Orpington 1st Prospectus

Let’s Make Our Town Centre Better For Business A Proposal for a Business Improvement District

orpington1st.co.uk

Orpington: A great place�

Orpington is a great place to do business. It’s a friendly, traditional High Street with a genuine mix of large and small, independent and national businesses. In addition to our wide range of retailers, Orpington has a thriving cafÊ culture, numerous visitor attractions and some top-notch community facilities. However we are always looking for new ways to improve business.

In 2007 I helped to form the Orpington Business Forum, which assists the Council in determining strategy and developing ideas for the benefit of the Town Centre. The membership has remained steady at around 50 businesses, but there is a limit to what you can do with minimal funds and a group of volunteers, no matter how dedicated they are.

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hat’s why we want to create a Business Improvement District (BID) in Orpington. BIDs have successfully turned round Town Centres throughout the UK and North America and we hope to do the same in Orpington. Our BID will be called ‘Orpington 1st’ and will be entirely owned, led and funded by you, the businesses in the Town Centre. Its sole purpose will be to improve the quality of our town, and to bring more people to it.

In order to set up Orpington 1st there will be a ballot of businesses in February 2013. It will ask for a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to the idea of a BID in Orpington. This document will show you why we think a BID in Orpington is a great idea. I encourage you to read on and decide for yourself whether you would like to join us in shaping the future of our Town Centre.

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I urge you to vote YES for Orpington 1st: • YES to putting Orpington First for Customers • YES to putting Orpington First for Look and Feel • YES to putting Orpington First for Access • YES to putting Orpington First for Business We need your support this coming February. Working together I know we can make a difference!

Gary Morris Chairman Orpington 1st BID Working Group orpington1st.co.uk

Orpington:

Our Vision Our vision for Orpington is simple. We want a High Street that businesses and visitors enjoy spending time in and feel proud of. We want our Town Centre to be a vibrant and attractive place, full of opportunities for retail, leisure and investment, building on Orpington’s existing achievements and distinct character. We want to attract new customers with a welcoming destination that has much to offer.

Orpington has fantastic transport links, an established consumer base within the local community friendly businesses, but unlike Bluewater and the Glades in Bromley, our two largest regional competitors, we have a history and sense of community. Consumers will continue to go to those places for convenience; but they will come to Orpington for our cosmopolitan mix of independent and national retailers, restaurants, cafés, educational facilities and seasonal markets.

We have achieved so much in Orpington over the last 5 years, but have the potential to do much more. With the £2.2 million improvements made to the High Street in 2010, the relocation and development of the Library, the College’s investment in its building and the growing number of renowned eating establishments, we are already making our mark. It is important to ensure that this journey continues, enhancing Orpington’s charm and creating new opportunities to inspire the next generation.

There is no one solution to the revival of our high street, nor can any one person go it alone. As businesses we are the cornerstone of Orpington and we need to work together. By joining forces as a BID we can breathe new economic and community life into our town, paving the way for further revitalisation in the future. We sincerely hope that you will want to be part of these plans.

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BIDs are a proven opportunity for businesses to take part in the active management of their Town Centres. High Streets are at the heart of communities and businesses can determine their town’s needs in this ever changing market to deliver lasting success�

Jo Johnson, MP for Orpington

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Together we can ...

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Promote the Town Centre’s history and individuality through a calendar of events and a range of diverse markets to increase footfall in Orpington.

Attract new businesses that will extend the retail and leisure offer for the Town Centre by launching a robust and co-ordinated campaign that raises the town’s profile and ensures Orpington is seen as a place where business can thrive.

Improve shoppers’ access to the Town by working with the Council to address issues such as parking, mapping and signage.

Improve safety and security for those who live, work and visit the Town Centre by working with the Police to expand and enhance current safety initiatives such as the safety radio scheme and business watch.

Establish a web presence to allow customers easy access to information about the shopping, dining and entertainment offer in Orpington.

Enhance the appearance of the town by encouraging landlords to introduce a programme of ‘pop-up shops’ to occupy vacant units, and assisting businesses with shop-front improvements.

Represent the business community, providing networking opportunities, acting as an advocate for business needs and offering a range of support services and skills training.

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Realise cost savings for businesses through collective purchasing and joint procurement of trade recycling services and business supply services.

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Attract further funding from other sources to enhance the contribution provided by the businesses.

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Ensure that all the services provided are additional to those provided by the Council and will enhance the reputation and profile of Orpington Town Centre.

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Orpington: First for Customers Orpington has various outstanding shops and restaurants, as well as visitor attractions such as the Priory Gardens, but many potential visitors remain unaware of us.

88% of businesses surveyed felt that increased promotional activity would improve trading conditions” Our programme aims to improve Orpington’s image and bring more people into town through:

A new website for local business The exciting new Orpington 1st website will allow customers easy access to information on what they can buy, where they can eat and how they can be entertained. It will be linked to other established web sites to increase search engine optimisation.

New investment in Orpington’s loyalty card We will continue to develop the new Orpington loyalty card scheme that incentivises shoppers to ‘buy local’, and will explore the option of introducing a smartphone application.

