminster BID funding is generated via a small levy on all eligible businesses in the area and paid into a central 'kitty' in November each year to be spent on projects that benefit Bedminster businesses.
Our priorities are to:
· Create vibrant streets that excite and delight
· Market and promote Bedminster
· Reduce crime and improve the shopping environment
· Advocate and lobby for Bedminster business interests
· Drive down costs
Further Information and Contacts
· www.bedminster.org.uk
· www.facebook.com/bedminsterbristol.bs3
· www.twitter.com/BedminsterTT
George Grace - business@bedminster.org.uk, 07801790645
Simon Dicken (Wilko) - man242@wilko.co.uk
Stef Brammar (AGB) - stef.brammar@way-out-west.org
We are most grateful to local accountants Tyrrell Procter and communications experts Plaster for their generous pro bono contributions to our activities.
