Annual Report 2010/2011 Business Improvement District Croydon BID Annual Report 2010-11 Contents About Croydon BID

About Croydon BID 3 Since its formation in April 2007, the Croydon Town Centre Business Improvement District (Croydon BID) has been Chairman’s Statement 4 working to improve the experience of those working, shopping, visiting and doing business in our Town Centre. Chief Executive’s Statement 5 Our projects and services reflect the The projects and services we Projects: priorities identified by businesses delivered during 2010-11 were as being crucial for the town’s funded through a mandatory Safe & Secure 7 commercial prosperity, namely: levy of 1.038% collected from all businesses within the BID area • Those who use the Town Centre Clean & Attractive 9 with a rateable value of £40,000 should feel safe and secure or more and generating an income of £1.264 million. This was Perception & Image 11 • The Town Centre should be kept supplemented by additional cash clean and made more attractive and in-kind contributions worth Festivals & Events 13 • The image and perception of approximately £500,000. Croydon Town Centre should Accessibility 15 Croydon BID is one of the largest be improved geographical BIDs in the country Facilitation 17 • Visitor numbers should increase covering the entire Town Centre. We represent approximately 580 levy Financial Summary 18 • The Town’s accessibility should paying organisations which include be improved and way-finding many well-known brands and How We Are Structured 19 made easier businesses in the retail, office, leisure, hospitality and public sectors. • Businesses should have a strong and representative voice on Town Centre issues

2 Croydon BID Annual Report 2010-11 3 Chairman’s Statement Chief Executive’s Statement

I am pleased to report another successful year of The twelve months under review were both eventful and achievement for Croydon Town Centre BID, the fourth of challenging; nevertheless, I am pleased and proud to our current five year term. say that the BID team made visible and demonstrable improvements in all of the priority areas identified by Despite continuing tough Since the end of the financial businesses as being important for enabling the Town economic conditions, the BID team year, Ros Morgan, our Chief continued to make good progress Executive has resigned in order Centre to thrive. towards making our Town Centre to take up a similar role with We continued to listen and Under the present economic a more appealing place to work, Kingston Town Centre BID. Ros respond to feedback received circumstances, it is clear that shop, visit and do business. Their has played a major part in the from businesses, employees, there is an increasingly important hard work and achievements are success of our BID during its first residents and visitors and used this role for the BID to play in ensuring acknowledged in this report. five year term and I would like to to help inform our activities and standards are maintained, thank her for her hard work and shape future plans. It is therefore improvement continues and we I would like to thank members of the commitment and wish her every particularly gratifying to learn make the most of opportunities to Croydon BID Board who represent success in her new appointment. major sectors of the Town Centre from independent research* that promote our Town Centre. Working community and give their time and As we were about to publish people increasingly are noticing closely with our key partners in the expertise freely and generously this report, some of Croydon’s how Croydon is changing for public and private sectors and with to the BID. The Board ensures that businesses had become victims the better. The results indicate, for the strong support of our Board, the our Business Plan properly reflects of the criminal destruction and example, that 50% of businesses BID team looks forward to another business’ priorities and members theft that was prevailing across and almost a third of visitors are successful year for Croydon BID. regularly review progress and the country. The BID company will able to spontaneously cite specific expenditure on projects with the BID work closely with the Police, the improvements they have noticed team. In recognition of the difficult Council and businesses to restore over the past year with increased economic conditions that many confidence and progress in our policing levels, the general businesses continue to face, the Town Centre. appearance of the area, less litter Ros Morgan Board has agreed the annual levy and more and better events being BID Chief Excutive rate for the 2011-12 financial year highest amongst them. is reduced to 1%. We believe we can continue to contain costs and Joe Rowe achieve savings wherever possible, BID Chairman without impacting on levels of service.

