ANNUAL REPORT 2024/2025
COLMORE BUSINESS DISTRICT
YOUR DISTRICT, YOUR BID
FROM THE CHAIR
NICOLA FLEET-MILNE CHAIR OF COLMORE BID BOARD, WORKING GROUP LEAD, BUSINESS MATTERS
Our fourth term, BID4, is well underway and will exemplify our mission to support Colmore Business District in delivering activities that bring cultural vibrancy to Birmingham City Centre.
We began our journey 15 years ago when you, the Colmore Business District community, decided a Business Improvement District (BID) was the way forward to make our area the place to do business in Birmingham.
‘Colmore Life’ is our way of describing the culmination of top-class public realm, a fantastic array of food and drink venues, creative events and a safe community both day and night.
Culture is at the heart of everything we do. We continue to look beyond our boundaries to discover new and exciting ways to breathe life into the city core, including our funding of the City Curator, who works across the city centre. In the backdrop of city challenges we invest all we can into delivering better for Birmingham – it’s what the community deserve.
With the next decade closer than the last, our momentum is unwavering. The needs of our levy payers continue to evolve and our expansive city experience, paired with our continued commitment to keep listening and responding to business needs, will drive us to deliver a better District for all.
Our whole team is committed to the betterment of Birmingham. Thank you for coming on this journey with us.
BUSINESS MATTERS
NICOLA FLEET-MILNE CHAIR OF COLMORE BID, WORKING GROUP LEAD, BUSINESS MATTERS
The Business Matters Working Group plays a key role in our company’s governance, and acts as the voice for businesses in the D strict.
In our f rst annual report since our successful ballot n 2023, we want to start by thanking local businesses for your support for our plans over the next five years We are proud of the work we have del vered for you over the last 15 years, and look forward to another four years develop ng the economic vibrancy of the Distr ct and beyond
We are pleased that one of the key pro ects that came from our ground-break ng Future Bus ness District study during the pandemic has come to successful fruit on. The City Curator post, which is fully funded by Colmore BID was recruited to in November 2024 and, s nce then, she has been work ng w th partners across the c ty to deliver a broad range of cultural intervent ons
r includes Light is Com ng and #100DaysofCreativ ty, culminating n the ngham Light Festival which took place n February. It was a truly cross city, event. As well as provid ng a brand new, major event for the winter months, the et a new template on how culture can successfully be delivered through
k ng on culture, we have cont nued to work across the city centre to pull artners during a challeng ng 12 months for the city Through changes in ol cy and shifts in how our local governance operates, we have worked hard to olmore Business District remains a key partner in the c ty We will continue to ated on changes that may affect your bus nesses - from short updates to more e briefings such as our budget update earlier this financ al year
it feels like now is the time for a refresh of our look, feel, and approach to ou and our partners. Late last year, we comm ss oned consultants to review our brand and values The research they carried out has been nvaluable and we o mak ng the changes needed to meet your expectat ons of us n the com ng
of B D4 has been an excellent foundation for the next four years, and we’re d to continu ng to ensure that Colmore Business District rema ns the place to do m ngham
15+
YEARS OPERATING IN THE DISTRICT 3 CITY CURATOR CAMPAIGNS
ACCESSIBLE & SUSTAINABLE
PAUL FIELDING DEPUTY CHAIR OF COLMORE BID, WORKING GROUP LEAD, ACCESSIBLE & SUSTAINABLE
It’s been a fantast c year for our Accessible & Sustainable Work ng Group and we’re proud of the great progress we’ve made in the city to make it a better, cleaner place for all.
We started off BID4 strongly with the commiss on ng of a Street Aud t report. With the support of Transport for West Midlands, we worked in collaboration w th Sustrans to undertake a detailed assessment of the access bility of a range of streets across the District Participants described the experience as “eye-opening” as they navigated through crowds, traffic and pedestrian cross ngs.
The report w ll nform Birmingham City Council’s business case for reimag ning c ty centre streets and set new standards for accessibility n Colmore Business Distr ct The ambitious plans for the future of transport n Birmingham acts as a model for other cit es to follow
We continue to support key days of interest w th events and n tiatives A great example of this s our Dr B ke surgery hosted on Clean Air Day, providing anyone that travels to the District v a b ke the opportunity to take advantage of a free b ke surgery.
Our work in reduc ng the impact of freight is also making pace. We have commissioned a report to understand how ‘last mile’ delivery could be undertaken by electric cargo-bikes, researching both the opportunit es and inh bitors in adopting this outcome.
