Christmas is Coming!
Covid is coming unfortunately - but so is Christmas, and we need more than ever to get organised. We have a meeting of the BID’s marketing sub group via videocon next Monday at 6pm if you wish to attend to offer ideas, or email or alternatively call us if you prefer. Of course if you have any ideas at all on what the BID might do to support you during this clearly challenging next six months then also please do let us know.
Initial ideas for Christmas include some limited Christmas lights (as budgets are tighter this year), a gift guide and working more closely with Bedminster Lantern Parade – more details on this below including a message from the Lanterns folks.
Meanwhile we saw a major shift to online sales during the last covid spike - if you have not signed up your business to our free Ecommerce website www.wearebs3.co.uk - then please do take a good look now and let us know if you want help selling online.
Bemmy Lanterns Light Up 2020: A special BWL project to deliver pre-Christmas cheer !
With no possibility of a Parade this year, you may have heard that the Lanterns team are working with the Bedminster Business Improvement District, 7 local schools and several community groups to create a special pre-Christmas one off event. The aim is to display large and small illuminated lanterns in 20 window locations along North Street, Cannon Street, East Street, British Road and West Street in the evening from Thursday 10 to Saturday 12th December. If COVID restrictions allow, there’ll also be some live music.
Can you offer your window? We will ensure rigorous Health & Safety procedures (the lanterns will be fire-proofed for instance), and provide on-line/telephone support from a member of the BWL volunteer team. We’ll install the lanterns during the day on Thursday 10th December, and we’ll take them away on Monday 14th. We’ll also publish a simple map to ensure socially distanced spectators know you’re part of our special event.
If you can support this one-off project, please contact us on info@bwlp.org.uk and we’ll send along a member of our creative team to talk you through the logistics. Once you’ve decided to participate, we’ll issue you with a registration pack containing full details of what you can expect from us, and what’s required from you. We very much hope you’ll agree to help us brighten up BS3’s Christmas 2020!! - BWL - The Bemmy Lanterns team
Gift Guide
Most years we have designed and printed a gift guide and this year is no exception. If you wish to be included in the gift guide please contact heather@weareplaster.com
In other news…
Covid Pavement Widening on East St (image below) – we are still pressing the council to see if we can implement the covid temporary pavement widening scheme. It would be most timely now given the surge in cases. We have the designs and the funding and local councillor support.
Little Paradise Multi Storey Car park - more positively this is at planning committee next week along with the Dandara residential scheme. Fingers crossed.
153 - 155 East Street Planning Application - this is the former S&L Fabric shop. The owners in summary wish to halve the size of the shop to serve residential behind and above which we think will have a negative impact on the retail aesthetics and thus the BID intends ojecting to the development as an unnecessary negative impact on the shopping offer.
Church Road Pocket Park - is now installed and the artists have been on site this week painting up the planter/bins. I think as the plants mature this will be an excellent addition to the street especially when the old Blunts store adjacent is let (for which I understand there is good interest from a convenience store operator).
St Catherines Place - things are moving here! – please see https://www.stcatherines.place/ and 'have your say'.
North Street Consultation - to inform us on all aspects of shopping on North Street and the approach from a possible ‘Living Neighbourhoods’ possible intervention, we are about to send out a mini questionnaire on social media asking the following
How often do you visit North St Please choose the option that best matches your use of the High Street Once a day 3 - 5 times a week Once a week Once a fortnight Other
Did you use it more or less during lockdown? * More Less No Change
Why? * Please give a short explanation as to why you felt that you used North Street less
What do you love about North Street? * Share with us your favourite things! What do you think is missing? * Give us some feedback on what you think is missing and what we could improve on!
Access - do you visit North St by car, bike, bus, foot, other
Parking on North Street is important Strongly Disagree Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly Agree · Liveable Neighbourhoods - have you seen the outline ideas for North Street [images below]. In principle are they good or bad? (see www.liveablebristol.org.uk/)
If you have any other questions you would like included then please do let us know.
East Street Covid Pavement Widening - thank you for your responses in our last newsletter. There is a firm majority in favour of piloting this scheme (provided loading is not compromised) and so we will continue to press the council to try to make it happen. Once this has been implemented we have earmarked funding to bring in a professional market operator to try to start a monthly or weekly market on East Street.
WECA Grant Funding - East Street has secured grant funding to incentivise new business openings on East Street. We are working with the council to finalise the details on this project which we hope will bring some creative new offerings to East Street and fresh footfall.