GO! Southampton Winter Newsletter 2023

YOURBUSINESSISOURBUSINESS

Dear BID levy payer,

Welcome to 2023. Despite some signs of inflation slowing and positive indications of shoppers returning to the high street at the time of writing, I am still mindful that this is going to be another year of major challenges, with the war in Ukraine entering its second year and its effects causing worldwide disruption along with the economic roller coaster we seem to be on. We will all have to face these adverse conditions with our city’s renowned resilience, determination and always looking towards a brighter future.

GO! Southampton will continue to dedicate its efforts to supporting you and your business, whether it be short term needs with advice on energy bills and recruitment, or assistance in moving forward and upwards through networking, training, and marketing. We will also continue our work in partnership with the City Council to develop the longer-term economic growth, providing an environment that will stimulate innovation, encourage expansion, nurture new ventures and create a more vibrant city centre. I am very proud that GO! received a national award for its Business Crime Partnership, which endorsed the strong relations we have with the police, council, voluntary sector, and businesses, which makes the streets

and venues a safer place for residents, workers, visitors and our universities’ students. We have worked hard to prepare our application to achieve Purple Flag status, an internationally recognised accreditation for the quality and safety of our evening and night-time economy, which includes shopping, theatre, restaurants, bars, and clubs. We await the outcome of this process shortly. I would strongly encourage you to make the most of your BID membership and if you are new to the BID area, a very good starting point are our regular networking events, where you will meet like-minded people, hear inspiring speakers, and discover how we can help. We also welcome active involvement in the work of GO! Southampton and would encourage anyone with an interest to speak with one of team about how you might assist with the theme groups of Stronger Business, Greater City Centre Experience and Better Marketing & Events, which shape our planning and delivery.

If you are interested in finding out more about your BID, please follow us on our socials, visit our website or email us. We are here to listen, help and support. With very best wishes for 2023.

Tim Keeping (Chair)

BID seeks Purple Flag accreditation

With the support of partners, we have applied for Purple Flag status in Southampton. Purple Flag is an international accreditation programme that aims to reward those who achieve excellence in the evening and night-time economy in their destinations. A town or city that is awarded a Purple Flag accreditation can benefit from a raised profile, lower anti-social behaviour, and improved public image.

Alongside the written submission, we welcomed the assessors into the city on 18 November for a walk around the city centre to highlight Southampton’s strong night-time offering. We are awaiting a decision on our application, watch this space!

Partners tackle city centre crime for SaBA week

In October, we held two days of action in the city for the national Safer Business Action Week (SaBA) which brought local partners together to deter crime and anti-social behaviour in the city. We are #SOproud of our GO! Southampton security team who, along with Hampshire Constabulary, Homeless Outreach Workers, Council Welfare Wardens and other local partners, were able to displace anti-social behaviour across the two days.

Amongst other significant work, the Police arrested one of the city’s high-harm offenders who was later remanded to prison to be sentenced on a guilty plea.

These days of action demonstrate how citywide partners can work together to tackle issues of crime and safety in the city centre.

GO! commissionSouthampton night-time economy strategy

In the Autumn, we commissioned Night Time Economy Solutions to create a strategy for the city that will help drive the evening economy. Through an evidence-based approach, the strategy builds a comprehensive picture of how the evening and night-time economy functions in Southampton, understanding the benefits and drawbacks and how these are perceived by workers, visitors and residents. We will now be looking to move the strategy forward, working with partners to put in place key milestones and a delivery timeline.

SBCP win Outstanding Partnership award

In June we won the ‘Outstanding Partnership’ award at the Town & City Management Industry Awards 2022.

The award, presented by the Association of Town & City Management (ATCM), was given to us in recognition of our Southampton Business Crime Partnership (SBCP).

The SBCP launched in 2020 to bring the daytime and night-time economies, the police, the council and other key partners together to share crime intelligence and build resilience against crime and anti-social behaviour across the city.

Over 140 businesses have joined our radio scheme, which connects them to our security team as well as Citywatch CCTV and the police, whilst 261 members are registered to our DISC online crime reporting portal. We record an average of 200 incidents a month of which, over the past 12 months, 678 were reported to police.