10+ SUSTAINABLE RESOURCES ON THE CLEANER COLMORE WEBSITE HUB
“WE ARE HONOURED TO PLAY A KEY ROLE IN CREATING SAFER STREETS AND SETTING NEW STANDARDS FOR BEST PRACTICE..”
PAUL FIELDING
Colmore BID’s ambition is to help all businesses n the D strict to look to the future. We launched our ESG hub on our website - Cleaner Colmore - to help our levy payers find a range of key nformation, resources and funding to help them on the r sustainab l ty journey
And to end the f rst-year of our term on a h gh we have entered a collaboration agreement with ConsensusPower to enable the sett ng up of a Local Energy network in the BID area and beyond In the next year, we w ll be work ng closely with both landlords and tenants to promote this pro ect This includes the creat on of a community interest company (C C) so that tenants and landlords can apply for grants to adopt solar solutions This will lead to signif cant energy savings across our community and help to decarbonise the city
As we embark on year two of BID4, we’re excited to build on the momentum gained in this first 12 months, continuing to support and collaborate with our levy payers to create sustainable futures for all.
COMMUNITY BUILDING
TIM HALL WORKING GROUP LEAD, COMMUNITY BUILDING
The Community Building Working Group focuses on develop ng a networked experience for the people who work in the D strict, both socially and profess onally We also make a posit ve impact in the c ty by supporting local char table initiatives.
A key highl ght in our first year is our continued m ss on to support the Ladywood community on our doorstep We launched the Ladywood Wellbe ng programme to support 30 ch ldren from the most challenging backgrounds. The programme spanned six weeks and was focused on sports, healthy eat ng, career aspirat on and mentoring
We hosted a family community day at St John’s and St Peter’s C of E primary school in the summer, playing sports, hosting crafts and reading. Families were g ven a meal to take home with them thanks to a generous donation from Thomas Franks caterers.
Hol days can often be a diff cult t me for those from d sadvantaged backgrounds and we directly address this in Commun ty Bu lding through regular donations of food and cloth ng at Easter, Summer and Christmas
Our annual Community Games brings Distr ct profess onals together to engage n outdoor fun and healthy competition to raise money for the Ladywood Commun ty project We’re exc ted to see our businesses battle t out to be crowned Community Games Champions in 2025!
We were mmensely proud to partner with NatWest in October to deliver a workshop for community group Leadership through Sport and Business (LTSB) The workshop gave 27 young adults the opportun ty to engage w th bus ness leaders through a panel d scuss on about career advice, mock nterviews, and a session on ‘purpose’ led by NatWest The a m of the event was to build students confidence and show them what future career opportunit es are ava lable to them.
This year we will continue to connect our Distr ct community through our growing calendar of bus ness engagement activities, includ ng our popular b -monthly Network & Dr nk events, litter picking and other volunteering opportunities. The expansion of our wellbeing programme will ensure more members than ever before will be able to access wellbeing act vities for their staff
We also plan to expand our support to the local school n Ladywood through addit onal wellbeing and mentor ng, partner ng w th bus ness to host workshops to support children from deprived areas
Our ach evements in Community Build ng wouldn’t be possible w thout the support of our wonderful Colmore B D levy payers Thank you for your dedication in making our commun ty a better place for all
“I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL THE SUPPORT THE PROJECT RECEIVED THE FOOD PARCELS WERE A LIFELINE TO SOME. AS SOME OF THE PARENTS WERE GOING THROUGH THE TRANSITION OF BENEFIT CHANGE OVER, THIS MEANT THAT THEY HAD VERY LITTLE TO LIVE ON OVER THE CHRISTMAS PERIOD. WITH THE HELP OF THE FOOD PARCELS, TOILETRIES AND VOUCHERS THAT THE FAMILIES RECEIVED THEY WERE MUCH NEEDED, AND THEY WERE VERY GRATEFUL”
CARON HALLAHAN LADYWOOD COMMUNITY PROJECT
OUTSTANDING PLACES
MELANIE WILLIAMS WORKING GROUP LEAD, OUTSTANDING PLACES
£420,000+ INVESTED IN MAINTAINING THE DISTRICT’S APPEARANCE AND DELIVERING CULTURAL EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES
£30,000+ SPENT ON FLORAL ENHANCEMENTS, MAKING THE STREETS OF THE DISTRICT BRIGHTER, MORE ATTRACTIVE PLACES TO BE 50+ BIRMINGHAM CREATIVES PROFILED THROUGH OUR 2024 OPEN ART COMPETITION AND EXHIBITION
INCREASING OUR STREET CLEANER TEAM TO TWO STAFF, ENABLING US TO DELIVER A STANDARD OF STREET CLEANLINESS SIGNIFICANTLY ABOVE LOCAL AUTHORITY BASELINE
We are committed to mak ng Colmore Bus ness District an outstanding place and we’ve made a fantast c start to our BID4 term through our partnersh p and nvestment of key initiatives and campaigns
Prov ding opportunities to showcase creativity is one of the ways in which we make the District an outstand ng place. Free outdoor exhibitions del ver cultural v brancy to city workers and v sitors.
