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Term Two Newsletter #6 Sept-Dec 2021
Creating a world class experience for all who visit, live and work in Cambridge, a global city.
Proudly Flying the Purple Flag In October 2021, Cambridge received the fantastic news that our Purple Flag status has been renewed! Purple Flag is an award for the safe management of towns and cities after dark (5pm - 5am). There are over 70 Purple Flag towns and cities in the UK and Ireland. The rigorous application was led by Cambridge BID and CAMBAC and the successful renewal represents hard work from the multi-agency steering group. A celebratory Purple Flag weekend (October 8 - 9) was organised and promoted the city's Night Time economy services with free live music at The Orator, Old Ticket Office, and Clayton Hotel. On Tuesday 30th November 2021, a WAVE training session (Welfare and Vulnerability) was delivered for free to BID businesses premises and with lots of bars, pubs, clubs, hotels and Porters Lodges in attendance. It was held at Downing Place URC, home to NightLite (Street Pastors). The event demonstrates a unified city-wide response to recent spike in NTE safety concerns (UK-wide issue, but also seen in Cambridge).
Supporting the Office Sector Office buildings were almost deserted at the height of the pandemic. After 'work from home' rules lifted, Cambridge BID ran a welcome back project for office blocks in September and October 2021, with gifts purchased from local stores to encourage people to venture into the city centre and support the local economy.
Cows about Cambridge Cows about Cambridge was an Udderly Spectacular Success for the City! Independent research into the impact of last summer's Cows about Cambridge sculpture trail has found that the initiative delivered a direct economic benefit of £12.8 million for the city, with a GVA (Gross Value Added) of £5.95 million. More than 533,570 residents and visitors actively engaged with the largest public art event that Cambridge has ever hosted. Cambridge BID are delighted to have been the Principal Partner and involved the past 3 years. Ian Sandison commented: "Before the pandemic, our main objective for this project was to help connect residents with their city and encourage them to explore new places. Serendipitously, the timing of the trail was just perfect with people keen to meet again with friends and family but in a safe way. The feedback is fantastic. We have not only met our main objective but brought joy to thousands of people and provided a much needed economic boost to the city."
Grant Scheme
Loving Cambridge We have been working hard on our Love Cambridge website and social media channels which are packed full of campaigns to promote Cambridge, our projects, and local independent businesses. We have a schedule of content which includes 2 new business interviews every month, new Curated Cambridge trails, new promotional businesses videos, events, competitions, and blog content to showcase our amazing local businesses. If your business would like to get involved and featured in these campaigns, please email: Kristian.Foreman@cambridgebid.co.uk View our campaigns: love-cambridge.com
In May 2021 Cambridge BID launched our Covid Business Support grants for levy paying businesses. These grants of up to £4,000 can be used for a range of business improvement projects including:
Digital Support
• Enhancing premises such as refitting a business
Cambridge BID have been working with Granite 5, a digital consultancy agency, to offer BID businesses a 1-2-1 consultation on how they might be able to improve their digital presence.
• Buying new equipment such as tables and chairs, display
equipment, or products to enhance your offer (eg. commercial coffee machine or dough making machine) • Developing a website or improving your current website to
enhance the customer experience • Developing e-commerce and online sales channels • Enhancing staff capabilities through customer facing training • Producing new promotional materials
So far 20 businesses have either completed the process or are currently mid-way through, and we have received additional funding to offer spots to an additional 20 businesses. Get in touch with helen.hames@cambridgebid.co.uk if you would like more information and to take advantage of the free service.
Sustainability Are you concerned about climate change and how it might affect your business? We now have a webpage dedicated to sustainability info in Cambridge. We want to keep businesses connected to important debates and sustainability initiatives in the city. Cambridge BID is proud to be an early adopter of the Cambridge Climate Change Charter, and we encourage businesses in the city to commit to positive changes.
City Wide Gift Card Love Cambridge Gift Card sales in 2021 exceeded £105,000 which was a 36% increase on 2020 sales - that is over £105,000 that has to be spent within the BID area, in person, in participating businesses. Redemptions have also been strong with just over £78,000 redeemed in participating businesses in 2021 overall. Redemptions continue to be spread across a range of businesses. A focus for 2022 will be on increasing the number of participating businesses so the Love Cambridge Gift Card offers even more choice to the recipient. We currently have approx. 200 BID businesses signed up to accept the Love Cambridge Gift Card but are always looking to add to our list and therefore if you are located within the BID area and not currently signed up to accept it please do get in touch with Helen on helen.hames@cambridgebid.co.uk.
PR Campaign For the past 8 months Cambridge BID have been working with Hills Balfour, a leading tourism and travel PR agency in the UK, to help showcase Cambridge nationally and internationally. During this time, we have secured numerous pieces of coverage promoting Cambridge as a destination to visit in titles like Viestra Magazine, Crave Magazine, Epicurean Life Online, i News, Prima Magazine, Independent Online, Northern Ireland Travel News and Metro. We have also worked on a range of press visits with online blogs like Mayfair Musings and Seen in the City. Our social media channels continue to promote Cambridge as a destination for shopping, leisure, culture, food and drink and plenty more. Looking ahead we will continue to actively position Cambridge as a 'must-visit' destination for staycationers and further work with partners to explore opportunities to attract visitors to our wonderful city.
You can download our Sustainable and Green Toolkit, find out more about our new project Mission: Compostable and find out more about the Cambridge Carbon Footprint. www.cambridgebid.co.uk/sustainablecambridge
Christmas in Cambridge Unfortunately, due to the Covid cases rising at the time we made the decision to cancel the Market Square and Station area Switch on events as both events tend to attract thousands of spectators. However, working with Star Radio we still hosted a full afternoon of Christmas activity on air and online instead with a new Christmas Light Switch on video streaming live and receiving 8K views.
Christmas Shopping Guide We printed our annual 40-page glossy Christmas magazine and delivered to 110,000 households in November 2021. It was full of gift ideas, information about events, along with some ideas and inspiration of where to eat and celebrate in the city. It was a great way to showcase BID businesses in the run up to the Christmas period.
Are you interested in receiving an independent mystery shop? Cambridge BID facilitates two independent mystery shop visits to participating businesses (around April and July each year), giving them a unique opportunity to understand how they are viewed by their current and prospective customers. The project provides businesses with a comprehensive breakdown of the mystery-shop via feedback sessions as well as opportunities for staff to take part in training that common areas for improvements.
Our mystery shop project is linked to the Cambridge BID Awards which recognise excellence in customer service and all participants are invited to attend our Awards evening in late September. If you're a BID business and would like to sign up for 2022 or to find out more please contact Helen Hames at: helen.hames@cambridgebid.co.uk
Stay in contact with us Please follow us on all these social media channels for daily updates on Cambridge BID priorities & projects, how you can get involved and how they impact your business!
@LoveCambridge_
@CambridgeBID
@LoveCambridge_
Cambridge BID
@LoveCambs
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#CambridgeBID
#LoveCambridge
Lastly, we are more than happy to help promote and share any of your projects and campaigns, if you want to send anything through please contact Kristian Foreman at: kristian.foreman@cambridgebid.co.uk