Annual report
2012 – 2013
Croydon BID
making a difference
About Croydon BID Created, funded and managed by the Town Centre business community since 2007, our ambition is to make Croydon one of the best places in the south east in which to work, live, visit and do business. Geographically, we are one of the largest Business Improvement Districts in the country, covering virtually the entire Town Centre. We represent around 580 levy-paying organisations which include many well-known brands and businesses in the retail, office, leisure, hospitality and public sectors. All of the projects and services we deliver directly reflect the priorities that businesses have identified as being crucial for ensuring Croydon’s success, namely:
• Our Town Centre should be welcoming • Our streets should be safer, cleaner and more attractive
• Visitor numbers should increase • Accessibility and way-finding should be improved
• Business interests should be strongly represented
All our work is funded through a mandatory 1% levy collected from businesses in the BID area with a rateable value of £40,000 or more. In 2012-13, this generated an income of £1.128 million. This income was supplemented by additional cash and in-kind contributions raised, worth around £410,000, bringing the total invested in the town last year to approximately £1.5 million.
CONTENTS About Croydon BID Chairman’s Statement Chief Executive’s Statement Safe & Secure Clean & Attractive Perception & Image Festivals & Events Way-finding & Accessibility Business Engagement Financial Summary How We Are Structured
01 03 04 05 07 09 11 13 15 17 18
Croydon BID Annual Report 2012-13 2
Chairman’s Statement to ensure Croydon BID’s business plans properly reflect business needs. The Board is representative of each sector of the local business community and its members regularly review progress and expenditure on projects with the BID team to ensure resources are channelled appropriately and effectively.
Welcome to the sixth annual report of the Croydon Business Improvement District (BID). In what, unquestionably, has been another turbulent year for our high streets and for the economy overall, I am pleased to report that Croydon BID has continued to deliver against its commitments. Under the leadership of chief executive, Matthew Sims, who joined us in May 2012, the BID has brought positive change to Croydon Town Centre, making a real difference and helping to improve overall perceptions of the town. All of our achievements recorded in this report are testament to the hard work and dedication of those with a genuine interest in safeguarding Croydon’s future. They provide undeniable evidence of the tangible benefits that can be derived when the private and public sectors work collaboratively together towards the same goals. I would like to thank fellow members of the Croydon BID Board for the time and expertise that they give freely and generously over the course of the year
The Board has set the annual BID levy rate at 1% for each of the next four financial years until March 2017. It is our continued belief that costs can be contained and savings achieved, without impacting on service levels. As the 2012-2013 financial year drew to a close, the planned £1 billion regeneration of Croydon’s retail centre was announced by developers, Westfield and Hammerson. The announcement represents a significant landmark for Croydon with the potential to serve as a major catalyst for further investment in the town, securing its future prosperity. We will watch developments with interest. Over the forthcoming year, our focus continues to be upon delivering positive change and improvements in the Town Centre in those project areas identified by businesses as being important for improving Croydon’s competitive position. We look forward to working with you to that end.
Max Menon BID Chairman
Chief Executive’s Statement Re-structuring of the BID team, the creation of new and clearly defined roles, our relocation to Cambridge House and investment in our own IT and telephony have all formed part of our transition during the period under review.
I am delighted to have joined the BID at one of the most exciting, yet challenging, times for Croydon Town Centre. The on-going economic downturn combined with the continued rise in on-line spending presents a specific challenge to organisations like ours that have an interest in safeguarding and promoting the interests of our towns and cities. The BID clearly has an important role to play to ensure standards are maintained, improvement continues and opportunities to promote Croydon Town Centre are capitalised upon. To achieve this, much of our focus over the past year has been on ensuring the BID is well-placed, both in terms of its organisational structure and its relationships, to add value to the Town Centre, delivering improvement across all key themes and, where relevant, supplementing work already carried out by Croydon Council and the Croydon Metropolitan Police Service (MPS).