Our naugural art compet tion and exhibition, ‘Birmingham Creates The Open’ 2024 was launched as part of the City Curator’s 100 Days of Creativity campaign and saw us partner with Central B D to prov de a platform for emerging c ty art sts to showcase their talents. The competit on gave three artists cash prizes and professional portfol o reviews, and the outdoor exh bition showcased over 50 artists work to the city. The Open is back for 2025 and will once again prof le the city’s br lliant creative community.
n the summer of 2024, we were honoured to partner with Central BID, Pogus Ceaser and Ruth Millington to create a memorial exhib tion to mark the extraordinary life of Benjam n Zephaniah.
We acquired our own outdoor exh bition infrastructure for the first time, allowing us much more flexibility n delivering engaging outdoor content for v s tors and workers n the District We are mak ng the most use of this infrastructure th s term, collaborat ng on a variety of exh bitions including ‘You’re Buss ng t’ in partnership with the West Midlands Combined Author ty and artist M lan Topalovic, exhibit ng h s take on heritage bus posters to increase publ c transport use.
We announced our excit ng pro ect to revitalise Livery Street subway one of B rmingham’s key city-centre pedestrian links, in partnersh p with Birmingham City Council, JQ BID and Moda Living The long-awaited transformat on, which see’s Adam Nathaniel Furman’s ceramic tiles colour the subway, seeks to address years of maintenance issues, anti-social behaviour, and safety concerns, aimed at enhancing the connectivity between the two D stricts. We look forward to unveiling this sign ficant piece of mural art th s year
Over £30,000 has been invested from Outstanding Places into floral enhancements, making the streets of the Distr ct brighter, more attract ve places to be. Our nvestment nto more floral enhancements and fest ve light ng w ll cont nue to grow
And on the topic of publ c realm, I’m really exc ted about our upcom ng guerr lla gardening pro ect, Colmore Square Garden, which will see us beautify Colmore Square with an abundance of shrubs, trees and nature boxes, supported by District volunteers and the Birmingham and Black Country Wildlife Trust
Outstanding Places don’t happen by chance and I’m looking forward to the next term year cont nuing to deliver vibrancy to Birmingham n ts time of need.
LEISURE & HOSPITALITY
ALEX TROSS DEPUTY CHAIR OF COLMORE BID, WORKING GROUP LEAD, LEISURE & HOSPITALITY
30,000+ ATTENDEES AT COLMORE FOOD FESTIVAL 2024
Supporting our leisure and hospitality businesses in Colmore Busine the District experience for all. As a sector that is f rst to feel the impa Leisure & Hosp tality Work ng Group is committed to giving back to o
The Colmore Food Festival is our flagship food and dr nk event and festival in the city calendar. The 2024 edit on of the Colmore Food F saw over 30,000 visitors gather in a sunny Victoria Square to sample traders. Comb ned with a jam-packed events and entertainment prog networking, children’s hour and free fam ly crafts and books – the fe ncredible venues based right here in our District. Our efforts were re Drink and Hosp tality Awards, where we were crowned ‘Best Food/D
Colmore Food Festival will return to Victoria Square in July 2025 W t th s year (our maximum number), we’re excited to make 2025’s festi the last We w ll be expanding our entertainment and ch ldren’s prog and hosting social mpact activit es. A brand-new accessible hour wi partnership with Birmingham’s Disability Festival, mak ng Colmore Fo ever before.