*Source: Keep Britain Tidy Research – Business & User Perceptions of Croydon Town Centre, July 2011

4 Croydon BID Annual Report 2010-11 5 Our Key Safe & Secure Achievements

Reducing crime and improving public perceptions 4% of safety remain our top priority. Through our close reduction in reported crime association with key partners including the Metropolitan during the year Police, Croydon Council, the Safer Croydon Partnership and the Joint Agency Group we delivered a wide range of initiatives across the year to deter and tackle Town Centre 12% crime, reduce business losses and provide a highly visible Shoplifting re-offending rates security presence. compared to the national average of 20% What we delivered:

• Funded five extra police officers • Worked to improve perceptions 80 dedicated to Town Centre policing of safety by raising awareness of people housed as a result of bringing the total number of Town the wide range of crime prevention targeting rough sleepers and Centre officers to 22 initiatives in place in the town street drinkers through a Safer Croydon media • Built on the first year’s success awareness campaign and support of the Croydon Business Crime for two Community Safety Events 90% Reduction Partnership (CBCP) organised in conjunction with the through the introduction of affiliated of businesses surveyed saw the Safer Croydon Partnership Business Watch, Travel Watch and Pub positive impact of each of the Watch schemes, to target persistent • Funded ‘Operation Candlelight’ a BID’s safety initatives* offenders and reduce business losses joint campaign with British Transport through intelligence sharing Police to provide support and reassurance to the travelling public 92% • Worked with the police and a at peak times of visitors feel safe during range of support agencies to target the day-time* street drinkers, rough sleepers, • Promoted greater awareness vagrants and gangs of youths and use of the Child Safe scheme at key times of the year with the Improving • Ensured better regulated control aim of re-uniting family members Visitors and businesses of street trading, entertainment and separated in the town and increasingly are noticing an promotional activities to help foster a highlighting Croydon’s ‘family improvement in policing levels sense of well being in the Town Centre friendly’ credentials

*Source: Keep Britain Tidy Research – Business & User Perceptions of Croydon Town Centre, July 2011

6 Croydon BID Annual Report 2010-11 7 Our Key Clean & Attractive Achievements

46% Nothing creates a better first impression than a clean, tidy reduction in chewing gum and cared-for appearance and ensuring the town’s streets litter achieved are litter-free, well-maintained and benefit from tangible, visible improvements is high up on our agenda.

84% Working in partnership with Croydon Council and various external of businesses agree that suppliers, we have drawn on a wide range of skills and technical expertise introducing more floral displays over the course of the year to increase the Town Centre’s appeal and improves perceptions of the improve everyone’s experience of it Town Centre* What we delivered: Award-winning • Ensured standards of cleanliness • Installed window vinyls in 13 were maintained by the Council empty shop premises to improve Awarded the Best Overall and its contractors through regular their appearance and minimise the Town/District Centre Award in monitoring of baseline agreements impact they have on the area the 2010 Croydon in Bloom competition and contributed • Funded 2,000 additional hours • Worked with Croydon Council’s to Croydon achieving gold of deep cleaning plus washing and ‘Street Scene’ team, to tackle graffiti, award-winning status in the maintenance of ‘hot spot’ areas, fly tipping and street staining and in Bloom and Britain in to supplement routine work carried to review enforcement of illegal Bloom Awards out by the Council advertising, leafleting and ‘mobile’ advertising across the town • Removed 2 million pieces of chewing gum litter and mounted • Installed over 200 additional floral our third annual Chewing Gum displays to bring extra colour and awareness campaign a sense of life and vibrancy to the Town Centre throughout the year • Worked with businesses, their employees, land owners and • Supported the Council’s private agents to improve the visual gritting efforts during the worst of appearance of neglected areas, the winter weather subways and privately-owned land

*Source: Keep Britain Tidy Research – Business & User Perceptions of Croydon Town Centre, July 2011

8 Croydon BID Annual Report 2010-11 9 Our Key Perception & Image Achievements

As one of South London’s primary retail, leisure and 9 out of 10 commercial destinations, Croydon has plenty to offer. visitors are satisfied with Over the course of the year, we have focused on Croydon as a place to work enhancing the town’s profile and delivering a series and visit* of initiatives designed to raise awareness of the town’s extensive, yet diverse, commercial offering in order to increase visitor numbers and highlight how Croydon is 82% changing for the better. of businesses are satisfied with Croydon as a location for What we delivered: their business*

