In Contact Newsletter Autumn 2012

Seasons greetings from all at Croydon BID In ContactAutumn 2012

Stars help light up the town

Croydon’s count-down to Christmas got Whispering Christmas trees, stilt walkers, “An estimated 7,000 visitors were in the said Mr Sims. off to a cracking start on November 15th jugglers, circus acts and even Christmas town in the build-up to the switch-on and when thousands of spectators gathered puddings on skates were amongst the acts according to our research, 67% said they “With the additional entertainment we’ve to witness the dazzling, star-studded Town that kept visitors amused and enthralled had spent more time in Croydon as a planned over the next few weeks, we Centre Christmas lights switch-on. as they mingled with the crowd while result of our event.” anticipate that more visitors than ever local musicians, community groups will be attracted into the town to take North End and surrounding streets were and singers added to the town’s This year, with the aid advantage of all the fantastic shops and transformed into a twinkling, winter festive atmosphere. The of sponsorship from facilities here and our aim is to ensure they wonderland when EastEnders star Laila crowd were also treated to developer Hammerson, have a truly memorable experience,” he Morse joined forces with Croydon’s a personal appearance by the BID is breaking concluded. Mayor, Councillor Eddie Arram to turn on Crystal Palace Football 67% new ground by the lights. club players who said they had extending its For more details of Croydon BID’s turned out in force to programme Christmas events programme, visit www. The actress who is starring in this year’s support the event spent more time of activities to croydontowncentre.com. See over for Fairfield Halls Christmas pantomime, Jack embrace the more photographs of our fantastic switch- and the Beanstalk, helped to kick off a “The BID’s Christmas in Croydon as a key five-weeks on event. five-weeks-long programme of activities lights switch-on trading period being laid on in the Town Centre event has result of in the run-up to in the run-up to Christmas, become Christmas. Additional courtesy of Croydon BID. our event street and musical entertainment is planned The ceremony was increasingly throughout November and 82% the climax to a lively 76% regarded as one December and a spectacular said they would be packed programme rated the of Croydon’s annual Light Night event and parade will provide of entertainment with ‘must see’ events a magnificent, jaw-dropping finale to the doing most of their an array of wild and event as good offering something celebrations on December 13th. whacky professional for everyone and “Our aim, as ever, is to put a smile Christmas shopping street performers plus a or very good this year was no on people’s faces and leave everyone in Croydon host of home-grown talent exception,” said BID with a positive, lasting impression of helping to build a sense of chief executive, Matthew Croydon Town Centre while helping local this year excitement and anticipation Sims. businesses to benefit from the additional ahead of the official switch-on. footfall and sales opportunities generated,”

Our aim is to ensure that Croydon increasingly is regarded as one of the best places in the South East to visit, work, live and do business by delivering positive change and improvements to the Town Centre that enhance its competitive position. We represent the interests of around 600 businesses and our projects and services directly reflect their expressed, up-to- date priorities, namely: that the town should be made safer, cleaner, better promoted, more attractive and more accessible. We are funded through a mandatory 1% levy collected from all businesses in the area with a rateable value of £40,000 or more. As a result, since the BID was first formed in 2007, in excess of £7.5 million of extra investment has been made on improving the Town Centre. Our BIG switch-on

Continued from photo album front page.

Focussing on the future

Croydon BID is backing the plus Hammerson, Westfield and Annual Develop Croydon Forum in Dingwall Road - Croydon’s first new ambition to restore Croydon to its Abstract. Matthew Sims, Croydon BID initiatives include investor tours, VIP speculative office build by a developer in position as the economic powerhouse chief executive said: “Over the last five events, conference presentations and nearly a decade. of the South East. years, the BID company has played a the Develop Croydon Conference significant part in improving Croydon’s which this year, featured London deputy Meantime, huge investment has been The BID is partnering with the Develop competitive position and making our mayor Kit Malthouse in a Question Time pledged for the town’s two major Croydon Forum on a series of initiatives Town Centre a more welcoming place session. shopping centres while planning designed to promote the town as a to visit and work. permission has been granted for several location to invest, work and live. A wave of new construction is already landmark developments including “Partnering with the Forum is an under way on several key sites in the Stanhope Schroder’s scheme for Ruskin The Forum was set up in 2011 to important next step in ensuring we town including a pedestrian bridge Square, Menta’s mixed use scheme for provide a collaborative private-sector continue to work with key stakeholders linking East Croydon railway station with Cherry Orchard Road and Guildhouse led approach to promoting Croydon to safeguard Croydon’s economic the Town Centre, a new public service Rosepride’s 55-storey tower at One and encouraging inward investment. It future. There is significant regeneration delivery hub in Fell Road and a major Lansdowne Road. represents organisations in the private, currently taking place in Croydon and it new 45-storey development of new public and third sectors and members is important that we all work together homes and leisure facilities at Saffron include, among others, developers to maximise the opportunities that this Square. In addition, work is progressing Stanhope, Barratt and Berkeley Homes will create to drive economic growth.” fast on the Renaissance development

