Annual Review 2017 – 18 ______

www.theyorkbid.com

1 YORK BID | Annual Review 2017 – 18

Message from our Chair & Executive Director

Michael Hjort | Chair | York BID Andrew Lowson | Executive Director | York BID

I have once again enjoyed the privilege of serving as In the second year of the BID, we have looked to build Chairman for York BID over the past year, working closely on the foundations set in Year One and reinforce our with the Board, levy payers and wider partners on issues reputation as a company that gets things done. That is which matter to businesses in York. Our overarching not always easy in the public realm, but the team and I aim continues to be a voice for city centre levy payers have stayed focused on the issues that are important to and to create a healthier trading environment in which levy payers and tried to be as responsive as possible to businesses can flourish. businesses that contact us.

In two years, the BID has become a well established I am very proud of our Street Cleansing and Street Ranger body working within the city centre. This is evidenced operations. Both services have matured to play important by the number of partners you will see referenced in this roles within the city centre. The Street Ranger service document. We can also be pleased with the financial works very closely with the Police and is making a real contributions made by partners towards BID projects; difference to many businesses. The service has caught something that would not happen unless the BID was the attention of national media, with both the BBC and viewed as a credible body. Sky News having run features on the Rangers in 2017, (with the Sky article also receiving circa 7,000 views on The York BID team is only small, so working collegiately social media). The Street Cleansing teams are also doing with others maximises the potential of what can be an equally important job, arriving early in the city centre achieved. Whilst the BID will always have its own projects to clean up things neither businesses nor the public want to run, it has formed positive relationships with trade to see! associations, to help them deliver small projects that make a difference for their area. Other keynote projects we delivered included window dressing 14 vacant properties within the city centre Our Board of Directors and Advisors have continued to improve their appearance. Taxi Night Marshals at to provide invaluable knowledge and skills to support Duncombe Place were well received by nearby businesses Andrew and the York BID team and I commend the and members of the public and we expanded festive lights, enthusiasm and passion which they continue to provide. which contributed to the city being voted as the UK’s most festive (in a Virgin Media poll). In a time of economic uncertainties, York does perform well compared to other cities. Footfall was marginally What continues to please me is the interaction with up in 2017 against a national decline. For professional businesses that has seen a number of projects delivered services the main issue is a lack of grade A office space across the city. Projects such as the Fossgate Banner; as opposed to a lack of business growth; but it is good Coloured Umbrellas at Coppergate; Snow on the to see projects such as the Hudson House redevelopment Shambles; the Micklegate Soapbox Challenge; York and York Central moving forward. There remain Fashion Week; and many more would not take place challenges for some of our traditional high streets, where without BID funding. These are projects that are shaped large units are unoccupied and there is not a queue of by the businesses as opposed to the BID delivery team, takers. However, York has a thriving independent scene which is a testimony to positive engagement. and we must embrace this as it offers a unique experience the 21st century shopper craves. Year 3 will be a crucial one for the York BID. We now have an established team and good partnerships in the city, so We have delivered against a good number of our targets, we will look to continue our focus on customer service and but there is still much to do to achieve the priorities set delivery, with an aim to make further progress on the issues out in the original business prospectus. At the Board’s that matter to businesses. strategy day earlier this year, we agreed that in 2018 there would be a focus on costs savings for business; lobbying the local authority on upgrading car parking technology; and working with partners to understand how we can best market the city to a local audience. Both the Board and the delivery team remain committed to achieving the goals set out in the prospectus and making York a great place to trade, live and visit.

2 Year 2 in Facts & Figures

Jet washed nearly Deterred 1,044 criminal

incidents and addressed 60,000 square metres of 706 cases of anti-social York pavement behaviour

160,000 LED lights spanning 15km were installed during the Winter Lights display

Recovered over Dressed 14 empty premises and helped introduce York’s 79 £12,600 first pop-up gallery Businesses signed up to the anti-loitering scheme of stolen stock

Removed over Leveraged £74,000 from public partners 1,700 to help support pieces of graffiti Y1/2 projects

Street rangers support Assisted/directed Street Rangers gave first aid on 84% 70 occasions 4,392 55 of users felt safer due members of the public vulnerable people to Taxi Marshal trial

Removed circa Over £50,000 invested in business led projects 300,000 pieces of chewing gum and events

3 Safe & Secure

York BID is working closely with partners to tackle issues that matter to businesses regarding safety in York’s streets. Our mission is to ensure that the city centre is a safe and pleasant environment for both residents and visitors to spend time and enjoy themselves.