• Specially targeted marketing, PR • Refreshed and revitalised the and promotional activity designed Croydon Town Centre and Croydon BID 37% to build a sense of local community websites to provide tailored information of visitors would not choose and offer a warm welcome to visitors designed to cater specifically for public any other destination to visit and business needs – up from 29% in 2010* • Dedicated events and promotions to raise awareness • Targeted campaigns on Twitter of the town’s varied commercial and Facebook to capitalise on the offerings, improve employee growing popularity of social media engagement and encourage and help spread the word about Croydon’s workforce to shop and what is on and available in the socialise in the town after work Town Centre

*Source: Keep Britain Tidy Research – Business & User Perceptions of Croydon Town Centre, July 2011

10 Croydon BID Annual Report 2010-11 11 Our Key Festivals & Events Achievements

During the course of the year, our annual programme 15-25% of events once again helped energise the Town Centre increases in retail sales and succeeded in galvanising both the business and reported by the main sponsors local communities in order to showcase all that is great of our fashion event about Croydon.

Delivered with help and support from key business partners as well as a 8.2% wide range of organisations at both a local, regional and national level, increase in visitor numbers year the events not only helped significantly increase visitor numbers, they also on year to our Christmas lights served to create a lasting impression. switch-on event What we delivered:

• Three major festivals and a range • Croydon’s Christmas Festival was 1.78 million of events heralded by our Christmas Lights people received the BID Switch on event on November 18 Christmas message through • Croydon Fashion Festival with Croydon’s Mayor, Councillor local media channels and PR (April 23-25th) supported by 20 major Avril Slipper and the ’ retailers from across the town with pantomime stars Basil Brush and fashion shows, makeovers, style advice, Gemma Bissex sharing the honours. 68% discount vouchers and competitions The Christmas celebrations also of businesses recognise the included a special Glow Lantern • Croydon Food Festival positive impact that our Parade through Surrey Street, involving (September 10-12th) supported events have on increasing a procession of youngsters from 100 by key partners in the private the number of people visiting primary schools across the borough and public sectors, the event Croydon Town Centre* provided big brand names with the opportunity to showcase their products via in-store events, live 44% demonstrations, free give-aways of businesses recognise the and competitions supplemented positive impact that our by additional contributions from events have on increasing the the students of Croydon College, number of people who visit Croydon Girl Guides and local their business* employees from the office sector

*Source: Keep Britain Tidy Research – Business & User Perceptions of Croydon Town Centre, July 2011

12 Croydon BID Annual Report 2010-11 13 Our Key Accessibility Achievements

Croydon’s commercial success depends to a large extent 55% on the ease with which people can access and navigate increase in Croydon Visitor the town, irrespective of their mode of travel. Centre footfall year on year In the drive to attract more people, businesses and investment into Croydon, our efforts over the past year have focused not only on 83% promoting Croydon’s excellent transport links and diverse offering but growth in Oyster Card sales also on actively working with businesses and their employees to address and 167% growth in First accessibility, parking and travel needs. Capital Connect Card sales What we delivered: year on year • Croydon Visitor Centre has gone • Discounted parking offers th from strength to strength, successfully negotiated and introduced 100,000 expanding its range of services in throughout the year coinciding with CVC customer response to customer demand to our Festivals and Events programme commemorated in April include West End Theatre ticket sales as well as use of its exhibition space • Refreshed and revitalised the and plasma screens Croydontowncentre.com website, Award-winning tailoring pages to generate interest • 8,000 Town Centre maps, restaurant, and raise awareness of the Town Awarded ‘Team of the Year’ for bar and history guides distributed Centre’s offer among the public. excellence in customer service in the Croydon Guardian Champions Awards 2010 Trebled visitor satisfaction with the price of parking over the last year