Over£240,000 worth of stolen goods recovered since 2020

Since the SBCP launched, our security team, along with our BID members, have recovered over £240,000 worth of stolen goods. In 2022 £158,000 worth of goods was recovered with £96,000 of this retrieved by our security team alone.

Our team also detained 231 people on suspicion of theft in 2022 and made over 270 visits to stores to assist with incidents.

#ShopKind

Throughout the Christmas period, our team delivered over 350 posters and strut cards in support of the national #ShopKind campaign for businesses to display in their stores. The campaign aims to encourage visitors to act with patience and kindness and helps tackle the abuse faced by shopworkers over the festive season.

Recruitment in the city

We understand that recruitment remains a challenging issue for businesses.

To support BID members, we have continued to attend job fairs to promote open positions as well as advertise city centre jobs on our Jobs Board and our social media channels.

Business Training Hub launched

Have you signed up to the Business Training Hub?

Launched in July, the hub helps businesses to develop their employees with certificated training, without having to spend additional money.

Our new Business Training Hub, run via the SeedL platform, provides free access to courses ranging from finance and Excel proficiency to customer service and marketing.

The free platform also features videos from GO! Southampton on how levy payers can utilise BID services such as the Visit Southampton website and the Waste Recycling scheme.

Welcoming new board directors and team members

At our AGM (Annual General Meeting) last year we welcomed four new board directors to the company by way of vote:

Bridget Vyze (The White Star Tavern), Councillor Satvir Kaur (Southampton City Council), Ian Henderson (ABP Ports) and Spencer Bowman (Mettricks).

Since June we have also welcomed three new members of staff to the team including:

Stephen Manion – Executive Director

Christina Schembri – Marketing Assistant

Tatenda Ndeze – Administration Officer

Our next AGM and Spring Social will be on Thursday 20 April 2023 at Network Eagle Lab from 5.30-7.30pm.

The event will begin with the AGM in which we will reflect on the previous financial year (22/23), look ahead to 23/24 and vote on any new board directors. We will then hear from Westquay Manager, GO! Southampton board director and interim Chair for the Southampton Culture Trust, Laura Read.

After the formalities there will be food and drink supplied by local businesses, and time to network with one another and speak with the BID team.

In addition, we will also be offering free headshots/professional photography.

If you would like to attend, please check www.gosouthampton.co.uk/events for the link.

BID joins Southampton City Ambassador Programme

We are delighted that our Business Relations Manager, Gemma Pratt, became an honorary member of Kiwi Education’s fully funded, Southampton City Ambassador Programme. The programme has been developed to equip workers with knowledge about the city in addition to providing a strong foundation for customer service skills.

Mental Health Training for businesses

Through funding from Southampton City Council’s Stronger Communities Vaccine Champions Team, we organised six free in-person Mental Health Training courses for our BID members hosted by Solent Mind and Mental Health First Aid England.

Attendees gained knowledge from trusted resources to help them responsibly support mental health in the workplace.

City centre consumer research conducted

To enable us to better understand who is coming into the city and their consumer habits, we recently commissioned Destination Research to conduct 450 face-to-face interviews in the city centre. Key findings included:

Facebook was the most used social media channel

74% lived in Hampshire 57% said they were ‘cautious’ in reference to the cost of living crisis

40% travelled to Southampton by car

72% were in the C1 and C2 socio-economic group

For 72% Southampton is their primary shopping destination

We are now currently commissioning a Data Analyst to look at these findings, along with our footfall and spend data, and provide key trends and recommendations that will drive our marketing campaigns and BID projects, as well as offer a holistic understanding of our city’s health.

SO this is Christmas in Southampton

During our Christmas marketing campaign, over 206 BID member businesses were promoted across the Visit Southampton channels, highlighting everything from festive events and nights out to retail offers and places to dine. The campaign covered both digital and physical channels including, print, radio, social, search, website, email as well as digital screens in the city. This year we also designed and printed 20,000 Christmas guides highlighting everything to see and do in the city.