Street Rangers Anti-loitering The Rangers are a familiar The Anti-Loitering Scheme is in presence in York city centre. Last place to aid businesses in deterring year whilst patrolling the streets anti-social activity on their private they made 6,105 visits to local premises and doorways. The 79 businesses, logging areas in need businesses currently signed up to of attention as they went. The the scheme each have a sticker Rangers are often the first to on their shop fronts giving the respond to businesses reporting Rangers permission to ask those low level crime. Last year they who engage in this activity to prevented 1,044 criminal incidents, vacate. In circumstances where deterred 706 cases of anti-social the Rangers encounter vulnerable behaviour and recovered over individuals, they carry information £12,600 of stolen stock. and advice on where to find shelter and support.

Partnership Working The BID sits on all the relevant Taxi Marshals River Safety city partnership groups including The BID levered funding from The student population is the night time economy and several sources including the important to York’s economy. counter terrorism group, ensuring Guildhall Ward Committee, Deans During Freshers Week the York that business has a voice on all Court Hotel, residents and taxi BID and the University of York issues that involve keeping the drivers to undertake a 6 month joined forces to enhance student city safe. This has allowed the trial of taxi marshals, operating safety. River safety in York has BID to influence partner working late evening/ early morning hours been a concern for many and e.g. when the Theatre Royal had of Fridays and Saturdays. An the BID worked with YorMed to concerns with drug taking in their evaluation of the scheme found provide two ambulances and a vicinity during panto season, that 84% of rank users (including crew, positioned strategically it was the BID that brought locals and visitors) felt safer and near the river walkways. Over partners together to target welcomed the enhanced level this period, the ambulance patrol resources. The BID Rangers also of customer service. The success made 16 interventions with host a weekly meeting, which is of the scheme means it will be students in trouble, either treating attended by both the Police and repeated in 2018. them at the scene or transporting Neighbourhood Enforcement them to a recovery centre. Not Officers to share information only did this remove students from and pool resources. immediate danger, it also saved the NHS over £5,500.

Secure Cycle Parking York BID is working with City of York Council on how to improve secure cycle parking in the city. We have consulted with York Civic Trust and cycling groups to identify areas in the city where capacity can be increased. Delivery is estimated to take place in 2018.

4 Appearance & Environment

York is regarded as one of the UK’s most beautiful cities and is internationally renowned as a destination for tourists and shoppers. The city deserves our ongoing care and respect. York BID are committed to developing projects that keep the streets looking their best and maintain the city’s unique shopping and leisure experience.

Street Cleaning The York BID’s cleaning teams have worked tirelessly over the last 12 months to keep our beautiful city as clean as possible. Their work regularly receives positive feedback from businesses and members of the public. On the evenings our cleaners begin their deep cleaning sessions, jet washing and removing gum from the city’s pavements, street by street. During the last year the team covered nearly 60,000 sq/m of streets in the BID area removing circa 300,000 pieces of chewing gum.

Shop Window Dressing Rapid Response Alternative use of Vacant Units Our window dressing project has By day, our Rapid Response team York BID is working with Blank helped improve the image of our are busy responding to requests Canvas (part of the Skippko business community. To date from businesses, helping to clean charity), the Retail Forum and the BID has invested in dressing unsightly mess and graffiti that can City of York Council to identify 14 vacant shops across the city have negative effects on trade. vacant commercial properties centre, the largest of which is the The team are on duty seven days in the city centre that may be unit that previously housed BHS a week and are regularly praised suitable for pop-up shops and on Coney Street. for their swift action. In the last exhibitions. York Conservation year the team responded to Trust recently gave permission for 69 calls from businesses and 60 Goodramgate to be used as a subsequently removed over temporary art exhibition space for 1,700 pieces of graffiti. two artists whilst long term tenants are found. In its first weekend alone nearly 100 people visited the gallery.

Civic Trust Enhancement Projects The York BID has worked with York Civic Trust to carry out a number of small maintenance projects for the city. Together we have identified and restored street signs and furniture in need of attention. To date, works have included re-painting street signs to aid navigation; introducing cigarette bins to prevent littering; and repairing and repainting the benches in one of the city’s finest squares, St Helen’s. 5 Business Support

York BID is committed to working with local businesses, trade associations and partners to deliver projects that boost the local economy. Where possible we look to promote and market York’s unique retail and leisure offer to residents and visitors. During Year 2 we’ve supported a diverse range of projects.

