NotePadd

N Paddington BID Newsletter February 2005 | Issue Three

N

N

N VOTE YES FOR PADDINGTON BID

The Paddington Business Improvement District Newsletter | February 2005 | 2

Businesses have begun voting YES for Paddington BID The first businesses in Paddington have begun to vote on whether to set up Paddington Business Improvement District (BID).

Local businesses want a bigger voice in how Paddington develops and want to see it improved by making it more attractive, cleaner and safer, as well as being better marketed and promoted.

Every local business now has the chance to vote on Paddington BID’s proposals to do just that. Voting takes

• A better promoted Paddington, with more events and campaigns.

• A voice for local businesses, making businesses’ views heard on local issues such as planning and providing opportunities for networking.

• A better looking Paddington, through greening initiatives such

place throughout February and we

as anti-graffiti and anti-flyposting

are hoping everyone will take part and vote YES. A YES for Paddington

treatment, hanging baskets and shopfront improvements.

BID will bring over £1.6 million to the area, creating: • A safer Paddington, investing in extra

This is a unique opportunity, to be one of the UK’s first BIDs. The BID will

dedicated police and new CCTV.

be controlled by and paid for by local

businesses and it will only provide services that those businesses want, which will be in addition to those services already supplied by Westminster City Council.

If you are a local business, you

NotePadd NotePadd NotePadd

should have received a voting form from Westminster City Council.

These must be returned by 28 February. If you have not received a ballot paper please contact Jim Richardson on 020 7313 1011.

NotePadd

NotePadd

The result of the vote for Paddington BID will be announced on March 1 2005.

The Paddington Business Improvement District Newsletter | February 2005 | 3

BUSINESSES IN PICCADILLY AND BANKSIDE VOTE YES Three areas of London have already voted YES to Business Improvement Districts. The two newest BIDs are in Piccadilly Circus and Bankside. 71% of businesses voted yes in Piccadilly Circus and 75% in Bankside voted yes.

Ma r k Bo ye s , C h a i r m a n o f t h e H e a r t o f London Business Alliance said:

Pe t e r W i l l i a m s , E x e c u t i v e D i r e c t o r o f B e t t e r Ba n k si d e sa i d:

“The result shows the excellent support for the BID from our business community who have demonstrated

“The businesses based here value Bankside as a special place, we now have a mandate to ensure that this is

that they see the vital importance of a clean and safe trading environment.”

sustained for the benefit of all who live, visit and work in Bankside.”

✔

Paul Charalambous is voting YES to Paddington BID

“Our hotel business is based on tourists who stay in Paddington, but don’t spend enough time or money here. The BID will

✔

Alan Davidson is voting YES to Paddington BID

“My business has been based in Paddington for over 7 years and in that time I’ve seen the area begin to change and improve. The BID is

improve Paddington encouraging new business ideas and a better choice for our customers, making the location of our business a more desirable, amenity-packed place to stay. That's why we’re voting yes.”

an exciting opportunity for local businesses to get together to accelerate that improvement for

Paul Charalambous Stylotel, Sussex Gardens

Alan Davidson Hayes Davidson, Conduit Place

all our benefit. It will provide us with a clear voice and a focus for business opinion, it will help us get things done.”

✔

Gary Goldston is voting YES to Paddington BID

“I support the BID because I believe this is a fantastic opportunity to create a strong business community and build on the safe and pleasant environment we all desire.”

Gary Goldston Paddington Jewellers, Praed Street

Free walking tours of Paddington If businesses vote YES to Paddington BID, the team will begin a series of free guided walks for tourists, local residents and workers in the area.

Come and join us for these weekly walks which take place on Thursdays at 1.00 p.m. Call 020 7313 1011 for a leaflet or visit www.paddingtonbid.co.uk.

The Paddington Business Improvement District Newsletter | February 2005 | 4

What has Paddington BID already done for Paddington?

Paddington BID has already piloted a series of projects over the past four years.

