Focus on Bexley

“This is a really exciting moment for all those who have been pushing for improved public transport in this area and across the Thames Estuary for so long. We know that to get good growth you need to better connect people to jobs and services both locally and in the wider area. “

“This is a really exciting moment for all those who have been pushing for improved public transport in this area and across the Thames Estuary for so long. We know that to get good growth you need to better connect people to jobs and services both locally and in the wider area. This study is a big step forward in understanding how we do that in a deliverable way that makes sense in a post Covid 19 world.”

She went on to say: “There is a lot of uncertainty at the moment about the future of public transport and how people are likely to work and use cities. However, we are clear that there remains an imperative to bring forward new, high quality homes and jobs which can be accessed in safe, sustainable ways. This study will put the partnership in an excellent position to meet those challenges within the Abbey Wood to Ebbsfleet corridor, for the benefit of local residents and businesses, as well as the regional and national economy.”

The study is programmed to last approximately 15 months, ending in the Autumn of 2021

Recognising business successes

The 2020 Bexley Business Excellence Awards in association with Ocado – will take place virtually on Wednesday 18 November. It’s more important than ever that we recognise business successes and with over 120 entries across the 13 categories this year’s event will be a much needed celebration of local innovation and creativity.

“There is a lot of uncertainty at the moment about the future of public transport and how people are likely to work and use cities. However, we are clear that there remains an imperative to bring forward new, high quality homes and jobs which can be accessed in safe, sustainable ways.”

Supporting Bexley Businesses during Covid-19

Bexley has distributed £33m of grants to 2,670 small businesses with over £10m going to those in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors, to help deal with the adverse impacts of Covid-19.

Almost 2,000 businesses have received relief from Business Rates amounting to £29.9m - and 34 nurseries £0.5m.

Bexley has also paid more than £1.7m under the government’s Discretionary Business Grants Scheme for small businesses.

In line with changed national regulations we have made it easier, quicker and cheaper for many businesses to use the pavements outside their premises (if sufficiently wide) for extra tables and chairs, which helps with their viability and with social distancing requirements.

We have continued to provide twice-weekly email updates to over 5000 businesses in the borough – which includes many in high streets and in hospitality sectors. This email update also shares the latest information and guidance on government Covid19 secure requirements and sources of support. We are also maintaining an online hub for Covid19 business information and support.

Council officers from Environmental Health and Licensing have continued to visit businesses to advise them on the social distancing requirements to ensure that they can remain open for business safely.

We have led on a ‘Shop Local, Shop Safe’ campaign alongside local businesses to encourage residents to use our town centres in a safe way. In certain locations, such as Welling town centre, where narrow pavements make social distancing difficult, the Council has introduced physical measures to increase the width of pavements. We are also introducing measures such as 20mph zones in Erith, to encourage more walking and cycling.

A poster campaign to remind people of social distancing, mask use and handwashing requirements throughout our main town centre has also been rolled out

We continue to work closely with the Business Information Districts in Bexleyheath and Sidcup to help them support their local business communities through this challenging period. Footfall figures for Bexleyheath indicate that visitor numbers have recovered quite well over the past couple of months, although they are not back to normal.

The return of Bexleyheath’s continental market and the Sidcup market have helped to draw visitors back. Plans for Christmas trails and markets are in place to support businesses during this critical trading period.

Listening and supporting the community

Since the establishment of Sidcup Partners Ltd in 2017 we have striven to communicate with our levy payers and listen to their feedback.

In the current times it is even more important that we listen and respond with tangible actions so businesses feel they are operating within a supportive community. To this end we have worked closely with The Retail Group who have completed a number of annual surveys in Sidcup on behalf of the BID to help us measure and monitor how the town is performing and to identify actions and initiatives our businesses see as priorities.

Survey Approach

The 2020 BID Area Business Survey was completed in July 2020. Surveys were distributed to businesses across the BID area, in person and by email distribution. The survey had an excellent response with 74 completed surveys, achieving a higher response rate than previous years, given the temporary closures of some businesses.

Snapshot of Survey Findings Summary full results will be published on our website

Responses were provided by a good cross-section of businesses from retail shops and service providers to F&B operators.

We found that awareness of the BID is good at 71% consistent with the previous year and that satisfaction with the BID is very good, only 6% of businesses surveyed were not satisfied and 55% of businesses believe the BID provides value for money. During lockdown we offered as much help and support as possible and The BID recovery support is viewed positively, 47% satisfied

Half of our businesses closed completely in lockdown and now many have re-opened, half of these are now trading in line with current expectations. In fact, we have recently welcomed three new businesses into the high street, a testament to Sidcup as a positive trading location.