To increase dwell time and spend in the city we also organised the following:

The Great Elf Investigation

November saw the return of our annual free Christmas walking trail, The Great Elf Investigation, which ran from 26 November – 3 January. Offering families a free activity to do over the holiday, the trail also encourages visitors to explore the BID area and see new businesses. Over 9,000 Christmas guides, which featured the trail map, were distributed to local schools to be included in book bags. Of the trail maps returned to either of the end locations, over 150 adults took part and over 700 prizes were collected.

The Big Christmas Giveaway

New to Southampton this year was our Big Christmas Giveaway, aimed to encourage people to shop local this Christmas and be in with the chance of winning some fantastic prizes.

Visitors who spent over the threshold amount in any of the 39 participating businesses received a competition entry form to be entered into the giveaway. A big thank you to the BID members who donated a total of 27 prizes ranging from overnight stays and meals out, to theatre tickets and gift cards. In total we received nearly 400 entry forms with a combined spend of over £49,000.

Countdown to Christmas event returns

To officially kick off the festive season and draw visitors into the city, GO! Southampton organised the Countdown to Christmas event that took place on 17 November coinciding with the start of the new Southampton Christmas market. 15 roaming street theatre acts entertained crowds in the city centre before The Overtones took to the stage with a festive performance ahead of turning on the lights.

Throughout the event, our team handed out over 400 Christmas guides to visitors and adverts from 16 BID businesses were featured on the big screen. During the hours of the event, footfall sensors recorded over 6,255 visitors, with over 40% being new visitors.

Tour guides receive new uniform

As part of our continued efforts in supporting the local volunteer-led tour guides in the city, we have worked with Southampton City Council to gain funding via the Welcome Back Fund for new guide jackets.

We hope these will help tour guides stand out in a group and in worse weather. Both See Southampton and the Southampton Tourist Guide Association have come together to provide a year-round programme of city walks, covering some 2,000 years of the city’s history.

Small

Business

Saturday

In November, we arranged for the Small Business Saturday tour to stop in Southampton. The day included live streamed interviews and competitions with local businesses. Our Executive Director also spoke about the importance of shopping locally, particularly around the Christmas season.

Halloween trail

In the October half term, nine BID businesses hosted a clue for our Totally Spooking Out!

AR family walking trail. The free trail, hosted in partnership with High Street Safari, was created to encourage families to explore Southampton’s Old Town and discover places new and old. Along the trail families scan QR codes, follow the interactive story and win a digital activity pack upon completion. Approximately 1,300 players took part in the trail.

We are looking forward to working in partnership with the Southampton Culture Trust on events, tourism and cultural heritage across the city, complementing our Visit Southampton activities.

THE CULTURE TRUST

2022/2023 event sponsorship roundup

Through our Culture, Events and Partnerships work programme, we have been supporting citywide events with both financial and in-kind contributions.

So far this year we have sponsored the Bedford Place Summer Festival, Southampton Pride, Black Joy and Chinese New Year celebrations. By sponsoring these community events, it helps them to grow but also bridges the gap between businesses and event organisers, providing opportunities for our BID members to get involved. If you are interested in learning more about event sponsorship in 2023/24 please get in touch.

WE SUPPORT

Open Days and Freshers Fayre

Over the last year, the team has been continuing to attend student Open Days and Freshers Fayres at both universities.

As well as welcoming students into the city and answering any questions about Southampton, we are able to promote the Visit Southampton channels as the go-to tourist information platform.

Business events

Throughout the year we held a number of meetings and events that brought businesses together with local partners and the community. Business Crime Intelligence Briefings, Licensing Link meetings and the Business Health Clinic have given us the opportunity to speak directly with our members about the issues they are facing as well as finding solutions and providing important information.

Our quarterly City Networking events, run in partnership with Unity 101, have been a fantastic way to link businesses and local community groups. Upcoming City Networking dates:

Thursday 2 March

Thursday 8 June

Thursday 7 September

Thursday 7 December

At the beginning of 2023 in partnership with Network Eagle Lab, we launched our first ‘Breakfast with the BID’ event.

Running once a month from 8am at Network Eagle Lab, these free informal sessions are designed for business owners and senior management to come together, share intelligence and receive support from the BID.