(*Source: The Retail Group - Croydon Town Centre Annual Business & Consumer Survey 2013)
We have and will continue to work hard on developing new and existing relationships within both the private and public sectors, to ensure the interests of Town Centre businesses are effectively represented on day to day operational matters, policy changes and current and future development issues. Finally, we continue to listen and respond to feedback received from all those who work, live, visit and do business in the Town Centre and use this to help inform our activities and shape future plans. In that context, therefore, it is particularly pleasing to learn from independent research conducted on our behalf that the majority of consumers feel that the general appearance, facilities, safety and their experience of Croydon Town Centre are improving.* We look forward to working closely with you for a better, brighter future for Croydon and another successful year for Croydon BID.
Matthew Sims BID Chief Executive
Croydon BID Annual Report 2012-13  4
Safe and Secure Crime and the fear of crime continue to be high on our agenda and over the last year, there have been some extremely positive results in driving crime from the Town Centre. Working in close collaboration with the Metropolitan Police, Croydon Council, the Safer Croydon Partnership and the Joint Agency Group, a range of initiatives have been implemented during the year to deter and tackle criminality and anti-social behaviour. Our match-funding of ten additional police officers has continued for the fifth consecutive year, with the subsequent increased police presence serving to reassure
the public as well as targeting issues of particular concern to the business community. As a result, over the year we have seen a 9 % reduction in shop theft, with 72 fewer reported incidents overall compared to 2011. In addition, violent crime has reduced compared to 2011. There has been a 19% reduction in assaults and a 51% reduction in serious assaults (grievous bodily harm) in the Town Centre.
Making a difference
93%
of consumers say they feel safe in the daytime
9%
reduction in shop theft
19%
reduction in assaults
245
members signed up to our business crime reduction scheme
What we delivered
• Increased focus on business
crime through our intelligencesharing, Croydon Business Crime Reduction Partnership (CBCP). The Partnership now has four operational arms – BusinessWatch, PubWatch, TransportWatch and Hotel & Leisure Watch – as well as over 245 members representing 95 individual businesses. The year also saw the CBCP retain its highly sought-after Safer Business Award status, gaining an impressive distinction in the process.
• Organised and hosted in excess of
24 intelligence-sharing meetings with Croydon Metropolitan Police Service, Croydon Council, retailers, betting shops and other key partners to enable a co-ordinated and proactive approach to be adopted towards preventing and detecting crime.
• Represented business interests on a
wide range of crime and safety forums including the Safer Croydon Partnership,
Joint Agency Group and Croydon Resilience Forum as well as supporting Croydon’s Best Bar None awards.
• Facilitated a range of business-focused briefings and workshops, targeted amongst other things at designing out crime, anti-terrorism awareness and policing generally.
• Ensured better regulated control of street trading, entertainment and promotional activity, working with key partners to enable the delivery of nearly 150 approved activities in the Town Centre to improve people’s perceptions and experience of the town.
Croydon BID Annual Report 2012-13 6
Clean and Attractive First impressions undoubtedly count. To help ensure everyone visiting Croydon has a positive lasting impression of the town, significant in-roads have been made over the year to spruce up the streets and improve the town’s overall appearance and appeal, working with our partners at Croydon Council and our suppliers, Community Clean. Much of our focus has been on transforming some of the town’s grimiest areas and neglected spaces through the re-introduction of our deep cleaning and wash down service and co-ordinated efforts to clear and spruce up unsightly pieces of land.
In addition, the town has once again benefited from the installation of hanging baskets and year-round floral displays funded by BID, helping to bring colour, vibrancy and interest to Croydon’s busy street scene.
Making a difference
Over 21,000
square metres of pavement deep cleaned (equivalent to three professional football pitches)
76%
of consumers feel the Town Centre pavement condition is improving
250
year- round floral displays installed
76%
of consumers say the Town Centre floral displays are improving
What we delivered
• A five nights per week deep - cleansing
and gum removal service – covering an area equivalent to the size of three professional football pitches – to ensure the town’s main thoroughfares were clean and fresh for all those working, living, visiting and doing business here.