To improve the environment we have: • Treated 52 properties with antigraffiti paint • Treated 120 lampposts, bins and cabinets with anti-flyposting ‘Dacrylate’ • Installed 34 new hanging baskets • Helped fund 9 improvements to shopfronts in the area • Cleaned pavements to remove chewing gum in Spring Street, London Street and Praed street • Produced an environment helpline card for all businesses

NotePadd NotePadd NotePadd NotePadd

NotePadd

To market and promote Paddington we have: • Run 25 promotion, networking and briefing events • Staged ‘What’s Your Flavour?’, the first ever food, music and film festival in Paddington To make Paddington safer we have: • Funded extra dedicated Police and two Police Community Support Officers for the area • Set up Paddington’s very own Pubwatch Scheme

To provide a voice for businesses we have: • Set up a board with 15 local businesses represented on it to control the BID • Run briefing events including a successful business rates awareness day • Instigated new planning procedures for local shops and hotels Local businesses are now being given the chance to vote YES to see this work continue.

The Paddington Business Improvement District Newsletter | February 2005 | 5

HELPING LOCAL BUSINESSES WITH BUSINESS RATES Paddington BID provides help and advice to businesses in the area as well as a voice for their concerns.

Crossrail at Paddington Plans for Crossrail are progressing and will be considered by Parliament in February.

Local businesses have now received their new 2005 rating assessment. In response to concerns about high increases, the BID team arranged a free presentation and question and answer session at

If it goes ahead, Crossrail brings exciting opportunities for Paddington, including a new station and more capacity for passengers at current stations, however local businesses could be affected.

Test works in the area around Eastbourne Terrace could begin as early as August 2005, and main construction would begin in 2007.

Some local businesses may be affected by noise

the Hilton London Metropole on 19 January.

Rating specialists from Montagu Evans helped

and vibration, those worried about disturbance should contact the Crossrail team (see contact

15 businesses on the day and have offered their services to all businesses in the BID area.

If you were unable to attend and have any

details below).

Crossrail are holding an exhibition on the concourse at Paddington Station on Monday 14

questions regarding your new business rates,

February, from 12 noon to 7.00 p.m. If you have

please contact the BID team on 020 7313 1011 for further advice or Will Robinson from Montagu

any concerns about the scheme, or wish to make your views known, do make sure to visit the

Evans on 020 7312 7505.

exhibition.

There is also a 24-hour helpdesk for enquiries on 0845 602 3813. Alternatively, email

✔

Maxine Chapman is voting YES to Paddington BID

“The Paddington BID has shown us the difference it can make to our environment; voting YES, as we are, will mean keeping the Police Community Support Officers and give local businesses a greater voice.”

Maxine Chapman M&L Associates, Bouverie Place

helpdesk@crossrail.co.uk or write to: Crossrail Helpdesk 1 Butler Place London SW1H 0PT If you are concerned about a specific property, you should provide the full address (including postcode) and the Crossrail team will give you a response in writing.

If businesses vote YES for Paddington BID it will provide a voice for local businesses on Crossrail and other projects in the area. We have already started by arranging an exhibition and a series of evening presentations on Crossrail in April.

The Paddington Business Improvement District Newsletter | February 2005 | 6

Paddington has always had a vibrant mix of shops and there are 116 in the Paddington BID area. Two members of the Paddington BID board are retailers.

Shopkeepers voting YES can look forward to…

Office workers who vote YES will enjoy…

Offices are a key part of the local economy.

There are 91 offices in Paddington ranging from marketing and communications agencies, to lawyers, with five on the Paddington BID board.

Key benefits of the BID for shops include: • Less crime through shopwatch schemes and more police • Increased footfall • Better promotion and marketing of Paddington, bringing more customers • A strong voice for local businesses on issues such as planning and parking • A better looking Paddington through environmental improvements

✔

Shabeer Dawood is voting YES to Paddington BID

“Paddington has improved enormously as an area in the last few years which has definitely fed through into an improveNotePadd ment in business. We must now build on this – especially the opportunity from NotePadd tourism from the station. The best way to NotePadd do this is via the BID and I therefore

NotePadd urge everyone to vote yes in the ballot.”