A campaign to attract new business We also want to ensure that investors see Orpington as a place to do business. Orpington 1st will host investor programmes to promote opportunity sites and vacant units in the Town Centre.

An exciting programme of events We will promote an annual programme of events in the Town Centre that will drive increased footfall, bring together local communities and showcase the range of retail and leisure opportunities that Orpington has to offer.

Regular specialist markets Orpington 1st will work with the Walnuts Shopping centre to enhance the market’s offer for the Town Centre, helping to introduce a more varied and appealing programme. Any revenue generated from these markets will be reinvested back into the BID. 99 6

Safety and security is an important factor in a town centre. A BID can help to fund initiatives to help businesses, visitors and shoppers feel more secure�

Stuart Reynolds, Manager of McDonalds

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Promoting and marketing Orpington as a location known for its vibrant restaurant scene and café culture will ensure consumers view the town as a thriving destination to socialise and spend time in.”

Jeremy Vane & Karen Alabaster Owners of Café Panacea, Coffee and Wine Lounge

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Orpington: First for ‘Look & Feel’ We want to improve the physical quality of the Town Centre to make Orpington a more appealing shopping destination without losing its identity and individuality.

53% of businesses surveyed saw Orpington’s image as an issue for the Town Centre” Our programme aims to improve the business environment in Orpington through:

Measures to tackle vacant shop units Working with landlords we aim to roll out a programme of ‘pop-up shops’ as well as attractive shop front vinyls.

A shop front improvement scheme We will work with businesses to improve shop fronts, window displays and merchandising.

Measures to tackle crime/nuisance behaviour We will confront anti-social behaviour by working closely with Police and Council officers, by expanding and enhancing our radio safety scheme and by adopting CCTV-sharing platforms such as Facewatch – an online crime reporting system for businesses to report and deter crime by instantly sharing images of suspects between group members. In time we aim to employ a team of ‘Town Rangers’ who would act as the welcoming face of Orpington to visitors as well as the eyes and ears of the Town to minimise anti-social behaviour.

Information on forthcoming developments/impacts We recognise the importance of keeping the business community in Orpington informed of developments and changes in the Town Centre.

Orpington 1st will produce a monthly printed and electronic newsletter.

A comprehensive plan for the area We will represent business views and lobby the Council, landlords and other stakeholders to influence the development of a comprehensive plan for the Town Centre as part of the new local planning framework.

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Orpington: First for Access Although work has been undertaken in recent years to improve the public realm in Orpington, access to the Town Centre continues to be of concern.

Nearl 70% of businesses surveyed identified Nearly availa availability of parking and traffic congestion as sues for the Town Centre” issues Our programme aims to improve access to and within Orpington through:

Improved access to car parking We will work with the Council to improve shopper’s access to car parking by: • Providing a comprehensive online map of car parking options in the Town Centre.

• Improving signage to car parking in the Town Centre, incorporating the Visual Messaging System.

• Explore the option of introducing free parking periods either on a regular basis or for special occasions.

Managing the public toilets We recognise that access to good quality public toilets is important to those who wish to shop or visit Orpington Town Centre. We will review the current state and availability of toilets and work with key partners to ensure that these facilities are clean, safe and accessible to those who wish to use them.

Better signage/mapping We will improve the signage and mapping for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians in the Town Centre.

Sustainable transport We will promote sustainable travel options, including the possibility of park and ride bus services, and improve awareness and accessibility of cycling and walking.

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The BID will help to improve shoppers’ and visitors’ access to the town centre. The BID will work with the Council to ensure mapping and signage are best positioned to improve the shopping experience for all” Tommy Barnshaw, Owner of VTB Mobility 11

Working together will enable collective savings and efficiencies for our businesses, and a BID will allow us to have one united voice, advocating on our behalf to make sure we are all represented to our best advantage.�

Martin Price, Manager of the Walnuts Shopping Centre

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Orpington: First for Business In these difficult economic times, you need to know that your BID levy investment in Orpington 1st can be returned and exceeded by cost savings and new business development.

Over 65% of businesses surveyed felt collective purchasing of waste services and other business purch services would improve trading conditions�

Our programme aims to improve our members’ profitability through:

Collective purchasing of waste management We will roll out our own trade recycling and waste management service.

We estimate that through collective purchasing cost savings could be in the region of 50%.

Collective purchasing of business services We will bulk purchase items such as utilities and stationery, again passing on the savings to our member businesses.

Business networking opportunities and events We will run regular networking and social events to encourage local procurement and partnering. We will also develop a bespoke apprenticeship programme for Orpington businesses, creating opportunities and providing training to enable our young people to progress into local jobs.

Advocacy We will advocate on behalf of businesses, acting as the voice on issues of importance to you and represent Orpington businesses to the Council, regional and sub-regional bodies.

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Investing in Orpington’s Future Orpington 1st BID Budget

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Orpington 1st will invest over £1m between 2013 and 2018 on its programme of improvements. We will aim to draw in a minimum of £50,000 in extra funding from other sources in the first year, with a view to increasing this figure throughout the life of the BID.