Supporting Fossgate Traders Mince Pie Non Stop The new Fossgate banner was During December 2017, York BID officially revealed this year, in partnership with Minster FM naming this area of the city as the launched a pop-up radio station Merchants’ Quarter. The two-year broadcasting non-stop Christmas project saw close collaboration music and promoting business between the Fossgate Traders and activity throughout the BID area. the York Civic Trust on a design Listeners could tune in either via that nods to historical fish markets DAB radio, online or mobile app. that once lined the street. York Across both analogue and digital BID is keen to encourage trade there was an estimated 100,000+ associations and independent listeners with 2,983 Facebook businesses who are prepared to engagements and 5,369 Twitter work together to improve their impressions. There was also a trading environment. competition to win £1,000 cash prize, with the caveat that listeners had to come into the city centre Indie York to retrieve a password, driving York BID continue to support Shambles Lighting and Snow footfall. Indie York, a membership initiative Machines promoting independent business The BID has worked with the across the city. A small grant was Shambles Traders on a couple awarded for the publication of of projects; the first of these Abandoned bicycle removals a map and website to promote upgraded the lighting in the street The BID received feedback from independent businesses in the city. which makes it more inviting to businesses frustrated over the Indie York now has 200 members visit at night; the second was number of abandoned bikes with a plan to grow this to 250 by supporting ‘Snow in Shambles’, locked to cycle racks in the 2019. The website alone has had initiated by BID Board member city centre, making areas look over 50,000 page views. and head of the Retail Forum, Phil unsightly. The Street Rangers Pinder. Ten snow machines were identified which bikes had been installed along the historic street discarded/abandoned for over a to encourage businesses to stay month and worked with the local Piccadilly Car Park Trial open during late night shopping authority to have them removed. During the winter months, York hours, the initiative drew coverage In September 2017 alone over 40 BID launched a parking trial at from regional television, local abandoned bikes were removed, Piccadilly multi-storey car park media and a video of the event freeing up space for commuters where users could park for free received over 27,000 views on and residents alike. during consecutive Thursdays and Facebook. Fridays between 3pm and 9pm. This joint initiative with CYC was set up to test how such parking Coppergate Umbrellas offers might boost the city’s early During Summer 2017 York BID evening economy. The results supported the Coppergate Centre from the trial showed 4,265 users with a colourful arts installation, took advantage of the free parking, aimed at drawing publicity and 2,400 of which were after 6pm footfall to the street. The ‘brolly when it would usually be closed. walk’ saw over 40 coloured This success means the BID will umbrellas line the Coppergate aim for more offers in 2018 to arcade, bringing a splash of colour attract people into the city centre. and receiving media coverage across the Yorkshire region.

6 Events & Festivals

Every year, York provides an impressive and diverse programme of Events and Festivals keeping a steady flow of people coming into the city. York BID is committed to supporting events that market the city to its residents and strategically encourage footfall numbers during the quieter months. Here’s some of what we’ve helped deliver during the last year.

Winter Lights Ice Trail As promised for Christmas 2017, York’s Ice Trail, organised by Make York BID, in partnership with Make It York, is now the largest outdoor It York, delivered an enhanced trail of its kind in the UK. Last year Winter Lights display the likes York BID sponsored a number of of which has never been seen ice sculptures from streets which before in our city. A total of would not traditionally have 160,000 LED lights spanning been included in the event. This 15km were installed around York’s ensured that as many levy payers shopping streets, entrance streets as possible benefitted from the and on each of its four historic boost in footfall and were able gates. The scheme helped to to showcase their street. The full significantly boost visitor numbers trail, consisting of 40+ sculptures, over the festive season which has leading people to explore all been evidenced in footfall, travel around the city streets and not and hotel occupancy figures. just the centre. The scheme received national recognition for its success and was named by the Guardian as ‘one of the top 10 winter light Little Vikings Easter festival Micklegate Run Soapbox Race festivals across the UK’. York BID, in partnership with Make The York BID was again a proud It York and Little Vikings, rolled sponsor of the Micklegate Run out a fantastic Easter Festival in Soapbox Challenge, an event York’s Parliament Street. Together which impacts the whole city York Fashion Week they organised ‘The Hunt for the as well as the Micklegate traders York BID supported Fashion City Magical Chocolatey Chick’ – a free who work very hard to host this York in launching York’s first ever admission children’s play which fantastic event. In 2017 over annual Fashion Week. The event encouraged families to visit the 15,000 people lined Micklegate provided seven days of exciting city. It ran for five days with five to watch the soapboxes charge workshops, runway shows, lectures performances per day, the majority down the street. With around 17% and markets to encourage footfall, of which were close to capacity, of visitors choosing to stay the celebrate local business and despite the bank holiday weather! night. An independent evaluation showcase York’s exciting fashion The reach of the festival’s social estimated the event was worth scene. Sixty local businesses were media posts was 22,000 across the £1.2m to the city! The BID will be involved in delivering 50 individual four days, with 1,667 video likes. the headline sponsor of the 2018 events which received press event taking place August Bank coverage on ITV News, the York Holiday Monday 2018. Press, Yorkshire Post, Yorkshire Living and Minster FM.

