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Richard Wilcox Falmouth BID Manager
What is a BID ? • Business Improvement District • A business led initiative, supported by government legislation, run by you! • Raises funds to be spent supporting local business • 5 year programme of activity • 1% Rate Levy raised from each business
What is it for? * To support our businesses in challenging times * To create business opportunities * To promote Falmouth
So how has BID supported?
Priority Area 1- Marketing
www.falmouth.co.uk • • •
Main online marketing tool for Falmouth Substantive social media platform Just passed 750,000th unique visitor in 2 years
Over past 12 months: • • • •
ALL BID businesses eligible for FREE promotional page Risen to the top of Google as highest ranked destination site for the area 20% growth in traffic, averaging nearly 30,000 unique hits per month 600+ businesses, events, festivals pages listed on there
• FREE web page for BID businesses worth £150 per year..
PR Campaign • Past 12 months significant national profile achieved for Falmouth • Has been, due to BID funds for past 12 months, the only Cornish town to undertake such a consistent, proactive national campaign
Leading to extensive coverage for Falmouth’s main events... “Great for the town and fantastic coverage for us as well. I think the BID is doing a terrific job. Despite horrendous weather this year, I feel that without the BID’s efforts, Falmouth would not be holding up as well as it has.” Kearan McVey, Operations Director, Cornwall Hotel Collection
RETURN ON INVESTMENT? • £100:1. In other words for every £1 of your BID levy spent on PR, the BID is achieving at least £100 worth of national media coverage. • Over 80 BID businesses, mentioned profiled or featured in national articles • Over £1million worth of exposure in national and regional press • Reach? BBC Olive, BA High Life, The Sun & MSN audience alone 13m+
Cruise Ship Support in 2012 • 25,000 cruise visitors • 34 cruise ships • BID has continued to work with partners to give them a great welcome “Just wanted to let you know it really made a difference to me with having the cruise coach stopping at Berkeley Vale/The Moor – I think I have only ever had a couple of people in from the cruise ships and I had over 30 in on just one day. So for me it was a success, many thanks.” Denise Norwell, Quay West Living
Priority Area 2- Events
BID organised and funded:
A new event celebrating Falmouth’s creativity “Another great festival funded by Falmouth BID. SPLASH gave the town a real buzz with so many varied events going on throughout. As a business, we finished the week nearly 20% up on last year's sales. I'd like to say a massive thank you to all those involved.” Rae Pollard, Courtyard Deli
SPLASH BOOK FEST saw international authors:
TRAIL! saw art installations across Falmouth:
SPLASH Performance saw award winning plays:
SPLASH BIG ART saw 100ft artwork unveiled along Grove Place:
Second Falmouth Spring Festival BID again organised and funded early season event
Run Falmouth, a new half-marathon in partnership with Cornwall Hospice Care not only attracted over 1000 runners and supporters but raised ÂŁ16k for the charity
ZUMBA ZESTIFAL another new idea and footfall driver for the week, also raised £1000 for Children’s Diabetes in Cornwall
Results? 路 6,000 visitors to the various events over the course of the week 路 Businesses reported increase in footfall during the Spring Festival 路 Over 拢65k worth of coverage secured in regional and national press
*£10 or under themed promotion *25 food outlets on board *Another early season initiative "Falmouth BID have been so approachable when it comes to new ideas and initiatives. It's fantastic to have such support and pro-activeness to help drive the town's development forward." Sadie Phillips, Assistant Marketing Manager, Rick Stein’s
Olympic Torch Relay Day * Operationally overseen by Richard Gates Town Manager, the BID worked in partnership to manage all marketing and PR. Such a joint resource once again maximised opportunity.
Results? - 40,000 visitors, nearly doubling population - dozens of activities organised encouraged visitors to stay on in the town - £Millions of pounds worth of national & international media exposure ‘Falmouth on Day One was an advert for tourism – it was beautiful.’ Jane Hill, BBC Presenter “
Did you know Falmouth BID gives funding & provides extensive support for all main Falmouth events?
Sea Shanty Festival - BID in 2012 funded: •Extensive regional and national PR support •Production of new designs and logo
Falmouth Oyster Festival - BID in 2012 funded: •NEW Food & Folk event on The Moor •Promotional street banners throughout the town •Extensive PR support
Priority Area 3- Physical Improvements
Falmouth Map 2012 * BID funded re-run of well received Falmouth Map * 80,000 copies produced and distributed
Vacant Units *Revamped ex Bon Marche site *Part of Falmouth for Business project, more on that later
Visual Impact 2012 * The BID installed 200 Falmouth branded flags, 3000+ metres of bunting‌
Public Seating New community seating unveiled...
Priority Area 4 – Supporting Businesses
Its impact?
