Term Two Ballot: July-Sept 2022

VOTE 2 023

TERM TWO BALLOT LEVY PAYER CONSULTATION JUNE–SEPTEMBER 2022

@linenquarter

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ABOUT US The Linen Quarter Business Improvement District (LQ BID) is a not-for-profit private company that operates under statute to manage a defined area and deliver improvements. Every organisation in the district pays an annual levy, calculated on the size of the commercial property they occupy. These contributions are ring fenced to a shared fund, which is used to deliver enhanced services and projects that benefit everyone who works in, lives in, or visits the area.

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CLEAN & SAFE

REGENERATION & INVESTMENT

LQ BID fund an enhanced PSNI service for the district with a full-time police constable to liaise with businesses and resolve problems. We also manage a Clean Team that works three days per week to power wash streets and remove litter & graffiti from private land. Other funded projects include additional CCTV, cyber security training, distribution of personal safety alarms and lighting audits.

From 2020-2022 LQ BID led a £500k revitalisation programme for the District, in partnership with the Council & NI Executive. Our flagship project was FLAXX, a 43m hospitality & events hub.

We also delivered three parklets, tree wrap lighting, building vinyls, murals, and enhanced planting. The BID has also published an integrated vision for the area and acts as a liaison point for all developers, investors and occupiers.

PROMOTED & VIBRANT

HEALTHY & SUSTAINABLE

Projects under this theme aim to rebrand the district as a high-quality visitor destination. The BID focuses on creating new events as well as expanding existing city festivals into the district. Current marketing initiatives include the City Centre Gift Card, Restaurant Week, and the Golden Mile Walking Trail. Our Summer Street Ambassadors help to promote local events and hospitality offerings.

Our long-term aim is to transform the Linen Quarter into Northern Ireland’s most sustainable urban area with projects including green energy, recycling, and climate awareness training. LQ BID supports sustainable & active travel, including policy inputs and public surveys, and funds employer cycling accreditation. The BID also organises an annual health week, with health checks, seminars, fitness sessions and events.

LINEN QUARTER BID | TERM TWO BALLOT CONSULTATION

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THANK YOU FOR PARTICIPATING IN THE CONSULTATION FOR THE PROPOSED LINEN QUARTER & GASWORKS BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT. The BID started work in February 2018 and in the last four years has successfully delivered over 30 projects – pioneering the renewal of the Linen Quarter and creating a safer, cleaner and more vibrant district.

We now aim to extend our services to the Gasworks and Shaftesbury Square. Over the summer we are creating a new five-year business plan to help improve and enhance this wider area, and we want you to be part of it! Please take a moment to consider the Term Two

projects highlighted in this booklet and then send me your views at chris@linenquarter.org The business plan will be finalised in October, and we’ll be asking eligible members to vote ‘YES’ for a new five-year BID in January 2023.

Chris McCracken Managing Director, Linen Quarter BID

VOTE IL LION FOR £ 4 MT MEN T S IN V E

LINENQUARTER.ORG

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CLEAN & SAFE TOTAL SPEND OVER 5 YEARS = £1 MILLION The BID will maximise the effectiveness of existing services by identifying safe and clean issues across the district and requesting appropriate resource from statutory providers to resolve problems. This includes representing the area at a City Centre Stakeholder Group and Policing Sub-Group.

LQ BID will also provide additional resource for cleansing and policing that will enhance existing services. Potential projects include: – A weekly street audit by LQ BID staff to identify safe and clean issues.

– A dedicated LQ police officer to provide

LINEN QUARTER BID | TERM TWO BALLOT CONSULTATION

additional patrol hours and longer-term problem solving.

– A crime prevention budget to include free business training & resources, alongside street-based interventions such as improved lighting and CCTV. – A three day a week Clean Team, focusing on value added services such as power washing, graffiti removal & litter picking on private property.

– Additional planting across the District, including parklets and summer flower boxes.

– Enhanced pest control services.

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REGENERATION & INVESTMENT £

ESTIMATED SPEND OVER 5 YEARS = £1.2 MILLION

The Linen Quarter & Gasworks are set to benefit from a £1 billion investment pipeline over the next 10 years. This includes Belfast Grand Central Station, Weavers Cross, BBC Refurbishment, North-South Glider, Gasworks Bridge, Cycling Infrastructure, Streets Ahead V, and new office, residential and leisure.

LQ BID interact with all these developments and work in partnership with the City Council, Executive Departments, and SW Quarter Group, to re-imagine the public realm into which these projects will land. This includes transport

INCLUDING GRANT FUNDING

studies, concept designs, and a cross cutting regeneration vision. We also lead the delivery of numerous local projects including hospitality hubs, social spaces, parklets, planting, murals, lighting and public art.

A visual of Term One projects already delivered, and Term Two projects that we aspire to deliver, are highlighted in the next two pages.

These projects include £600k of grant funding applications submitted by LQ BID, which are likely to be lost without a successful YES vote.