• A twice weekly ‘grot spot’ wash down
• Enhanced the visual appearance of
• Cleared, cleaned and disinfected a
• Achieved recognition once again in
and disinfection service to tackle some of the most badly soiled parts of town, especially those impacted by the night time economy. number of public and private spaces, alleyways, subways and neglected areas of land, including areas adjacent to North End, Priddy’s Yard, Drummond Road and Frith Road, in collaboration with Croydon Council, local businesses, community groups and other volunteers.
our bustling town by installing yearround floral displays and planting up flowerbeds and areas of land at key locations around the town. the London in Bloom Awards – this year for the environmental improvements achieved at Reeves Corner and Thomas Turner Path. Both projects were awarded Level 3 certificates in the ‘It’s Your Neighbourhood’ awards, organised by the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS).
Croydon BID Annual Report 2012-13 8
Perception and Image Croydon is one of the largest commercial centres outside of central London. Home to numerous blue chip companies, the Town Centre also encompasses a diverse mix of well-known high street stores and independent traders, plus a wealth of cafes, bars, restaurants and leisure facilities to suit most tastes, no matter how people plan to spend their time here. All too frequently, however, the town’s image is undermined by unwarranted negative perceptions of it and the subsequent demise of a number of well-known businesses from our town has only served to exacerbate this.
Croydon BID therefore has an important role to play in countering negative perceptions of the town so that it increasingly is regarded as one of the best places in the south east to work, live, visit and do business.
Making a difference
61%
of consumers consider the Town Centre experience and environment is improving
56%
of consumers consider Croydon Town Centre’s appearance is improving
56%
of consumers say the Town Centre Christmas lights are improving
Over 150
positive media articles generated
What we delivered
• Co-ordinated marketing, PR,
and communications programmes highlighting all that Croydon has to offer and the fantastic changes taking place in the town.
• Provided a warm welcome and
practical help and support to visitors, businesses and residents alike via our award-winning Croydon Visitor Centre, now a main port of call for the thousands of people who pass by daily from East Croydon station.
• Transformed the look of several
prominent locations around the town to improve their neglected appearance. Projects included the installation of new window vinyls in the former Allders department store, creation of a ‘living wall’ – complete with vegetation – on hoardings opposite East Croydon station plus the installation of a colourful picnic and pantomime themed mural in the dingy subway between Fairfield Halls and Queens Gardens.
• For the sixth consecutive year, North End and adjoining streets were transformed into a glittering winter wonderland during November and December with the installation of our Town Centre Christmas lights scheme and season’s greetings banners.
• Improved overall perceptions and
created increased sales opportunities as a result of specially mounted promotional activity throughout the year.
Croydon BID Annual Report 2012-13 10
Festivals and Events Our annual festivals and events programme got off to a spectacular start in July when the Olympic Torch Relay came to town, en route to its final destination at the 2012 Olympic Park in Stratford, East London. The first of several BIG Get Together events organised during the year, the three day celebration commemorated the Olympic flame’s arrival in the town and, in common with our previous events, succeeded in creating a lasting impression and highlighting everything that is great about working, living and doing business in Croydon. This year, with the aid of sponsorship from developer, Hammerson, we created a real party atmosphere in
the town in the run up to Christmas by delivering five weeks of festive activity, commencing with our Christmas lights switch-on in November. Our main events activity was also supplemented this year with two continental markets held over several days in October and February, offering visitors a taste of the exotic and the chance to try something new.
Making a difference
7,000
visitors in the build-up to our Christmas lights switch-on event
76%
rated our Christmas events as good or very good
58%
said they spent more time in the town as a result of our Olympic Torch Relay celebration event
50%
said our Christmas switch-on event had improved their view of Croydon
What we delivered
• We commemorated the Olympic
flame’s progress through Croydon with a dazzling parade and three days of sports-related activity staged in the town’s two main shopping centres. Heralded by a volley of cannon fire that cascaded thousands of pieces of red, white and blue confetti across North End, the parade comprised of around 100 professional street entertainers, stilt walkers, face painters and sports freestylers, plus a host of local performers who came together to create a real sense of occasion in the town.