14 Croydon BID Annual Report 2010-11 15 Our Key Facilitation Achievements

To ensure business needs continue to be met, we have 72% engaged widely with businesses over the year so that of businesses feel it is important their views and interests are appropriately represented to have an organisation to both at an operational and strategic level and within our champion issues on their behalf on-going plans. We also have kept businesses informed of major developments and policy changes, communicating 67% regularly via our BID Update Newsletter, e-communications of businesses feel the and events. information supplied by BID is relevant to their business What we delivered: • Over 4,500 BID Update • Baseline agreements regularly newsletters distributed over the monitored to ensure standards 62% course of the year, supplemented by are maintained of businesses feel there are a range of e-communcations to keep adequate opportunities to businesses informed of our plans and • Represented business interests engage on issues relevant to achievements, as well as providing on a day-to-day operational level the Town Centre news on major developments and by regularly confronting the issues events taking place presented by rough sleepers, street drinkers, vagrants and groups of • Organised and managed a youths as well as illegal advertising, series of workshops and events leaflet distribution and promotions to share information and best in the Town Centre practice and provide businesses with feedback and networking • Regular monitoring and opportunities, including an measurement of Town Centre exhibition of Network Rail’s footfall, environmental quality and re-development plans for East perceptions of the area to help Croydon station shape our activity and future plans

• Revitalised the Croydonbid.com website tailoring the pages to business needs

16 Croydon BID Annual Report 2010-2011 Croydon BID Annual Report 2010-11 17 Financial Summary How We Are Structured

Croydon Town Centre Business Improvement District Ltd is The BID Board of Directors provides direction and strategic input and a not for profit company limited by guarantee. It operates is responsible to stakeholders for the conduct and performance of in a transparent way within the regulations set up by the the Company. It is also responsible for setting the annual budget and government on Business Improvement Districts. Croydon monitoring finances throughout the course of the year. BID is funded by a combination of the BID levy from local Membership of the Board is voluntary. Directors receive no payment. businesses and voluntary contributions. The Board’s structure reflects the number and types of business in the Town Centre and consists mainly of BID levy-paying businesses or statutory Income Bid Levy £1,098,752 service providers as dictated by the BID Regulations 2004. The Board held 2010/11 Croydon Council additional contribution £40,000 8 meetings during the course of the year. The Chief Executive of the BID Other income £125,146 leads a small dedicated team responsible for planning and delivering all of the BID’s projects and activities. TOTAL £1,263,898

Expenditure Safe & Secure £219,087 Directors of the Croydon BID Company at March 31st 2011 were: 2010/11 Clean & Attractive £166,168 Joseph Thomas Rowe Timothy Charles Hyde > John Frederick Strutt Accessible £192,650 Chairman House of Fraser BT Festivals & Events £150,672 Perception & Image £74,183 Neil Stewart Barker Steven Lawrie Esther Sutton Stiles Harold Williams Metropolitan Police The Green Dragon Facilitated £102,115 Public House Levy collection £15,000 Andrew Douglas Bauer Parameswar Menon Professional fees £2,220 Charles Jonathan Walmesley Walford Management costs £72,879 John David Bean Trevor John Morgan Stanhope plc Operating costs £34,654 Amicus Horizon YMCA Steven Yewman Brian Hart Steve John O’Connell TOTAL £1,029,628 Minerva Barbon Insurance Group Assembly

Courtney Tyler Hindle David Ordman Net surplus for the year after tax £234,270 NCP ( ) Earmarked Reserves £72,925 Simon James Hoar Carolyn Jane Spencer Croydon Council UK Border Agency Net surplus brought forward from 2009/10 £78,962

Net surplus carried forward into 2011/12 £240,307 The following directors resigned and/or were replaced during the year: In addition, substantial ‘in kind’ support was received from businesses Antony Kildare David Hayes Parham Donal Stafford during the year which enabled Croydon BID to deliver an enhanced Croydon EDC Centrale Jurys Inn programme of activities, estimated to have a value of £500,000.

A copy of Croydon BID’s audited accounts may be obtained by contacting 020 8686 8012 or via email at [email protected] To find out more about Croydon BID and the benefits of membership, please call 0208 680 6131 or email [email protected]

18 Croydon BID Annual Report 2010-11 19 Croydon Business Improvement District 8th floor, AMP House, Dingwall Road, Croydon, CR0 2LX T: 020 8686 8012 E: [email protected] www.croydonbid.com

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