Shabeer Dawood Lauder & Rees, Praed Street

NotePadd

Key benefits of the BID for offices include: • A better environment for staff and clients • More events and promotions for staff to enjoy • A safer Paddington with lower crime

Hotels are a major sector in Paddington. There are 87 in the Paddington BID area and four hoteliers are on the Paddington BID board.

HOTELIERS WHO VOTE YES CAN LOOK FORWARD TO… Key benefits of the BID for hotels include: • Better promotion and marketing of Paddington, bringing more guests • More events in Paddington for guests and staff to enjoy • Lower crime, reducing costs • A strong voice for local businesses on issues such as planning and parking • A better looking Paddington through environmental improvements

The Paddington Business Improvement District Newsletter | February 2005 | 7

✔

Martin Moran is voting YES to Paddington BID

“I support the Paddington BID because together we can be more effective in influencing improvments in the area such as law and order, cleanliness and attractiveness. By raising standards Paddington will continue to improve, becoming a safer and more attractive place to work, live and socialise in, which will undoubtedly lead to

✔

Ali Muttawa is voting YES to Paddington BID

“Everyone involved has worked so hard to ensure that PBID is set up in a manner that will make it an efficient and professional body which handles the extra commercial needs of businesses in Paddington; including providing local business with a voice or lobby group and giving the area a co-ordinated ‘business’

greater prosperity and well-being for businesses and all concerned.”

feel. The only way to benefit from this ground-work already

Martin Moran, Tribeca New Media,

Ali Muttawa Norfolk Plaza Hotel, Norfolk Square

Southwick Street

carried out would be to vote YES."

Pubs and restaurants that vote YES can expect…

NEW AREA GUIDES FOR PADDINGTON New business notice boards are planned to make Paddington easier to understand for visitors and customers.

If business vote YES for Paddington BID these will advertise Paddington’s shops, restaurants, cafés, bars, pubs and hotels with a comprehensive colour coded listings section and a map indicating where to find them. The boards would be a great focal point in Paddington and make it much easier for customers to find local businesses.

The noticeboards will also list forthcoming events and festivals in Paddington, offering more for people living and working in the area as well as tourists.

There are 14 pubs in the Paddington BID area and one publican is a member of the Paddington BID board.

Paddington BID has already initiated the pubwatch scheme that is helping to reduce crime in Paddington pubs.

Key benefi ts of t he BID for restaur ants a nd pubs inc lude: • • • •

Less crime through pubwatch and extra police Better promotion and marketing of Paddington, bringing more customers A strong voice for local businesses on issues such as planning and parking A better looking Paddington through environmental improvements

How the notice boards may look

Countdown to a BID Exciting plans to improve Paddington will only happen if local businesses vote YES to Paddington Business Improvement District (BID) in February 2005. If you are a voter please do return your form before February 28 to Westminster Council. If you work in a local business please do check that someone is returning the form for your company.

If you would like any further information, or have any questions on any aspect of the BID process, please contact the Paddington BID team on 020 7313 1011.

The Paddington BID is promoted by Paddington Waterside Partnership.

You can contact us at:

Smith is voting YES to ✔ Vaughan Paddington BID

Paddington BID Room B. 108 Macmillan House Platform One Paddington Station London W2 1FT

NotePadd “I believe the restaurant’s trade will be improved by a cleaner NotePadd and safer Paddington. I would like to see businesses in the NotePadd area empowered and organised. A Paddington BID is a great NotePadd way to achieve this.”

Telephone Facsimile Website

020 7313 1011 020 7313 1005 www.paddingtonbid.co.uk

Vaughan Smith

NotePadd Frontline Restaurant, Norfolk Place

DESIGN BY SUGARFREE DESIGN 020 7243 2100 • SUGARFREEDESIGN.CO.UK COVER PHOTO BY SEAN GALLAGHER • OTHER PHOTOS BY RICHARD LEWISOHN PRINTED ON 170GSM MUNKEN LYNX PAPER