• Our dazzling, star-studded Christmas
lights switch-on event kick-started our festive celebrations on November 15th when EastEnders star, Laila Morse joined forces with Croydon’s Mayor, Councillor Eddy Arram to switch on our Town Centre illuminations. The ceremony was the climax to an afternoon of lively performances by a host of home-grown talent and professional entertainers
plus personal appearances by Crystal Palace Football Club players.
• The Town Centre continued to brim over with festive spirit throughout November and December with a programme of music, fun and thrills for all the family. Highlights included our one-day free music and street entertainment Christmas Beat event, featuring jawdropping performances from Covent Garden street entertainers as well as a Light Night parade, with local school children carrying individually handcrafted lanterns through the town.
Croydon BID Annual Report 2012-13 12
Way-finding and Accessibility With its unrivalled transport links, the ease with which people can access and navigate around the town undoubtedly sets Croydon apart from many other commercial centres in the south east. The benefits this brings to those working, living or doing business here are therefore unparalleled and feature prominently in our promotion of the town and in our dialogue with existing and potential investors. Over the course of the year, our award-winning Croydon Visitor Centre has reaffirmed its position as a prime source of information for
anyone seeking advice or assistance on getting here or how to make the most of their trip to the town. It also is increasingly becoming a major travel hub, selling tickets, arranging excursions, booking theatre seats and even organising conference and corporate event facilities, for those looking for less costly alternatives to central London.
Making a difference
500,000 CVC customers since 2009 – equivalent to filling the Olympic Stadium six times over
5%
year on year increase in ticket sales
293%
rise in revenue for our Croydon Employee Travel Service
Team of the Year
nomination in the 2012 Croydon Champion Awards
What we delivered
• Our Visitor Centre has continued to
expand its services and now offers a wide range of ticket sales including rail and coach travel plus Oyster Card top-ups, in response to growing demand. As a result, sales have increased year on year by 5% and we welcomed our 500,000th customer in January.
• Membership of our Croydon Employee
Travel Service (CETS) rose over the year, resulting in a 293% increase in revenue. The service enables employees to collect pre-paid Oyster and travel products from the Visitor Centre, helping companies to cut costs and time spent processing staff travel claims.
• Use of our exhibition area and plasma
screens has grown throughout the year as companies increasingly have recognised the prime opportunity it presents to showcase their products and services to the thousands of commuters who pass by daily on their way to and from East Croydon station.
• For the second consecutive year, our
Destination Croydon, convention bureau service, showcased all the advantages that Croydon has to offer over the capital when it comes to organising conferences or corporate events.
Croydon BID Annual Report 2012-13 14
Business Engagement With so much major development under way and planned, the need for close collaboration between the private and public sectors is greater than ever to ensure positive change continues within the Town Centre. Over the year, great strides have been made towards building new and strengthening existing relationships with key stakeholders to ensure business are kept informed on policy changes and development issues so that their interests and views can be appropriately represented at both an operational and strategic level.
To this end, a series of business briefings, networking and consultation events has been organised and attended to canvass businesses’ views and ensure their priorities are reflected within our business plans. New and additional channels of communication have also been introduced, to help keep businesses informed.
Making a difference
54%
businesses are satisfied with Croydon Town Centre as a place to do business
5,000
newsletters distributed throughout the year
16,000
digital communications issued
Over 2,000
Twitter followers
What we delivered
• Launched and distributed our new
quarterly ‘In Contact’ business newsletter, distributing 5,000 copies during the year, supplemented by 16,000 e-bulletins and email communications. This helped keep businesses informed of progress and issues affecting the Town Centre and created opportunities for two-way feedback.
• Facilitated a private, ‘heads of business’ meeting with London’s Mayor, Boris Johnson, in the run-up to the London Mayoral elections to raise and discuss issues over security, employment, business opportunities and future investment.
