Four Key Objectives 2018 - 2023
Directors of the Bognor Regis Business Improvement District (BID) have agreed a set of ambitious proposals for its third year of operations, starting on 1st April 2020. The proposals include plans to make different areas of Bognor Regis Town Centre more vibrant and welcoming through the use of colour, lighting, extra planting and public art.
Covid-19 has obviously had a massive impact, but we're still pushing ahead with as many of the plans as budget and social distancing allows. If we can't achieve it this year, and it's still relevant and desirable, proposals for 2020 will be carried forward into the next business year.
objective one
well known town
The BID’s Well Known Town Objective includes: enhanced communications, marketing, quality promotions and events – all things that businesses have asked for to help improve the perception and image of Bognor Regis. The aim of this work will be to drive increased footfall and repeat visits, increase dwell time and spend, attract higher-spending visitors to visit the town, and tackle seasonality.
2020 focus
1. Develop a strategic events programme, focusing on two, big events per annum
2. Develop and promote the General Market to increase footfall to the town centre
3. Actively engage with the “Promotion (Tourism) Forum”
4. Make innovative use of empty units
objective two
welcoming town
A welcoming town centre that feels safe with low crime and anti-social behaviour and is clean and well-maintained is a key priority for businesses, shoppers and visitors to ensure customers want to return, and businesses want to locate in Bognor Regis.
2020 focus
1. Establish and enhance "Zones", working with businesses in geograpohic clusters
2. Increase BCRP membership
3. Continue with Alleygating Scheme to reduce anti-social behaviour in key sites around the town centre
objective three
night-time economy
Improving the evening and night-time economy is a key priority for businesses.
During the evening and late night, the town quickly becomes deserted, with low numbers of people around, few businesses open and the presence of groups of people that could be viewed as intimidating. Evidence from other towns indicates that having more people out and about around the town at night makes it feel safer. There is significant scope to further improve how people feel after dark and this is an important reason to develop the evening economy to help make the town a more welcoming, inclusive and inviting place.
2020 focus
1. Use the Purple Flag standards as an example of best practice
2. Make sure the Events Strategy attracts people to to Night-Time Economy businesses
3. Establish better engagement with businesses in this sector
4. Create specific marketing campaign promoting Bognor Regis’s Night Time Economy
objective four
better parking
A town centre with improved parking is a priority for businesses. Making the town centre a more attractive proposition for residents, visitors, businesses and investors will be helped if the town benefited from more and easier to use parking.
2020 focus
1. Work with ADC to deliver Improved signage at Fitzleet Car Park
2. Provide ways for businesses to purchase parking discs using cash
3. Initiate car parking disc preparation in Spring
member services
The BID is here to help and inform businesses, and we offer a range of services and initiatives specifically to support you. The BID offers regular networking opportunities, distributes a quarterly newsletter and sends out frequent emails highlighting opportunities for businesses to get involved.
We have directly supported a number of businesses needing advice on putting on events and saved other businesses money by informing them about grants and reliefs they were previously unaware of.
2020 focus
1. Continue to build on engagement with businesses
2. Continue to provide businesses with info, advice and support on direct cost savings (eg: business rates, utilities)
3. Actively promote BID Independent businesses through a stand alone campaign and website
4. Curate and deliver accessible training tools and opportunities for businesses