Over the course of Term 1 – even during Covid - the BID delivered 9 public events of different sizes to encourage people into the town. This ranged from street performers and artists, window trails, new Christmas Light installations, a temporary picnic park on Place St Maur and, of course, the fantastic TASTE! Bognor Regis street food weekend.
Delivering, managing and promoting even small-scale events requires knowledge about permissions, risk assessments, funding and a lot of time to prepare. That’s why BIDs with larger budgets tend to outsource event delivery to professional event organisers. In Bognor Regis, the income from BID levy means that the majority of event delivery is delivered in-house as just one element of the “Well Known Town” commitments.
The challenge, therefore, is to focus on the big picture by delivering and supporting high quality events or installations that maximise footfall and challenge outdated, low-aspiration expectations of Bognor Regis. The smart investment is in one or two larger, high-quality events or installations, rather than spreading the jam too thinly through multiple incidents of small-scale delivery that - while nice for the people in town at the time – are incredibly resource intensive and unlikely to appeal to a broader audience.
Looking forwards to Term 2, the BID is committing to:
One BID event per annum: This is the BID using levy funds and all of its staff resources to devise, deliver and promote an event / experience that benefits the largest number of businesses across the day and nighttime economies, and enables the biggest range of business sectors to benefit by taking part.
Once the outcome of the ballot is known, we’ll be reaching out to businesses to find out what type of event they’d like us to focus on – a summer crowd-pulling event like TASTE!, new installations or performers to attract footfall at Christmas... or something completely different!
We’ll also be completing the full review of the BID’s role with the ice rink and the impact it being in different locations has on business across the whole of the BID Area. The background paper has already been written, the footfall figures are now in, and the final stage is to consult with businesses and evaluate the numbers so we can quantify the impact with partners and inform BID plans for Christmas 2023.
The Big Event: Conversations about a “Big Event” for Bognor Regis were already underway before the BID started in 2018. Those conversations have been ongoing and, with the streamlined plans for Term 2 the BID can now allocate resources to drive this forward as part of a multi-agency approach. The “Big Event” is a high-quality event that will become synonymous with Bognor Regis, establishing the town as a “must visit” destination for an incredible experience. Realistically, the partners need a solid two years of preparation to bring everything together, so the first event of its kind will most likely start in 2025. If voted in for a second term, the BID has committed staff resources to co-ordinate all the different partners and separate elements to help bring about a memorable, perception-changing event for the town.
Support and funding for high footfall events: This is the BID using levy funds to support existing and emerging high-quality events - like the Southdowns Music Festival and to enhance the Town Council’s Lights Switch On- that have a demonstrably significant impact on increasing footfall to the BID Area.
WANT MORE DETAILS?
You can read and download the full BID Term 2 Proposal and other documents at: https://www.brbid.org/term2
You can read and download the BR BID’s Business Plan as an e-newsletter at: https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/view/67465795
CONTACT US
You can contact us at any time with any questions about the ballot or the business plan:
Bognor Regis BID: 10 The Arcade, Bognor Regis PO21 1LH
Email Heather Allen, BR BID Co-Ordinator: heather@brbid.org
Visit our website: www.brbid.org
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