• Arranged and attended a wide range
of stakeholder meetings, including representation on the Croydon Old Town Business Association, to update businesses on developments and ensure plans and priorities are aligned.
• Continued to monitor Council services, footfall and perceptions to ensure standards are maintained, business needs are met and to shape future activity and plans.
Croydon BID Annual Report 2012-13 16
Financial Summary Croydon Town Centre Business Improvement District is a not for profit company limited by guarantee. It operates in a transparent way within the regulations set up by the government on Business Improvement Districts. Croydon BID is funded by a combination of the BID levy from local businesses and voluntary contributions. INCOME 2012/13
EXPENDITURE 2012/13
Bid Levy
£ 997,826
Croydon Council additional contribution
£ 40,000
Other income
£ 89, 683
TOTAL
£ 1,127,509
Safe & Secure
£ 231, 257
Clean & Attractive
£ 138, 417
Way-finding & Accessibility
£ 202,397
Festivals & Events
£ 220, 457
Perception & Image
£ 30,135
Business Engagement
£ 67, 549
Levy collection
£ 15,000
Professional fees
£ 1,571
Management costs
£ 111,108
Operating costs
£ 85, 221
TOTAL
£ 1,103,112
Net profit for the year before tax
£ 24,397
Net Profit for the year after tax
£ 23,049
Net surplus brought forward from 2011/12
£ 117, 914
Net surplus carried forward into 2013/14
£ 140,963
In addition, substantial ‘in kind’ support was received from businesses during the year which enabled Croydon BID to deliver an enhanced programme of activities, estimated to have a value of £ 410,000.
A copy of Croydon BID’s audited accounts may be obtained by contacting 020 603 0050 or via email at info@croydonbid.com
Structure The BID Board provides strategic direction and input and is responsible to stakeholders for the conduct and performance of the BID Company. It is also responsible for setting the annual budget and monitoring finances throughout the course of the year. Membership of the Board is voluntary and directors are unpaid.
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 service providers as dictated by the BID Regulations 2004. The Board held twelve meetings during the course of the year. The Chief Executive of the BID leads a small dedicated team responsible for planning and delivering all of the BID’s projects and activities.
Members of the Croydon BID Board at March 31st 2013 were: Max Menon Chairman
Nigel Evans Stiles Harold Williams
David Ordman Centrale
Janet Borrow Company Secretary (Ormerods)
Brian Hart Lark (Group) Ltd
Graham Reeves House of Reeves
Neil Acheson Novus Leisure
Simon Hoar Croydon Council
Carolyn Spencer UK Border Agency
Rob Atkin Metropolitan Police
Andy Kendall House of Fraser
Paul Spooner Croydon Council
Patrick Baptist Croydon Park Hotel
Sharon Lawrence Marks & Spencer
Simon Thomsett Fairfield Halls
Andrew Bauer Whitgift Centre
Trevor Morgan YMCA
Frances Wadsworth Croydon College
Martin Corney Whitgift Foundation
Don Niven Natwest
Steven Yewman Westfield
Robin Dobson Hammerson
Steve O’Connell Greater London Assembly
The following directors resigned and/or were replaced during the year: Bruce Beattie Novus Leisure
Tim Hyde House of Fraser
Fred Wakelin HSBC
Courtney Hindle NCP
John Strutt BT
Charles Walford Stanhope Plc
To find out more about Croydon BID and the benefits of membership, please call 020 8603 0050 or email info@croydonbid.com
Croydon BID Annual Report 2012-13 18
Croydon Town Centre Business Improvement District Cambridge House Lower Ground Floor 16 – 18 Wellesley Road Croydon, CR0 2DD T: 020 8603 0050 E: info@croydonbid.com W: www.croydonbid.com
ECF pulp sourced from carefully managed and renewed forests ISO 14001 certified manufacturer FSC Mixed Credit
Croydon BID
making a difference