What We Do

1. Develop the new Visit Southamptonwebsite to meet the needs of all readers,including improved travel and accessibilityinformation and bespoke pages
2. Explore ways to market the city tocruise passengers and crew via theVisit Southampton channels andphysical advertising in the city
3. Offer relevant marketing services andadvice to BID members, acting as acritical friend where needed
4. Deliver key marketing campaignsthroughout the year including Lovethe Old Town, Summer of Sport andChristmas, to increase awareness,dwell time and spend
5. Raise Southampton’s profile as an exciting and vibrant visitor destination via our work with Blakeborough PR

Raise Southampton’s Profile Nationally

Back in 2017, businesses told us that Southampton needed better marketing and a greater online
presence – and we’ve delivered on this.
In 2019, we launched the Visit Southampton website and social media channels, which have reached 4.7 million people. All BID members are eligible for free business directory listing – with more than 325,161 page views for these listings so far.
In partnership with Solent University, we produced and circulated 20,000 copies of the SO What? magazine – which showcased the city’s hidden gems for residents/visitors and provided fantastic PR for local businesses.

Marketing the city and businesses

Key highlights:

• We’ve invested significantly in targeted PR campaigns, bringing more people into the city and showcasing what businesses offer. Our 2020 Christmas campaign, which featured 167 businesses, reached 1.3 million people.
• Around 5,000 families have joined city centre trails organised by GO! Southampton for the school
  holidays – directly leading to increased spending with BID businesses.
• In June 2021, we launched the SO Card, with money-saving offers from more than 80 businesses. This new scheme aims to increase footfall and build consumer confidence. The card has already reduced costs for more than 260,000 residents.

Through our PR activities, we’ve helped raise the profile of our city and local businesses. Journalists
from The Sun, The I, Time Out and Choice magazine have all visited the city. We’ve been featured on BBC South Today, ITV Meridian, Radio Solent and in the Southern Daily Echo, Scotland’s Daily Record and Midi Libre in France.

A bigger and better welcome

Back in 2016, local businesses asked us to improve the information available for visitors and residents.
To help first-time visitors, we’ve produced and circulated new maps to local hotels, visitor attractions
and Southampton’s cruise terminals.

29,276 visitors welcomed and 7,962 directions were given to find your businesses by GO! Southampton rangers

1. Offer the Events Sponsorship Scheme,providing small and large organisationsthe opportunity to secure events grantsof up to £6,000
2. Work with third-party event organisers,to capitalise on opportunities that comewith larger events being hosted in the city,including promotion of BID membersto attendees
3. Host business events such as citynetworking and trade/sector meetingsto strengthen connections
4. Deliver at least two city-centre trailsacross the year, including the SnowWindows, encouraging movement aroundthe BID area and increasing dwell time
5. Collaborate with city partners tostrengthen the local economy and widertourism offer to help businesses grow

GO! Southampton has played a leading role in the city’s bid to become UK City of Culture 2025 – securing substantial investment to take this bid forward.

UK City of Culture 2025 bid

Winning this competition would have a transformative effect on Southampton, raising the city’s profile, increasing visitors and boosting the economy. We have involved local businesses at every stage of the bid process, from shaping the application through to developing our commercial strategy.
Regardless of the outcome, this bid has enabled us to work with local businesses to identify future priorities to support the city’s economic growth – and secure investment to fund long-term plans.

Bigger and better events

Businesses told us that they wanted improved and better-marketed events in Southampton that celebrated our arts, culture and heritage. In response, we’ve organised and delivered our own events programme and supported many third-party events – attended by more than 300,000 people.

In 2018, we launched Seaside in The Square – a free event filled with family-friendly activities, sport and live entertainment. This event has proved a huge success, bringing together the community and generating £237,000 in direct economic value in its first year alone. It has gained extensive coverage in the media, including ITV Meridian, BBC South Today and BBC Radio 2.

We’ve also supported more than 15 additional city centre events through grants, including Southampton Pride, the Bedford Place Summer Festival and the ABP Southampton Marathon.

With BID support, city events are now delivered with more investment, marketing and resources –
attracting higher audience numbers and greater spend in the area.

Bringing local businesses together

Our quarterly City Networking events have proved popular with local businesses, bringing together civic, community, religious and business leaders.

1. Our nationally accredited business crimepartnership (SBCP) and dedicatedon-the-ground security team willsupport joint crime reduction initiativessuch as Operation Predict and theBusiness Crime Navigator project
2. Build on our year-round lighting schemewith street animation and activations toencourage visitors and increase dwell time
3. Deliver our annual Big City Clean andcontinue our regular cleansing service tobusinesses which goes above and beyondthe statutory duties of the Council
4. Work with the Licensing Link collective tokeep the night-time economy a vibrant andsafe place as well as maintain the Red CardScheme and retain Purple Flag status
5. Continue work on connecting the citythrough improved wayfinding and visitorinformation within the public realm

Southampton has great potential to develop as a regional leisure, retail and business destination. However, the city still experiences significant issues with crime and anti-social behaviour – the top concern expressed by local businesses.

