Royston First Update - Spring 2023

Promote, Pride, Partnership & Protect

Reflecting on a successful third term

PROMOTE

Royston Town website updates

The Royston Town website is a gateway to all things Royston, featuring events, things to see and do, parks and open spaces, a jobs page, and a fully optimised online Business Directory, featuring all the premisesbased businesses in the town.

After working on the physical Business Directory 2023, we identified many amendments to the details of businesses, and so another project was to ensure consistency with the online directory.

You can check your own entry and view the Business Directory at www.roystontown.uk/businesses

Business Directory 2023

It was no mean feat to update the Royston Business Directory for this year, as many businesses had in fact changed their phone numbers and updated their websites etc. But we think we got there! If you spot amends to your entry, please drop us an email.

A printed copy was distributed to all premises-based businesses in early February, but if you did not receive a copy, or would like extra copies for your customers, please get in contact with us at info@roystonfirst.com

The Business Directory is open to all premisesbased businesses in Royston.

Advertising opportunity

Royston First has funded large noticeboard posters in the town to promote our business features and community-based events.

If you are organising a community event and would like to enquire about having a poster up, please email us at info@roystonfirst.com

Hiring?

Local vacancies are promoted on the Royston Town jobs page, helping a range of large, medium, and small employers connect with the local talent they require.

If you are a premises-based business in Royston, you can get your job vacancy listed for free. Simply email us at info@roystonfirst.com

Industrial estate signage

Following the success of the Gateway project, we have now turned our attention to improving signage in the industrial area around Orchard Road and York Way. We understand from some businesses that delivery drivers often find it difficult to navigate around the estate.

After some to-ing and fro-ing with the council, signage proposals have been amended to meet the legal requirements for road signs positioned on the highway. This, along with an updated version of the original design which splits the estate into five coloured zones (for use on private land) will be shared with representative businesses on the estate to gather feedback.

Subject to location permissions for the main signage, we can then look at lamppost banners, and coloured zone strips under road name signs. This will allow businesses to inform couriers to find them in the ‘red’ zone or ‘blue’ zone, etc. and should reduce delivery issues. There are a number of obstacles still to overcome, but Royston First BID will keep working to move this forward.

Accommodation Guide

Another updated project is the Accommodation Guide.

A great resource for those planning on visiting Royston, or for those who live here and have friends and family coming to stay, our handy accommodation guide will help you find a place to stay.

A copy can be downloaded from www.roystontown.uk/businesses/ categories/stay

Clubs & Societies Brochure

At Royston First BID, we recognise clubs, societies and organisations make a large contribution to the activities and vibrancy of the town.

Our Clubs & Societies Brochure is currently being updated, with delivery scheduled For April 2023.

Royston Town Video

Many thanks to Thomas Morris estate agents who have kindly offered to show the promotional town video in their shopfront window.

If your premises has the capability of showing our video and would like to screen this, get in touch with us at info@roystonfirst.com.

You can check out the video by visiting www.roystontown.uk

Social media

If you are on social media and follow us, you may have noticed that we have increased our presence this term.

@roystonfirst

We currently have a Facebook page and Instagram account to reach audiences online and promote initiatives and community events. If you have something you’d like us to share on these platforms, simply get in touch with us, and we’ll be happy to repost it.

Easter is just around the corner, and this time children will be on the hunt for No.3’s handmade chicks - crafted by No.3 knitters and crocheters. These will be hidden in shopfront windows for one winner to receive a family pass to Shepreth Wildlife Park, a £50 voucher to use on the visit, and a basket full of sweet treats.

We hope to build on the number of participants, encouraging more people into Royston.

COMING

PARTNERSHIPS

We’ve been working hard behind the scenes with local businesses and other organisations to discuss the challenges that businesses face and to work together to find solutions.

Our local Mayor, Cllr. Mary Antony has been out and about, making regular visits to businesses in the town and on the industrial estate, to thank them for their charitable support and to grow the relationship with the Council.

On some of the visits - to Senior Aerospace Thermal Engineering and Sartorius - she has been joined by members of the Royston First BID.

May Fayre

She has also visited many of the smaller businesses in the town and has been amazed at the welcome received from everyone.

I’m proud to live in Royston and to be the Mayor. The big and small businesses in Royston serve the people of our town, and I will always encourage people to shop locally to support our business community as much as possible.”

Cllr

Mayor Mary Anthony

Royston Environmental Group (REG)

As the month of May approaches, Royston First BID will be supporting Royston Town Council with preparations for the May Fayre, which this year will have a King’s Coronation theme running through the event.

Royston Museum

The re-vamped Royston Museum re-opened last year and the Royston First BID was able to provide funding to support events during the year.

We will be looking to see how we can expand this partnership over the coming year, to ensure that Royston First BID can help to support the town for the benefit of businesses and residents.

Royston Arts Festival

Creative Royston is the not-forprofit organisation, run by unpaid volunteers, which stages Royston Arts Festival annually, in 2023 from the 29th September to 1st October.