BID Annual Budget (figures rounded to nearest £500)

Average Income

(£) 172,500 15,000 5,000 4,000 13,000 209,500

BID Levy Council Grant Shopsafe Recycling Promotions, Events and Markets

Expected Expenditure Orpington: First for Customers Website Loyalty card Investment campaign Events Specialist markets

23%

(£) 47,500

Orpington: First for ‘Look and Feel’ Vacant unit and shop front initiatives Radio scheme Monthly newsletter Facewatch Comprehensive plan for the area

21%

44,000

Orpington: First for Access Parking advocacy Toilet scheme Maps and visitor information Sustainable transport initiatives

17%

37,000

Orpington: First for Business Subsidised recycling services Co-ordinated bulk purchasing Advocacy Business networking

17%

35,000

Core Operating Costs Levy collection Corporate Communications Management/BID staffing

17%

36,000

Contingency

5%

10,000

Total

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Important Questions Answered A detailed statement of our Business Improvement District (BID) arrangements is available at orpington1st.co.uk. Here are some of the key points:

What is Orpington 1st?

Orpington 1st is an unincorporated association with a management committee of 7 people, mainly drawn from local businesses. You can see their names and organisations on the back cover. It has been set up to increase the attractiveness and appeal of Orpington as a commercial destination and also to promote a possible Business Improvement District (BID).

Why is Orpington 1st running a ballot in February 2013?

If we are to become a BID, we need to run a ballot of eligible businesses.

The ballot will ask a simple question: ‘Are you in favour of the proposals for the Orpington 1st Business Improvement District?’. In order for the BID to come into existence, a simple majority of those voting must vote in favour.

But their votes must also represent a majority of the aggregate rateable value of the rateable properties that vote. We will be writing to you soon to invite you to nominate who should vote on your behalf.

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Which businesses are eligible to vote in the BID ballot?

If your business premises falls within the proposed BID area (see map on page 20) you are eligible to vote in the BID ballot.

How will Orpington 1st be funded?

If the ballot is successful Orpington 1st will be funded by an annual levy of 1.5% of rateable value on all eligible businesses. So if the rateable value on your business premises is £20,000, you will pay £300p/a, collected in two instalments.

• Charities and shopping centre tenants will be given a 50% discount on the levy.

• The BID levy will be collected through the current Business Rates system but will be the subject of a separate bill.

• The levy will be amended on an annual basis in line with inflation, at a rate to be agreed by the Orpington 1st board.

• Orpington 1st will be clear and transparent about how it is spending the money. There will be regularly updated information about income and expenditure available to all members of the BID.

Why do my business rates not cover this?

Business Rates are collected by Bromley Council and handed over to central government. Orpington 1st is a privately-funded, business-led initiative. It will provide services over and above the Council in line with businesses’ desires and expectations for the area. Every service the BID provides will be additional to that which the Council provides.

How can I be represented?

If our February 2013 ballot is successful Orpington 1st will be reconstituted as a new not-for-profit company limited by guarantee. The first AGM will take place soon after the BID starts its work on 1st April 2013. All businesses that were eligible to vote, and that pay the levy, may become members of the company.

Any member can stand for election to the board.

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A BID will help to raise the profile and perception of the town centre, tempting a new range of shoppers and visitors into Orpington to experience the diverse range of shops, restaurants and leisure activities available.�

Bayo Oyelese, Manager of Subway 18

The BID Company will provide an additional mechanism for businesses to share ideas, collaborate, lobby and work together for the improvement of the town.

Orpington 1st’s Draft Articles of Association can be found at: orpington1st.co.uk/bidarrangements2013

When is it all happening?

November 2012 You will receive official notification of the forthcoming ballot.

January 2013 You will receive your voting pack from Bromley Council.

February 21st 2013 Ballot closes.

April 1st 2013 If the ballot is successful, Orpington 1st will become a Business Improvement District (BID).

Further detail on Orpington 1st’s Business Improvement District (BID) Proposal is to be found in a second document ‘Orpington 1st Business Improvement District: how it will be established, how it will be managed’. This is available on the Orpington 1st website.

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Map image represents an indicative view of the proposed Orpington BID area.

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This is a great opportunity to cement Orpington’s future as a desirable destination for shoppers and businesses alike. We can build on existing achievements to enhance Orpington’s unique and distinctive offer to ensure the town’s vitality.”

Councillor Stephen Carr, Leader of Bromley Council

Orpington 1st Working Group Gary Morris ............... Printing.com (Chairman) Guy Woodward ........ calfordseaden (Vice-Chairman) Chandra Sharma ....... Tangent Office Resources Bayo Oyelese ............ Subway Frank Levett .............. Orpington Business Forum Martin Price .............. Walnuts Shopping Centre Sam Parrett ............... Bromley College Cheryl Curr ................ Town Centre Manager Martin Pinnell ........... Bromley Council Hannah Jackson........ Bromley Council

orpington1st.co.uk | info@orpington1st.co.uk | 01689 870380