Christmas 2016 Newsletter

Welcome to the Christmas 2016 edition of the Bedminster Business Improvement District Newsletter (incorporating Bedminster Town Team).
 
Christmas Events
Highlights for Christmas include

  • East Street Christmas Market on Sat 26th November. This year Santa and his reindeer will be making an appearance and GUARANTEED snow for the day.
  • Christmas Lights Installations at various locations around the shopping district. This will include a giant snowman, a moving Santa's Grotto, an Elf Village and a picture postcard scene on Bedminster Parade.
  • Bedminster Lantern Parade on Sat 10th December. Businesses on route are invited to participate by either decorating your premises (lantern kits are still available) or staying open later into the evening. This the largest event anywhere in South Bristol at this time of year and a great opportunity to engage with the thousands in attendance. For more details contact Tom on 07769347292 or email here.

We are circulating 15,000 copies of our Christmas flyer around Bristol in the lead up to Christmas and promoting via social media. See www.bedminster.org.uk for details and the amazing flyer here.

New Store Openings
We are delighted to see some wonderful new businesses opening in the past few months. North Street welcomes both Friendly Records and Toyville into its ranks while around the corner, Havanas Burgers and Shakes has added some life to Cannon Street. New arrivals on East Street include Bubble Play Cafe and the re-opening of Ocean Pearl (formerly Smiley’s Plaice).
 
Skills Week
This was an extraordinary event in November with over 60 (sixty!) events organised for people to try out new things, all in and around our retail streets. If you missed it – more here.  
 
Business Rates
As you will no doubt be aware there is currently a business rates revaluation going on. Overall our understanding of Bedminster is that it is not increasing or decreasing greatly (there will of course be some exceptions to this).

For the past four years the BID has been working with Bristol based Colliers International, a business rates specialist. Colliers have saved Bedminster BID members over £30,000 in rates, with many others receiving free advice. The BID has agreed ongoing discounted professional advice for BID members including a transparent no-win, no-fee basis and no upfront costs – ie fees are only payable when a saving is created. Please contact Dan Johnstone on 0117 9172059 or Daniel.johnstone@colliers.com
 
Annual Report
Our annual report for 2015/16 is in circulation. 
Hopefully a copy will have reached you by now, but if not, please click here

BID Board Meetings
Board meetings take place at 6.00pm on the first Tuesday of every month in The Steam Crane on North Street. If you are interested in finding out more please come along to a meeting as an observer. If you would like a bigger say in decisions affecting the area and our businesses, we are always looking for new board members to join the team. 6th December is the date for the next meeting, where we will also be having a Christmas drink. All businesses are invited. Alternatively contact one of us for a chat – see contact list below.

About the Business Improvement District (and Town Team)
The BID is the funding arm for Town Team activities, generated via a small levy on all eligible businesses in the area (equivalent to 1.5% of rateable value) and paid into a central 'kitty' in November each year, to be spent on projects that benefit Bedminster businesses. Our stated 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 

Please get in touch if you have any ideas about what we should do. Or, if you wish to attend a board meeting or one of our specialist sub-groups in Marketing, Arts & Culture or Built Environment (ie transport, planning and street improvement), please see our calendar here and drop us a line.

High Street Heroes
Finally our very own Simon Dicken (manager of Wilko and Chair of the BID) has been nominated for a national award for his wonderful efforts over the past four years in Bedminster. Best of luck with the finals Simon. More here.  

Further Information
Business to business news: www.bedminstertownteam.org
Customer facing website and social media:

Contacts
George Grace - george@bedminster.org.uk
om Beard - markets@bedminster.org.uk
Simon Dicken (Wilko) - man242@wilko.co.uk
Ben Barker (GBCP) - benbarker@blueyonder.co.uk

We are grateful to local accountants Tyrrell Procter and communications experts Plaster for their generous pro bono contributions to our activities.