Businesses are encouraged to get involved and host their own events under the Royston Arts Festival banner and individual volunteers are always welcome. Please contact Chairperson, Carl Filby, at chair@creativeroyston.org

We are working closely with Royston Environmental Group (REG) and will be aiming to support and promote their projects during 2023.

One thing the group is particularly looking for is volunteers, so if your staff would like to get involved, please get in touch with REG by emailing chairman@roystonenvironmentalgroup.org.uk, or use the Royston First BID email and we’ll pass your details on.

Royston Market

“As we enter 2023, there is real optimism that the great success the market enjoyed last year can be maintained. The market is renowned for the quality of its fresh produce and that is certainly something that will not change. Many traders who started on the market last year and who contributed to its increasing diversity, intend joining us again, which is great news!

The introduction of street food and the added vibrancy on market days, has brought much positive feedback from shoppers. With authentic Mexican cuisine, made-to-order pizzas, Hong Kong street food and a pop up cafe offering all day breakfasts, there really is something for everyone.

So, we look forward to the ongoing support of the community who are so important in ensuring this town asset can continue to thrive.”

Rob - Market Manager

The third term of Royston First BID ends in March 2024 The next ballot will be taking place this October, and without a “Yes” vote, all activities currently undertaken by Royston First BID will stop.

Green campaign

Shoppers and visitors in Royston have been taking advantage of our “Love Where You Live” campaign – filling up their reusable water bottles for free at participating water refill stations.

A big thank you to Kooky Nohmad, Tasty Bites, Wetherspoons, Flintshack, and Days Bakery for offering your venues as stations, and supporting this important campaign.

If you are a local cafe, pub, or restaurant and would like to become a free water refill station, please contact us at info@roystonfirst.com, and we’ll supply you with a “Free Water Refill Station” sticker to display at your premises.

PROTECT

‘Increase in footfall’High Street Recovery

Royston First BID communicates closely with Herts County Council (HCC) and North Herts County Council to ensure we keep businesses informed as much as possible.

The most recent report from the High Street Recovery project at HCC, has reported an increase in the town’s footfall figures over the last two years. It is evident that people are spending longer in the town, despite the removal of free parking and the changes in the High Street.

In November and December 2022, HCC ran a survey, giving businesses and residents the chance to put views forward on the town centre recovery plans.

Unfortunately, the previous survey received a very low response rate from local businesses, so the hope is that more businesses were able to respond this time.

HCC and NHC will share the survey results in the next few months, and the future plans for the town centre will be discussed. We would urge

Pigeon proofing

As visitors to the town centre will be aware, there are a few places where pigeons are making a mess, especially on the High Street.

One pigeon poo blackspot was outside Premier Travel and Royston Dental Suite. Whilst there has been some success here, Royston First BID are continuing to work with the businesses to hopefully resolve the problem.

Keeping the environment clean is an ongoing issue, so Royston First BID will also be organising the next deep clean of the town centre, which takes place four times a year. We are liaising with NHC while they run a chewing gum cleaning project and will schedule the deep clean when that project is complete.

local businesses to be involved wherever they can to make sure their views are taken into consideration, so look out for communications from NHC and HCC about surveys that might affect your business.

Free parking schemes for businesses and customers

Many of you know about the ‘Free After Three’ parking for all, and the one-hour free parking scratch-cards, redeemable in the town centre.

These schemes were introduced by Royston First BID to help industrial businesses and their staff and to encourage shoppers into the town and support our local trade.

If you are a premises-based business in either the town centre or industrial estate and have run out of scratch-cards, or you would like a pack for your staff or your customers, please contact us and we’ll happily drop a pack to you.

‘Wellbeing for the Workplace’ seminars for employers and employees

Good mental health at work and good management go hand in hand, and there is strong evidence that workplaces with high levels of mental wellbeing are more productive. According to the Mental Health Foundation, addressing wellbeing at work increases productivity by as much as 12%.

Ever committed to supporting businesses Royston First BID is working closely with Nicky FranzenVipers, of Royston Mental Health Group, to offer free regular wellbeing seminars for businesses.

Watch this space!

We’ll share more details with you as soon as we have them.

Continued on page 5

With the cost of living putting residents of Royston under unprecedented pressure, we were delighted to hear about Herts County Council’s Warm HertsWarm Spaces campaign.

So much so, we decided to investigate where our own warm spaces in Royston might be, so we could signpost to those looking for warmth this winter.

As a result, we found three warm and welcoming places, open to all, and with free Wi-Fi and hot drinks (subject to the venue). They are:

n Royston Library

n The Wellbeing Hub at Coombes Community Centre

n Wellbeing Café at Trinity Life Church

In addition, Royston First BID funded advertisements in The Listing Magazine, to help share this important information.

Keep in touch with us

New youth activities for crime prevention

Prevention first is the name of the game in Royston, where local Safer Neighbourhood Officers have launched ‘Saturday Screen’ cinema events, which offer free monthly screenings for children of school age.

Sergeant Jon Vine, and his team, recognised that youth provision in Royston was lacking, and the direct impact this has on anti-social behaviour in the town, so they have been working with local businesses and venues to provide more opportunities.