LINENQUARTER.ORG

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REGENERATION PR WELLINGTON PLACE UPPER QUEEN STREET

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FLAXX Social Space, Brunswick St

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Streetscape improvement 1 Scottish Mutual building vinyls 2 Brunswick Street interactive lighting 3 Blackstaff Square tree wrap lighting /bollard painting 4 Linenhall Street mural

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Planting scheme 9 Linenhall Street West planters 10 Thomas Thompson pocket park 11 Lincoln Building pocket park 12 Flax Field planters

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Re-imagining Public Realm 5 Linenhall Street Parklet 6 Bedford Street Parklet 7 Linenhall Street boardwalk 8 FLAXX social space

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Planting scheme 15 Shaftesbury Square planting

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Re-imagining Public Realm 9 Blackstaff Square social space 10 Linenhall Street linear park 11 Linenhall Street West social space 12 Thomas Thompson pocket park 13 Dublin Road Boardwalk 14 Gasworks social space

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BELFAST CITY HALL

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Streetscape improvement 1 Bedford House seating 2 Brunswick Street/James St South overhead lighting 3 Ulster Hall lighting scheme 4 Bankmore Sq pop-up public space 5 Hope Street pop-up public space 6 Dublin Road Parklet 7 Shaftesbury Square seating 8 Gasworks / Ormeau Avenue link

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ASPIRATIONS FOR TERM TWO

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Proposed Ormeau Cycling Greenway LINENQUARTER.ORG

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PROMOTED & VIBRANT TOTAL SPEND OVER 5 YEARS = £900 K Over the last 4 years the BID has rebranded the Linen Quarter, transforming it from an unknown and poorly defined area to a distinct part of the City Centre. This process is not complete and we need to keep telling the story of the Linen Quarter, including integration with the Gasworks, to establish the District as a desirable destination. We will also provide effective communications for our members, promoting local services and highlighting relevant opportunities.

Potential projects include: – A weekly district newsletter, regular social media, and an up-to-date website.

– A vibrant calendar of activities including leveraging existing festivals into the district

LINEN QUARTER BID | TERM TWO BALLOT CONSULTATION

and providing bespoke animation. This includes animation of new outdoor public spaces across the district and member-only networking events.

– Manage a summer street ambassador programme to engage with visitors, promote hospitality, and connect with offices to highlight opportunities and events.

– Provide area specific marketing, including “Linen Live”, Golden Mile Walking Trail, and local tasting tours.

– Work across all three BIDs to promote Belfast City Centre through the gift card, restaurant week, purple flag, and other joint marketing initiatives.

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HEALTHY & SUSTAINABLE TOTAL SPEND OVER 5 YEARS = £400 K The Linen Quarter aspires to be a healthy and sustainable district, drawing on international best practice from WHO and UN SDG criteria. These are developing initiatives but as the workstreams progress we will seek to supplement activities with external grant funding. Potential projects could include: – An annual health week, with a range of member only activities.

– Continued roll out of existing projects such as green energy, sustainable waste management, climate awareness training, and sustainable tourism.

– Properly constituted air quality monitoring, combined with an area-based health assessment. Datasets will be used to make

the business case for additional health related investments.

– Advocacy for “Superblocks” low traffic neighbourhoods, along with investment for active and sustainable transport.

– Provision of cycling support for employers and employees, including subsidised workplace accreditation and free cycle training and maintenance for staff.

– Development and delivery of the RE{act} Festival for a sustainable Belfast every two years.

– Support and co-ordination for ESG projects relating to social regeneration and community outreach. This includes district accreditation from the Living Wage Foundation.

LINENQUARTER.ORG

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FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION £

TOTAL SPEND OVER 5 YEARS = £500 K

The BID has a number of organizational costs including Board and Company administration, workforce costs such as accommodation and IT, and costs relating to levy collection and other financial matters.

LQ BID have pledged that these costs will not exceed 15% of our total budget, and this commitment was successfully maintained during our term one programme.

HAVE YOUR SAY WE ARE CREATING A NEW FIVE-YEAR BUSINESS PLAN TO HELP IMPROVE AND ENHANCE OUR BID AREA, AND WE WANT YOU TO BE PART OF IT! Please take a moment to consider this booklet and then send me your views. Thank you.

chris@linenquarter.org

LINEN QUARTER BID | TERM TWO BALLOT CONSULTATION

Chris McCracken Managing Director

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AMELIA STREET GREAT VICTORIA STREET

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LINEN QUARTER LANDMARKS 1

GRAND OPERA HOUSE

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CROWN LIQUOR SALOON

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BELFAST GRAND CENTRAL STATION

12 BBC BROADCASTING HOUSE

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BLACKSTAFF SQUARE

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FLAXX @ LINEN QUARTER

14 THOMAS THOMPSON FOUNTAIN

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GRAND CENTRAL HOTEL

15 ORMEAU BATHS

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ULSTER HALL / CAREY GALLERY

16 TRADEMARKET BELFAST

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LINENHALL STREET PARKLET

17 OLD GASWORKS OFFICE

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ADELAIDE ST PUBLIC REALM

LINENQUARTER.ORG

A YES VOTE IN JANUARY 2023 WILL: Provide a cohesive voice for the Linen Quarter & Gasworks that will represent the area and help support £1 billion of future capital investment.

Fund a vibrant series of events and promotional activities, including member only networking events.

Maintain a dedicated PSNI officer and enhanced Clean Team.

Manage £4m of direct spend in the next 5 years, with around 30 projects delivered by LQ BID.

Invest £1.2m in new public realm projects which will increasingly brand and animate the district.

Support wider City Centre initiatives such as the Gift Card and Restaurant Week.

Deliver bespoke services for members incl. green energy contracts, waste management, cycling accreditation and business training.

Accelerate the roll out of a healthy and sustainable district.

VOTE 2 023

Linen Quarter BID 411 Scottish Provident Building Donegall Square West Belfast BT1 6JH linenquarter.org