*First of its kind in the county *Has been recognised nationally by British BIDs as example of Best Practice Project * 70% respondent businesses saw 5% upturn, 5% respondent businesses saw 5-10% upturn: “I thought you might be interested in our footfall figures regarding the BID Free parking scheme. We saw a 10.6% increase on previous weeks and an 11.9% increase on the same days last year. I hope this helps build a picture of how successful this campaign has been for us.” Store Manager Marks & Spencer’s Falmouth
Visitor Information Centre
*The BID and FRVIC working together to promote Falmouth *FRVIC providing website support *FRVIC have launched with BID & FTC support, new Falmouth Guide *FRVIC assisting BID with Falmouth Map distribution
Visitor Information Centre 2012 stats “Falmouth BID is really the icing on a fabulous cake. We love all the new festivals, while the free parking initiative this February shows that BID is very proactive to consumer and business needs. We are delighted to have been involved with BID over the last 12 months. A big thank you to Richard Wilcox and the BID Board who work tirelessly on Falmouth's behalf and we look forward to a fantastic future.” Nicola Kneebone, Fal River Visitor Centre Manager * Over 165,000 page views for accommodation providers on www.falmouth.co.uk * That’s approx 2000 per establishment! * Over 150 accommodation bookings worth over £20,000 to the local economy * Over 40,000 copies of the new Falmouth Guide distributed * 85,000 people through the VIC door in 2012
Business Training * More workshops organised to support Falmouth businesses * 80 BID businesses and 100 staff now benefitted from FREE training in past 2 years: “At Ribticklers we consider the BID levy to be great value for money. It has enabled the company to tap into many training opportunities for our staff allowing us to build a well-qualified team for the future at no cost.� - Kenny Roberts, Ribticklers
Falmouth Town Team *Strong public/private town partnership now in place for Falmouth *Falmouth Town Management & Falmouth BID *Strong resource to support the town & its businesses in challenging times *Take advantage of opportunities such as Torch Relay, filming, event ideas *Town Team highlighted as key component in Mary Portas High Street Review *Falmouth Town Team highlighted as example of best practice
Image courtesy of West Briton
BID Best Practice * British BIDs – highlighted Falmouth BID FREE car parking scheme in 2012 as example of Best Practice Project * British Retail Consortium – have highlighted in their annual report 2012 Falmouth BID branding/marketing campaign as example of best Practice Project * Falmouth ‘Town Team’ – invited to Houses of Parliament to present ideas on effective town management & partnership * Support - consulted and advised numerous UK towns/areas/steering groups in past 12 months (later slide)
Great UK Town Award Finalist * Academy of Urbanism award over 50 towns long-listed * Falmouth made the final 3 * Assessed: - Evidence of proactive Town Team - Evidence of productive partnerships - Events & festivals programme * Co-ordinated by Falmouth Town Team (Town Management/BID)
Jilly Easterby, Falmouth BID Director
Falmouth for Business * New project launched in November 2012, further developed in 2013 * Comprehensive online and off-line resources to encourage inward investment * Celebration of Falmouth’s vibrant business community
Encouraging inward investment * Highlighting Falmouth’s vital statistics on a new section of our website * Developing comprehensive business-to-business information pack to encourage businesses to invest in our town * Working with commercial agents to raise awareness of new opportunities & further minimise number of vacant units
Celebrating Falmouth’s vibrant business community * Telling Falmouth’s business story locally, regionally and nationally in words and through specially-commissioned imagery * Exhibiting images at The Poly in January and nationally later in the year * Incorporating these images into new wallpaper for vacant units to showcase the diverse range of businesses in Falmouth * Highlighting BID businesses to journalists on press trips as part of our successful PR campaign
Richard Thomas Falmouth BID Director
Visitor Signage & Hospitality * This new project will be the largest BID undertakes in its first term * Working with town partners to make it happen
* It will provide for an exciting, bespoke range of directional signage, interpretive boards, street signs, panels and welcome hubs * It will be the most comprehensive such scheme of any town in the County. Lot of research work undertaken.
Welcome Hubs In three key areas - containing practical visitor info, events, interesting facts and directional information...
Directional signage Strong, vibrant colours that reflect the Falmouth spirit of the sea brand design. Strategically placed from town centre to coast...
Interpretation Informing and inspiring our visitors, telling the Falmouth story much more effectively.. You will see these at numerous quayside locations..
Street signage and storytelling Clear, highly visible street signs and Did You Know? panels - all to engage much more effectively with our visitors...
Nigel Carpenter Chairman, Falmouth BID
The year ahead...
On top of the exciting new schemes outlined...
We’ll deliver the new early and later season events to bring in extra footfall‌
Promotional Campaign *Highlighted by British Retail Consortium as Best Practice Project 2012 *BID will continue to seek excellence and value for money in our on and offline campaigns in 2013 *More hits, better dwell time & business benefits from www.falmouth.co.uk *Even greater returns in 2013 from our national PR campaign
FREE Car Parking Scheme BID will once again seek to instigate this successful project to support its businesses. Running on days that suit as many as possible. Backed by strong regional marketing effort.
Digital Marketing 2013 *Great ideas to further develop the online marketing effort. *Falmouth E-guides *New Falmouth promotional videos *Brilliant new website content
Lobbying/Partnership We will drive forward with lobbying and policy influencing on behalf of our BID businesses • Car parking policy & Business Rates • Continuing public realm improvements • Partnership working with Town Council/Management • National concerns – VAT, Transport
Similar to 2011, did you know Falmouth Town Team have provided support and assistance this year for:
Tavistock BID Guernsey Council Southend Council Auckland Council (NZ) Callington Steering Group Wadebridge Steering Group Ilfracombe Town Management/ Council St Austell Retailers and BID Steering Group And have presented Town Team model at a Westminster Briefing, Houses of Parliament
Falmouth BID Re-ballot *Vital Falmouth has 5 more years of investment... *Further engagement with businesses to assess priorities *What projects are key to you?
Falmouth BID Term 1 *ÂŁ500,000 invested over 5 years *Nationally recognised as example of best practice *Vital resource to support the town and its businesses *All the highlighted activity, marketing, new events, public realm improvements, free car parking WILL STOP
YOUR BID welcomes YOUR feedback, ideas, & support...