7 The Year Ahead The York BID will continue to run its pre-existing programmes such as Rangers service, Street Cleansing and Winter Lights. Four areas of the prospectus the BID will prioritise in 2018/19 will be:

Marketing the City Car Parking Strategy Wayfinding The BID will launch a campaign in York BID is working with City York In 2017 the BID did a lot of work 2018 to encourage York residents Council to develop a car parking with partners to pave the way for a and those who live just outside to strategy. Our aim is to map out new wayfinding system in the city. come and enjoy the city centre. how to achieve an upgrade on The BID understands that local parking technology; specifically In summer 2018 the BID, in spend is different from that of pay on exit. conjunction with City York tourists and therefore encouraging Council, will undertake a trial people to spend time and use the CYC has already agreed to fund of proposed wayfinding. If public great retail we have, is something a study during summer 2018 interaction and consultation points the BID and partners will look to that will focus on what is the to the trial being successful, the promote. leading technology for customer wayfinding will look to be rolled experience, with a view to trailing out over the lifetime of the BID’s this in a selected car park towards first term. the end of 2018. Business Cost Savings For 2018/19 The York BID has teamed up with a new partner Meercat Associates, who specialise in saving businesses money. As procurement specialists, they can look at a range of business costs from energy, to insurance, to merchant fees and even stationary.

Meercats have worked with businesses in other cities, for example in Shrewsbury they saved an average of £1,300 for the 82 businesses that used the service. The best part is this service is completely free for levy paying businesses!

8 Finances The BID Exec Team closely monitor the company’s finances throughout the year and report regularly to the Board and sub groups on the performance of each of the programme areas.

Annual Income £- £200,000 £400,000 £600,000 £800,000 £1,000,000 £1,200,000 £1,400,000

Y2 BID levy £820,110

other Income £49,690

Y1 surplus funds brought fwd £486,868

Levy collection fee -24,329

Total £1,332,339

Expenditure £- £100,000 £200,000 £300,000 £400,000 £5,000,000 £600,000 £700,000 £800,000 £900,000

Appearance & Environment £290,032

Safe & Secure £134,141

Events & Festivals* £171,476

Business Development £68,168

Contingency £40,000

Management £104,022

One-off overheads** £52,938

Total Company Expenditure £860,777

Surplus / Committed Funds £- £100,000 £200,000 £300,000 £400,000 £500,000

Surplus taken fwd to Y3 £471,562

Surplus funds committed to future projects £350,000

Notes

Arrow-alt-circle-right The levy collection rate for Year 2 was 98% (1% above budget).

Arrow-alt-circle-right ‘Y1 surplus brought fwd’ is consistent with annual review 2016-17 after removing committed expenditure.

Arrow-alt-circle-right HPH Accountants produce the company’s statutory accounts which can be found on the York BID website.

Arrow-alt-circle-right *Includes £45k contribution from Make It York for Winter lights. Also £25k contribution to Bloom for delivery in Y3.

Arrow-alt-circle-right **One-off overheads include repayment of BID Loan to British BIDs and set up of BID office.

9 Governance

York BID is a not for profit company that is solely accountable to its members. The company is governed by a voluntary Board of Directors and Advisors who are representative of the different sectors, organisations and businesses in the BID area.

The York BID Board meet bimonthly as do its sub groups focussed on steering each of the programme areas. BID members, partners and stakeholder are often invited to attend meetings and participate in specific projects. BID members receive regular updates from the Exec team on the company’s projects and are invited to an annual general meeting each year to have their say on the company’s activity.

Year 2 Board and Advisers

Michael Hjort Dawn Argyle (Chairman) Luxury Ice Cream Company Walmgate Ale House & Bistro Stuart Page Frank Wood York St John University R A Braithwaite Jewellers Paul Stansfield Residents Representative Neil Setterfield Fenwick Andy Shrimpton Cycle Heaven Phil Pinder York Retail Forum

Sophie Jewett BID Exec Team York Cocoa House Andrew Lowson Robert Onyett Executive Director Harrowells Solicitors Elliot Sawyer Colin Crawford Operations Manager Aviva Chris Bush Cllr Ian Gillies Business Support Executive Leader of City of York Council

Cllr Keith Aspden Advice from BID agencies Executive Member for Economic Development and Community Association of Town & City Engagement, City of York Council Management (ATCM)

Steve Brown Mosaic Partnership Make It York Northern BIDs Chris Price Make It York

10 Thank You

Working with partners is key to the BIDs success. We’d like to take this opportunity to thank our 1,000+ levy paying businesses and the organisations stated below for their ongoing engagement and support. All working together for a stronger York.

11 Street [email protected] Rangers 0780 990 0794

Rapid Response 01904 866 143 Cleaning

York BID The York BID Address The Red House 1 Duncombe Place York, YO1 7ED

General Contact

Email [email protected] Phone 01904 809970 Web theyorkbid.com Twitter @theyorkbid

Facebook TheYorkBID

Credits Photography by A Little Picture www.alittlepicture.com

Images provided by Visit York www.visityork.org

12 Designed by LazenbyBrown, York