Good Afternoon

Please find below information and updates regarding:

1. Covid – additional business rates relief

2. Current BID Programs

3. Annual accounts

COVID-19 Additional Relief Fund

The COVID-19 Additional Relief Fund (CARF) is open for a second round of applications. Please see below information from the council:

CARF is available to businesses affected by the pandemic but ineligible for existing support linked to business rates.

If your business has been affected by COVID-19 and it is struggling to adapt to that impact, check your eligibility for relief.

Depending on the level of demand to the fund, businesses can get up to 100 per cent business rates relief for the 2021-2022 financial year credited back.

Applications to the relief fund must be made by 31 July. We will then assess all applications and notify businesses as soon as possible of the outcome.

If you submitted an application before 31 May 2022 you do not need to apply again. We are aiming to notify you and award the relief by the end of July 2022.

Visit our website for full details on the COVID-19 Additional Relief Fund, to check your eligibility and to apply.

New programs

Funding is still available from the BID for

· 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 before Wednesday 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.

Accounts for the Year

Accounts for the past BID year have been published and may be found here together with a detailed P&L Report from our accountants Tyrrell Procter. We are most grateful to Tyrrell Procter who continue to run all our accounting and banking needs entirely free of charge.