Over the past five years, we’ve worked hard to create a safer and cleaner city centre for residents, workers and visitors to enjoy.

A safer city centre
We launched the nationally accredited Southampton Business Crime Partnership (SBCP) – which enables more than 250 businesses and the police to share crime intelligence data.

Shop theft has been reduced by 64% by SBCP members – leading to the recovery of more than £44,543 worth of stock. A total of 96% of prolific offenders have been prosecuted – leading to 41 prison sentences.

GO! Southampton joined partners to identify street-attached individuals who are causing the most harm through crime and anti-social behaviour, including aggressive begging. Through Operation Luscombe high-harm offenders have been offered targeted support and on occasion received Criminal Behaviour Orders to alter behaviour and reduce harm.

In 2021, GO! Southampton, in partnership with the Street Support Action Group, launched the ‘Change The Way You Give’ diverted giving campaign which provides targeted support for rough sleepers via local charities.

Finally, as part of our efforts to create a safer city, we have successfully lobbied for increased policing. This led directly to the creation of the City Centre Unit and seven officers dedicated to preventing serious crime and disorder.

A cleaner and better-maintained city
Local businesses and shoppers told us that they wanted to see a cleaner city. In 2018, we launched a cleaning service in partnership with the council. The team has removed more than 2,200 pieces of graffiti and hot washed over 1000 doorways – benefiting more than 170 businesses.

Our street rangers have reported around 850 environmental issues. In total, 95% of all reported defects and issues have been fixed within the past three years, including repairs to pavements, drains and lighting.

GO! Southampton has also been part of the Local COVID-19 Health Protection Board, supporting businesses with social distancing signage and public health briefings.

Better transport and access
Improving the city’s transport network is essential to our future economic growth and we have actively influenced transport plans across the city.

We worked with the local councils to secure £57m through the Transforming Cities Fund to improve access to the city.

GO! Southampton has also played a critical role in securing the airport runway extension, which will prove crucial in bringing more visitors to the city

1. Champion city improvements to drive economic growth, including delivery of the Renaissance Vision and the Growth& Prosperity Plan
2. Represent businesses with a strong, coordinated voice, lobbying for better support from Government and beyond
3. Provide additional footfall counters targeted at cruise tourists, to inform smarter business decisions alongside existing spend data
4. Secure procurement savings on energy, insurance and waste collections via our Business Cost Reduction Service
5. Deliver employee training via SEEDL and in-person sessions to help businesses save money whilst enhancing workplace skills

We believe in working to make Southampton a place where businesses can thrive. We’ve delivered saving schemes for our members, brought in new investment and helped provide training for businesses.

Helping businesses to reduce costs
We partnered with Southampton City Council to launch our dry waste recycling scheme, which gives
BID businesses up to 50% off their recycling. This has saved BID members £36,500 a year and reduced waste sent to landfill.

More than 80 businesses have identified nearly £4k of savings, on average, through the Business Cost Reduction Service, reducing their utility bills and merchant fees.

A stronger voice for business
We’ve lobbied local policy makers on issues that matter to local businesses – and ensured business
representation on key decisions:

• We secured removal of the Late-Night Levy – saving businesses in the night-time economy
  £67k each year.
• More than 70 businesses shaped the BID’s response to the Local Plan consultation – which focuses on how land should be used and sets standards for new developments.
• We’ve represented businesses at forums, including Southampton Connect and the Safe City
  Partnership.

Developing skills and talent
Developing our future workforce plays a key role in the city’s long-term success.

By actively supporting the EBP ‘Get Inspired’ events for young people, the BID is contributing to a brighter future for the city. These events empower school pupils to visualise their potential within local industries. Through such initiatives, we are shaping a promising tomorrow for Southampton, where its youth can discover and pursue rewarding career paths right at their doorstep.

We’ve worked with The Big Issue and Saints Foundation to give local people from disadvantaged backgrounds unique opportunities to create content for The Big Issue Southampton Takeover magazine. This project has been a huge success, providing local people with work and training whilst raising Southampton’s profile.

We have offered training opportunities for businesses, including Mental Health First Aid Training, ‘Welcome Host’ customer service, marketing and counter terrorism. With the help of the Business Training Hub, BID members access training courses daily, continuously improving their skills and business compacity.

Harnessing investment opportunities
Working with our partners, we’ve secured significant inward investment into the city:

• Between 2017-21 GO! Southampton helped to secure £72.7m for Southampton through various funding applications, including the Discover England Fund, Safer Streets Fund and Transforming Cities Fund.
• We teamed up with Internet service provider, toob, to promote the £50 million roll-out of the city’s
  full-fibre network.