14
VENUES PROFILED TO 80 ATTENDEES AT OUR COLMORE TASTER TOURS WINNER OF MIDLANDS FOOD DRINK AND HOSPITALITY AWARDS FOR ‘BEST FOOD/DRINK FESTIVAL OF THE YEAR’ 30+ TRADERS AT COLMORE FOOD FESTIVAL 2025
We know January is a particularly difficult period for the hospitality se themed Colmore Taster Tour events were a great success We worked with 14 venues to bring the concept to the District for the f rst t me with the aim of rais ng brand awareness for our businesses and to bring new guests through their doors With all events sold out and some excellent feedback from participants, the Colmore Taster Tours will return on our events calendar this year and welcome even more venues and guests to participate.
The second year of B D4 is our opportunity to build on our event successes through our onl ne channels We created an interactive Food & Drink map on our website to provide better awareness of the bus nesses located here.
On our soc al media channels, we are launching monthly giveaway compet tions to ra se awareness and dr ve vis tors to our venues, and a range of video content ‘District Guides’ will be developed to better guide visitors through the key spots n Colmore.
What pleases me most of all is see ng the increas ng number of new venue open ngs n the District –expect to find me in them this year! It’s an honour that Colmore Business District is the chosen location for so many exciting new ventures. We know that B rm ngham’s leisure and hospitality sector can thr ve when we all do our bit to support them
“THE SPEED NETWORKING EVENT WAS GREAT - VERY WELL PLANNED. GREAT TO SPEAK WITH DIFFERENT PEOPLE AND IT BE A CONVERSATION COMPARED TO OTHER SPEED NETWORKING EVENTS WHICH CAN FEEL LIKE YOU ARE JUST TALKING TO A GROUP. THE DRINKS AND FOOD WERE A LOVELY ADDITION.”
NEW PROFESSIONALS
HANNAH VOOGD WORKING GROUP LEAD, NEW PROFESSIONALS
Supporting New Profess onals in Colmore Business District is so important for keeping our business community strong and thriv ng. Fresh deas, new energy, and future leaders come from giv ng new professionals the tools to succeed. When they thrive, our whole District benefits.
I was so proud to be appointed as Chair of the newly formed New Professionals Working Group last year and the activ ties we’ve delivered have helped young people build meaningful connections and contribute to their professional success.
Our Welcome to Birmingham programme evolved following feedback from new professionals and now caters to a w der audience through quarterly events in a range of formats Th s ncludes our popular Breakfast Club events and the introduction of a brand-new ‘Speed Network ng’ concept that supported new profess onals with confidence to start their networking ourneys
We also work closely with other key organisations in the city, such as Greater Birmingham Chamber of Commerce’s Future Faces, to promote our events to a wider audience. We are always excited to collaborate with our levy payers and co-host events w th bus nesses n the District a med at New Professionals, such as our Christmas ‘Open Your Doors’ event with Arup
It’s about much more than professional network ng. We are determined to deliver a sense of community and belonging in a time when trad tional soc al structures have sh fted, and we are introducing new and exciting ways of bu lding connections through ‘g ving back’. The creat on of our volunteer pool, now w th over 50 members, encourages Birmingham’s future professionals to volunteer their time to support local grassroots pro ects and meet the r peers in an untraditional, yet fulf lling way. More on th s to come!
This group evolved from our belief in the power of community When people come together to support each other, amazing things can happen.
Most importantly, our focus is to help new professionals feel at home in our D str ct, so they can succeed both personally and professionally We look forward to growing our network and impact this year, together
150 ATTENDEES AT BREAKFAST NETWORKING EVENTS
8 NEW PROFESSIONALS FOCUSED EVENTS HOSTED
35+
ATTENDEES AT FIRST SPEED NETWORKING EVENT
PLACE MARKETING
VICTORIA OSGOOD WORKING GROUP LEAD, PLACE MARKETING
The narrative around how B rmingham is perceived was at the top of the agenda in 2024 At Place Marketing, we are trying to showcase our beautiful BID area through posit ve and enrich ng activ ties which mprove Birmingham’s place as the UK’s second city. Whether it’s a luncht me walk, your weekend meets up with friends or a networking breakfast, we work hard to ensure Colmore Business Distr ct continues to be a desirable place to visit
We’ve been so lucky to have had an array of pos tive press announcements to share with the publ c in 2024 – from add ng a splash of colour to L very Street Subway, to lightening up the c ty at Birmingham L ght Festival and our partnership on #100DaysofCreativ ty, it’s been fantastic to share our news with you
Over 100 days of summer from May to August 2024, thousands of Brummies participated in diverse workshops, interact ve exh bitions and public art installations, showcas ng the region as a hub of creative expression
The campaign provided a unique opportunity for residents and vis tors to engage, foster ng a renewed sense of pride in B rmingham’s vibrant cultural identity Over 200 events were promoted thanks to over 60 partner organisations, with an estimated attendance of 1m across the events. 92% of part cipating organisations felt the campaign united Birmingham’s creat ve sector behind a common goal – setting the foundation for the c ty’s united commitment to cultural vibrancy
“100 DAYS OF CREATIVITY GAVE REAL PURPOSE AND A FEELING OF COLLABORATION TO BIRMINGHAM’S CULTURE SECTOR AT AN OTHERWISE CHALLENGING TIME.” 92
A new government set a d fferent d rection for Birmingham We championed for the business community on policies most needed and acted as one voice for our members in the media.