Life is set to look a whole lot brighter been installed in the former Allders Meantime, with the BID’s for busy commuters and those who store to help enhance the empty support, plans are afoot regularly negotiate their way around store’s appearance. to transform the hoardings Croydon Town Centre thanks to outside of developer Terrace Croydon BID and its partners. Work on transforming the previously Hill’s Chroma site, opposite have once again been officially dingy subway between Fairfield Halls East Croydon station, with the acknowledged in this year’s London and Queen’s Gardens has just been introduction of a green, ‘living wall’ in Bloom Awards, announced in completed following the installation complete with vegetation. October. of a highly colourful, public art display featuring a pantomimes “It’s an unusual and exciting Two small pockets of green space and picnic theme. project and one with which we – at Reeves Corner and Thomas are delighted to be associated,” Turner Path – developed with The much-needed said BID project manager Maria support from local businesses, makeover was carried out Chapman-Beer. volunteers, Croydon Council and by around 90 volunteers, cleaning contractors, Veolia, were led by local artists Susan “When viewed alongside our awarded Level 3 certificates in the Beresford and Jeanne- newly-installed barrier baskets ‘It’s Your Neighbourhood’ awards Marie Eayrs, (pictured at East Croydon station, not organised in conjunction with the bottom right) co-directors only will it be pleasing to the Royal Horticultural Society. of Undercroydon, whose eye, the ‘living wall’ will go a long mission is to increase way towards softening the local the use of public art with landscape and bring life and the involvement of the local colour to an extremely busy community. urban area, through which over 70,000 commuters pass by daily” It follows on from a similar project she added. Several locations around the town are commissioned by Croydon BID last being given a facelift and new winter year which served to vastly improve Such has been the BID’s success planting and floral displays have been the appearance of the neighbouring over the years in helping introduced to improve the town’s subway that connects the former to brighten up the town’s appeal. New window vinyls have also Nestlé building with College Green. appearance that its efforts Photo courtesy of the Croydon Guardian Cyclone may soon be taking the town by storm

A new, state-of-the-art deep-cleaning deep-cleaning programme which is areas are always high on our The new deep-cleaning service machine could take the town by storm designed to supplement the routine agenda in the battle to create is being provided by the BID in in the battle against gum and grime, if work carried out by Croydon Council. positive impressions of the town conjunction with its suppliers, a pilot commissioned by Croydon BID and we believe the Cyclone Community Clean who have is successful. “Since the BID was established in 2007, machine will be a great addition wide-ranging experience in we have invested well over £¾ million to our armoury” she added. the public and private sectors The high-pressure, Cyclone cleaning on cleansing and greening projects of tackling nuisance issues and vehicle is capable of cleaning large in the Town Centre to improve the In addition, the BID has re- environmental enhancement. areas in a short space of time while town’s appearance and help increase introduced a weekly ‘grot spot’ recovering and recycling the water it its appeal,” said project manager Maria wash-down service in order to uses. Chapman-Beer. tackle head-on many of the typical day-to-day cleansing issues that The machine has been introduced by “Deep-cleaning, gum removal and inevitably arise in our bustling Croydon BID to augment its scheduled washing and disinfection of ‘hot spot’ commercial environment.

Tel: 020 8603 0050 Email: [email protected] Croydon BID pledges to continue police funding

Croydon Business Improvement District to the BID paying for five extra no matter what time of day (BID) has pledged to continue its police officers bringing the people visit,” said Croydon funding of additional police resource in total of dedicated Town BID Chief Executive, Deputy Borough Commander, the Town Centre in the drive to prevent Centre police up to Matthew Sims. Superintendent Rob Atkin said: “It’s and stamp out crime. 22. “Safety and fantastic news that Croydon BID has “Safety and security agreed to continue to fund extra The decision follows restructuring of “This is great security remains the BID’s police officers for the Town Centre the Town Centre Police unit earlier in news for all those remains the number one area and that our partnership will be the year which led to a change in the working and priority and our continuing. As well as funding the extra number of constables dedicated to doing business BID’s number partnership with police officers, Croydon BID also plays policing the heart of the town. here in Croydon one priority...” the Metropolitan an important role in bringing together as it sends out an Police has served us local businesses with ourselves and The town has benefitted from extremely strong extremely well over other agencies so that we can all work additional police resource since 2008 and positive message the years in achieving towards reducing crime and antisocial when the BID and the Metropolitan about the BID’s continued that. We look forward to behaviour in the Town Centre. Police Authority entered into a joint- commitment to tackling crime working closely with the police to funding agreement which ultimately led and improving perceptions of safety, build on those achievements,” he added.

Flying the flag for Croydon

Destination To support the launch of Destination Croydon made its Croydon, a dedicated website and debut at the 2012 sales and marketing campaigns were Confex show after a developed to raise awareness of all consortium of local business the advantages that conferencing in Croydon BID joined forces with the BID to put Croydon can bring, being close to the will once again be the town on the map as one of the capital, coast and beyond. flying the flag on behalf of the town’s south east’s leading hotel and leisure hotel, conference and hospitality sector destinations. Now, the plan is to further strengthen when its convention bureau service, the Destination Croydon brand and Destination Croydon, takes a stand The group’s collaboration followed on reinforce its credentials as an important at next year’s International Confex from the highly successful DrupalCon player in this valuable sector of the Exhibition at London’s ExCel Centre event held in Croydon in August 2011, south east’s economy with a presence from March 19th-21st. when more than 2,000 web developers at next year’s Confex Exhibition. from across the globe descended on The UK’s leading show for all those the Fairfield Halls for a major week-long The Destination Croydon team is based connected with the events industry, the conference. The Croydon Visitor Centre at Croydon Visitor Centre, adjacent to exhibition is expected to attract over assisted by negotiating special delegate East Croydon station. They are able to 7,000 visitors and is regarded as an rates with hotels, restaurants and bars provide advice and information on all of ideal platform from which to showcase and such was the overall success of the the town’s hotel and conference facilities Croydon’s extensive hotel, conference event, that it served to underline the as well as assisting with negotiating and and leisure offering. potential that Croydon has in this sector. booking accommodation.