Unsurprisingly customer behavior is viewed as having changed, fewer visits, different groups, some spending more but all seem pleased that businesses are open.

Ongoing Covid recovery priorities include: more promotion of the Town Centre offer, reassuring visitors how safe Sidcup is and to this end we produced a video to underline the way businesses have adapted, the other priorities of more events and more business support were also highlighted.

Businesses remain positive about the future prospects in Sidcup, and the vast majority plan to remain trading in the Town Centre.

Businesses expect to make changes to their own social media, online activity, range of services and even opening hours. We are supporting businesses by creating bespoke help and advice on how they can achieve this with varying levels of financial support.

Future Priority Initiatives

The findings of the survey help us to shape our future actions.

We have embarked on helping businesses in developing their online web site and social media capabilities and we will continue to grow our monthly local producers market and offer bespoke training.

The results of the 2020 Sidcup survey provide a positive picture of current performance both for the BID and the town centre. Despite the impact of COVID Sidcup continues to hold its own. The feedback provides direction for ongoing improvement actions and future initiatives for the BID and its partner stakeholders.

“Half of our businesses closed completely in lockdown and now many have re-opened, half of these are now trading in line with current expectations. In fact, we have recently welcomed three new businesses into the high street, a testament to Sidcup as a positive trading location.”

A project is underway to deliver a series of public realm improvements to Bromley High Street Bromley Council has appointed award-winning architectural and urban design studio Turner Works, supported by multi-disciplinary artist and architecture studio YOU&ME Architecture, to deliver a series of permanent interventions to the pedestrianised zone of Bromley High Street.

The project responds to the changing nature of town centres and will help to drive footfall and strengthen and diversify the daytime and night time economy. We know that town centres are likely to change as our shopping habits change, and this can only have been accelerated by the current public health pandemic. With this in mind, we want to make sure our town centre continue to be places that people choose to visit not just for shopping but for wider experiences. The Council recognises the importance of enhancing the experiential offer of the High Street for the benefit of local people and businesses.

We are immensely proud of how resilient our town centres have been through these challenging times, and we are pleased to be undertaking this work to ensure that Bromley remains a key destination for our Borough. Bromley Town Centre is the largest town centre and has the highest footfall of all town centres in the borough. The town centre offers a mix of independent and national retailers, civic and community spaces and services, good quality office accommodation, and a range of leisure opportunities including green space. There is significant potential to enable an enhanced leisure and cultural offer.

A series of permanent interventions will enhance the vitality of Bromley Town Centre by transforming the use of the pedestrianised area of the High Street. The project will strengthen the character of the town centre and designs will be derived from Bromley’s past and present histories, taking cues from Bromley’s people, landmarks and stories.

A covered seating area will provide outdoor dining space across an extended season by supporting the introduction of more food outlets to the south

An all-weather performance space will enhance cultural programming. This will drive footfall and enable a range of events, such as annual festivals.

A sculptural statement piece will celebrate Bromley, define the character of the town centre and contribute to a sense of place and Bromley’s unique identity.

“The current project will build on the improvements delivered to date, to activate the town for quality high street programming and make it known as a centre for recreation, leisure and culture as well as retail.”

Over recent years, a number of improvements have been delivered within Bromley Town Centre. These include a relocated and improved market running from Market Square to the Churchill Theatre, an urban garden of raised planters, feature lighting of buildings, a multi-purpose public space in front of the Churchill Theatre frontage and new high quality granite paving and improved street lighting. The current project will build on the improvements delivered to date, to activate the town for quality high street programming and make it known as a centre for recreation, leisure and culture as well as retail.

Councillor Michael Rutherford, Bromley Town Ward said “I am excited by this new investment in our town centre. People like spending time in Bromley because of its green spaces, heritage and great range of shops, restaurants and bars. I expect the new proposals to encourage people to use the High Street throughout the year. Over recent years, the Council has invested in lighting to highlight our historic buildings, added new planters and installed more benches to help our older and less mobile residents. The forthcoming improvements will continue this trend of making our town centre even better for all Bromley residents.”

The project is in feasibility phases and consultation with key stakeholders and groups is currently underway. This meaningful and focussed consultation will help to define the designs and shape the brief for each of the pieces. In the following months at concept stages, the designs will be presented to the wider public.

To continue to support the town centre recovery from the impact of Covid-19 upon the High Street, the project is progressing at pace. It is expected to be fully delivered by June 2021 to allow local people and businesses to benefit from these enhancements over the summer months.