Welcome to your May edition of the Bedminster BID Newsletter
BID CONSULTATION RECOMMENCES
Bedminster BID intends commencing with a further round of consultation with businesses in advance of a possible ballot in August/September. As you will recall the ballot result from earlier this year was negative despite 70% of businesses voting in favour of the BID. The ballot must be won on the basis of two counts - by number of businesses and also by rateable value. The second count by rateable value was lost because the largest superstore in Bedminster voted NO and its massive rateable value is enough to swing the ballot into negative territory.
Given a significant majority of businesses voted positively towards renewing the BID for a further five years the BID Board have decided to consult businesses again on the possibility of a new BID that would exclude the largest ratepayer and allow the smaller businesses to work together to improve marketing, street enhancements, safety and ensure a strong voice for Bedminster businesses. For full details please click on the BID Consultation document:
DO WE NEED A BID?
Retail sales 'fell off a cliff' in April with the worst month recorded since records began in the mid 1980s according to BRC (British Retail Consortium). The growing impact of the internet means traditional shopping locations will continue to be negatively impacted with the latest sectors to be badly hit including banking and travel. Amazon et al will not be satisfied unless we are ordering and drinking cappucinos out of our phones and so it is in our view essential we respond by making an experience - based on uniqueness and authenticity - that it is impossible for the internet to match. A BID will help greatly in this regard.
OTHER BID NEWS
East St and Cannon St 'Clutter Patrol'
‘Clutter Patrol’ involves us walking the retail streets with relevant officers from the council and other agencies to inspect the state of pavements in terms of blockages and litter etc. The next one will focus on East and Cannon St and be on Wednesday, 23 May starting at 10.30am. All are welcome. We will meet near the Steam Crane and walk along Cannon and East Street and back. We hope to see you there.
Other BID Projects: The result of the March ballot means the BID has missed out on six months worth of income and as such many projects and activities have been seriously curtailed. However we are able to guarantee some Christmas events - given this is the key time of year for most businesses (such as The Lantern Parade, Christmas Fairs and Lights etc) - and a small number of other events in the summer. We are also looking for grants from other sources such as local landlords and/or developers particularly around East Street in whose interest it is to improve the local area.
Bedminster Green Developments: as reported in earlier newsletters there is now a large amount of property developer activity proposed around 'Bedminster Green' - the area between East Street and Windmill Hill. Six developments have the potential to deliver up to 1500 new homes within a few minutes walk of East Street meaning a major injection of new footfall and potential income for shops and other businesses in the area. We are all aware that lower East Street has probably been suffering more than most parts of Bedminster in terms of vacant shop units and have long recognised the benefits of redevelopment close by. With this in mind the BID has developed the following policy regarding new developments in Bedminster Green:
Overall in favour of development in this area on condition:
1. Clear, attractive, safe (active ground floors) routes connecting the Green Bus Stops and East St through SCP and one other - Little Paradise or Stafford?
2. Metrobus diversion only when East St improves via new demand and major physical improvements from s106 and CIL
3. High environmental and place making standards particularly through limited car ownership encouraging attractive walkable urbanism
4. The BID holds no views on building heights – but does have a preference for a scheme to be delivered quickly
If you are keen to find out a bit more about one of the developers, Dandara who have a major site on Little Paradise St, head to https://littleparadisebedminster.info/ where they have just published a website with details of their proposal.
Further Information
Business to business news: www.bedminster.org.uk/business-what-is-bid
Customer facing website and social media:
Contacts
George Grace - business@bedminster.org.uk
Tom Beard - markets@bedminster.org.uk
Simon Dicken (Wilko) - man242@wilko.co.uk
Ben Barker (GBCP) - benbarker@blueyonder.co.uk
Jocelyn Wellby - jocelynwellby@gmail.com
We are grateful to local accountants Tyrrell Procter and communications experts Plaster for their generous pro bono contributions to our activities.