Stay up to date with all the latest business events and where to register at www.gosouthampton.co.uk/events

Looking ahead to 23/24

As we look ahead to our 7th year at GO! Southampton, our programmes of work will focus on making the city feel safer during the day and night as well as keeping the BID area clean, attractive and welcoming.

This will be supported by recruitment, training and marketing services for your business, encouraging locals, future workers and visitors into the city centre.

Now more than ever, it’s critical that we listen to the needs of you, our BID members. Your voice will ensure our projects and services reflect the ever-changing climate that will help tackle short-term issues businesses are facing, as well as looking at long-term citywide improvements to boost the local economy. Therefore, along with our top priorities, our Year 7 plan will be flexible and adapt as and when needed, ensuring the BID income is spent most effectively.

Priorities for 2023/2024

YOUR BUSINESS IS OUR BUSINESS

OUR SERVICES

Cleaning

Our cleaning team can provide extra cleaning services to our members, including jet washing and graffiti removal. Reach them at cleaning@gosouthampton.co.uk

Security

Our security team patrol the BID area seven days a week Monday - Saturday 10am to 8pm and Sunday 11am to 5pm. You can contact them on 07725 737236 or via the SBCP radio scheme, mentioned below.

Radio Scheme & DISC

Access the DISC app which has updated information about offenders in the city, alerts on live incidents and other local crime intelligence. Sign up for free by emailing sbcp@gosouthampton.co.uk

Businesses can hire a radio for £5+ VAT a week, which will connect you to the Citywatch CCTV control room and link you directly with our security team to support with any incidents. To find out more about obtaining a radio please email sbcp@gosouthampton.co.uk

Rangers

Debbi our Ranger visits businesses and reports environmental and cleaning issues around the BID area. You can contact her on rangers@gosouthamptonco.uk

Waste Recycling

GO! Southampton works with Southampton City Council to offer savings on your business’ dry mixed recycling and to help reduce the levels of general waste reaching landfill. BID members are entitled to savings of up to 50% off their dry mixed recycling costs. To sign up, email us at recycling@gosouthampton.co.uk

Business Cost-Reduction Service

Levy payers can save on their core business services (energy, merchant fees, telecoms and water) via our independent cost reduction service. To get started, Place Support Partnership (working on behalf of GO! Southampton) simply need a copy of your recent bills, which will be analysed in confidence by a team of experts who will be able to advise you on saving opportunities. To find out more you can call 0333 0156 289 or email us at savings@gosouthampton.co.uk

Business Rates Consultancy

If you believe you might be paying too much in business rates or that your rateable value or property description is incorrect, please email info@gosouthampton.co.uk. We will be able to link you to an expert at Vail Williams for a free half-hour consultation.

Business Training Hub

Businesses and their employees can access free online courses and webinars that cover a number of topics from customer service and marketing to mental health and Excel training. To get started go to www.gosouthampton.co.uk/training

Marketing

Our marketing team can help promote consumer-facing businesses via the Visit Southampton channels (website, social media and email). We can also promote B2B businesses via our GO! Southampton channels. Please get in touch with us to discuss how we can support you. Please email us at marketing@gosouthampton.co.uk

Photography Service

Levy paying businesses are entitled to one free half-day photoshoot with a professional photographer to help boost their own marketing. For more details, please email Flo at flo.bevis@gosouthampton.co.uk

PR Opportunities

Our ongoing work with PR agency Blakeborough includes securing press trips for a variety of different journalists across the year. If you are interested in hosting journalists in your venue or offering something to them in return for press coverage, please get in touch with Flo at flo.bevis@gosouthampton.co.uk

SO Card

Reach new and existing audiences by providing an offer, promotion or experience via the SO card, a free discount card promoted via the Visit Southampton channels. Email us at marketing@gosouthampton.co.uk

Carol Bowers Crime Reduction Administrator

Christina Schembri Marketing Assistant

Debbi Martin Ranger

Flo Bevis Marketing Manager

Gemma Pratt Business Relations Manager

Martin Conlan Case File Builder

Stephen Manion Executive Director

Tatenda Ndeze Administration Officer