‘Saturday Screen’ is the second project instigated by Sergeant Vine. Together with The Limitless Academy of Performing Arts, the team started the ‘Thursday Night Project’, aimed at helping young people after Covid restrictions were lifted. Funding was secured from Herts County Council and Royston First BID, and the project is also supported by The Manor HouseJ D Wetherspoon and Johnson Matthey.

Sergeant Vine is working on developing more clubs and projects, as youth provision benefits everybody in the town, so if your business can help, either by providing a venue or through

We have many projects planned for this year, so please ensure that you are receiving our communications and following us on social media, to stay informed.

If you are a premises-based business, you can easily stay up to date with our news, by:

n Join our mailing list to receive email updates

n Join the Royston businesses Whatsapp group

n Join the Royston Come Together Facebook group

Contact us at info@roystonfirst.com to be added.

I’m sure the business community will agree that it’s been great to ‘get back to business’ over the past year or so. We now look forward to another year of growth and sustainability this 2023.

As ever, Royston First BID strive to do all we can to help our town by encouraging visitors and making our town as accessible as possible to all.

David Smyth Chair, Royston First

sponsorship, please contact info@roystonfirst.com and we will forward your details to the team. As a result of working closely with youths, PC Natasha Redman discovered that children wish to come off the streets, and instead work to earn money, but struggle to find such opportunities. She would like to see a project in place to signpost youths to work placements. Recognising the benefits for both businesses and the wider community, Royston First BID supports this idea, and is looking to find businesses that offer placements for 14 to 16-year-olds and provide a platform for listings. If your business can offer work for youths, please get in touch with us at info@roystonfirst.com

AGM REMINDER

The Royston First BID will hold its AGM on Wednesday 26th April, from 5.30pm - 6.30pm, in the Hardwicke Hall (upstairs at the Town Hall). We will be reviewing last year’s activities and discussing plans for the coming year. We hope to see as many local business representatives, as possible. Please confirm your attendance by emailing info@roystonfirst.com

Christmas 2022

New Lights for Fish Hill

Royston First BID was pleased to sponsor new Christmas lights in Fish Hill Square this year, an area of the town that has previously missed out. We would like to say a big thank you to The Old Courthouse, Flintshack & Abbot Travel for providing the power to run the lights.

Christmas Lights Voucher Scheme

Due to license restrictions, Royston Town Council is unable to put Christmas lights along Melbourn Street, Kneesworth Street, and Lower King Street.

So, to brighten up those areas of the town, Royston First BID ran a voucher scheme for businesses to purchase their own lights for their shop windows and then reclaim the cost from Royston First BID. Thank you to those businesses that took part, we hope you enjoy the decorations.

If you would like more information about the scheme, please email us at info@roystonfirst.com

“You’ve done an excellent job, the town looks beautiful this year thank you!”

Member of the public

Christmas Lights Switch On

After many months of planning, the Christmas Lights Switch On event in November was a great success. Thank you to Reed Choir, The Lift Off Choir, and Royston Leisure Centre for providing the entertainment, and the Town Mayor, Cllr Mary Anthony, for opening the event

There were also delicious cupcakes from Kelly’s Kitchen, free pizza kindly

“Our takings were up due to people buying snacks and drinks.”

Royston Food Centre

provided by The Manor House (J D Wetherspoons) and Belle’s Enchanted Parties, who provided face painting.

We were delighted that around 500 people attended the event, with many taking advantage of the shops being open late. Some businesses reported an increase in the evening trade, which was the aim of the latenight shopping project.

We look forward to expanding the event this year.

“The Late Night Christmas Shopping at the switch on meant I was able to do a spot of shopping and get a coffee.”

Member of the public

Christmas Elf Trail

The children’s Christmas Elf Trail proved popular once again, helping to bring footfall into our town. Among the 163 complete entries, 3-year-old Archie Evans was selected at random as the competition winner, taking home a hamper from Ladds (funded by the BID).

Thank you to all of the businesses that took part in the trail and we look forward to our next event, at Easter.

“It was nice to see the town busy and we spotted other children doing the trail. We had a lovely Sunday morning walking around looking out for the Elves, popping into the shops, and visiting the church to see the big Christmas tree.”

Archie’s mum, Becci Chandler

Christmas Shopfront Windows

Once again, Royston First BID funded the festive graffiti artwork which featured on many shopfront windows in the town centre. This time, we were able to extend the painting into Kneesworth Street, Melbourn Street, and Baldock Street. If you would like your windows to be painted this year, please get in touch.

Christmas Market

Despite bad weather delaying the trader’s Christmas market by a week, the event, which took place on Christmas Eve, was a big hit in the town. Shoppers took advantage of all the festive delights on offer, including the free cupcakes and mulled wine, funded by Royston First BID.

Shop Local Gift Guide

To promote our local businesses in the town centre at Christmas, Royston First BID designed a ‘Gift Shopping Guide’, highlighting where gifts could be found locally, as well as places to eat and drink. This guide was featured on the new town noticeboard posters, and on social media.

Santa’s Grotto – by Royston Scouts

Royston First BID was delighted to support Royston Scout’s Santa’s Grotto, at Royston Library, in December.

A contribution was made towards the presents handed out to children.