January 2016 Newsletter

Welcome to the January edition of the Town Team and BID Newsletter. Please read on to find out about our plans for the forthcoming year. If you'd like to see details of last year's activities, please click here to view our 2014/15 annual report.

Events Calendar
Our events calendar for 2016 is shaping up very nicely! These initiatives are all either supported or organised directly by the Town Team.

  • February - Window Wanderland: This is a wonderful new initiative for the area - a magical walking trail to light up our streets. Many local residents have already signed up to create displays in their windows and gardens, and we are now looking for businesses to take part too. This will be a fun, free event, open to everyone - and should be a great way to generate footfall and raise money for charity too! There is more information here and you can sign up here. The map of all participating properties will be created in the next couple of weeks, so act now if you'd like to be included.  
  • March - Fun On The Run: The latest in our series of 'On The Run' events. Following on from the success of previous events, we are arranging for a variety of acts to perform across 15Bedminster venues (musicians, comedians, magicians, poets, circus performers etc) on Saturday 19th March. If you'd like to get involved, please email sadiefleming@live.com.
  • June - Comedians On The Run: tbc.
  • July - Upfest: Europe's biggest street art festival will be
    returning to Bedminster between 23rd - 25th July. The Town Team is a key sponsor and works closely with the festival organisers to ensure the enormous crowds (circa 25,000) permeate throughout the area. If you have a substantial area of wall that you would like brought to life with a piece of art, please do get in touch.
  • August - Breakfast In Bedminster: This is a new idea that we intend to trial on the weekend of the Balloon Fiesta (11th - 14th August). We have probably the best range of restaurants and cafes in the city, and we need to highlight this! More details to follow. We will also host our annual summer fairs this month. 
  • September - Skills Week: This bumper week of events and activities will return in September this year (usually in May).
  • October - Musicians On The Run: tbc.
  • December: Christmas lighting and events.

Built Environment
Several significant projects are about to be undertaken:

  • Mill Square (ie the corner of East Street and Mill Lane) - this is being turned into a small square with planters and art, and will be known as Caraboo Square (after Princess Caraboo - click herefor the story).
  • Ebenezer Gate (on North Street) - the Town Team have secured funding to turn this lovely old piece of Bedminster into an actively used 'pocket park'. We hope to commence work in March.
  • Bedminster Parade - working closely with the council has resulted in the redirection of c£250k of Metrobus budget in favour of public realm improvements, which will include: replacing the pavement with natural stone, tree planting, benches, and a freshly surfaced carriageway.
  • RPZ - this has now been in place for over 6 months, and the Town Team are conducting a survey of businesses to ascertain its impact. We will publish the results here, and where damaging for businesses, use them as evidence in the council review.

Priorities for the 2015/16 (Year 3 of the BID)
Each year in September, the Town Team meets to agree priorities for the forthcoming year. Please click here for a summary of all of this year’s priorities.