We produced four editions of our flagship Colmore Life magazine in 2024, distr buting over 20,000 cop es to our businesses and in the hands of commuters at Snow Hill stat on We featured our levy payers over 90 t mes in a range of formats ncluding business news, interviews and advice pieces. Our magazine continues to be a ‘must read’ n the reg on, and we love working with you to share your stor es in our commun ty
A brand review project saw us sit down with over 40 business members and key city stakeholders to understand where we are succeeding and where we can do better. More on this to come th s year.
W th the appointment of a new Communications Manager and Marketing Manager, we dialled up the act vity on our social media channels, developing a range of high-quality video and photography content. Alongside delivering better content, we worked in partnersh p with influencers to showcase our flagship events and partner events (such as Birmingham Cocktail Weekend) to a wider audience than ever before.
Our District home took centre stage through some fantast c events n 2024 – from the c ty-wide #100DaysofCreativity campaign, art exhibit ons in Snow H ll Square and ‘Chr stmas n Cathedral Square’ at St Philips’ Cathedral Grounds
2025 is full of opportunities to ensure that Colmore Bus ness District remains as the place to l ve, work and explore B rmingham. We look forward to delivering th s together.
SAFE & SOUND
‘SAFE AND SOUND’ THEMED EVENTS HOSTED
Business District to feel safe and secure, day and n g sinesses is crucial in deliver ng our goals
ve employed two additional Community Operations te esses, led workshops such as Trauma Equipment aw the Distr ct to engage our fantastic commun ty. These e advantage of the opportunities ava lable
ore Women’s Safety Forum has gone from strength to ting the wide breadth of experience, seniority, and div y g ur forum has grown, enabling us to provide guidance and consultancy to p and ma nta n a thr ving Women’s Safety Forum, and deliver impactful ty ssues
campa gns and events, rang ng from Stalk ng Seminars, lived experience Allies and Act ve Bystander training, through to leg slat ve workshops such nt in the workplace.
be a guest panellist at the Night Time Industries Assoc ation ‘N ght Time st practices with n the night-t me economy
discussion point n the next year and we’re already making great strides in ame the Chair of The BID Foundat on ‘Safe & Secure Counter Terror sm & mbersh p of the West Midlands Regional Counter Terrorism Advisory Group egional and local CT conversations and influence.
we have act vely supported this through the various public consultation campaigners, to represent the views of BIDs We worked in partnership w th an exclusive ACT (Action Counter Terrorism) Strategic Table-Top exercise egarding the r pol c es, procedures, and response to numerous fast-paced
epare Forum (formerly Colmore Build ng & Facilities Managers Forum) Law and its wider implicat ons for many other business sectors
phasis on ‘Safer Nights Out’, Colmore BID will cont nue to work in collaboration with our le sure and s to del ver a more welcoming and safer environment for people to work, visit or pass through Birmingham City Council and the West M dlands Combined Authority will also promote the value of a Night pledge and ser es of comm tments we will encourage venues to sign up to
In the year ahead, we look forward to stronger partnersh p working with West M dlands Police, B rm ngham C ty Counc l and other BIDs around antsoc al behav our enforcement. We will also be enhanc ng our cleaning equipment and developing better engaging PR and commun cations in our Working Group to address levy payer feedback
Thank you to all our bus nesses, Working Group members, Forum part c pants and the wider commun ty in supporting our mission th s year. Together, we can deliver fantast c impact for Birmingham
Our weekly newsletter, ‘Bitesize’, is packed with the latest news from the District and links to our events calendar. Email felicity.blades@colmorebid.co.uk to sign up.
