Year 7 Business Plan

This is going to be another challenging year for you, your business and our city. In Year 7, we will look to support you with advice, marketing services and activities to improve the BID area.

We will also be looking at recruitment and training opportunities for your business as well as promoting Southampton as a tourism destination to encourage locals, future workers and visitors into the city centre. Now more than ever, it’s critical that we listen to the needs of you, our BID members. Your feedback will ensure our projects and services reflect the current climate and help tackle short-term issues as well as looking at long-term improvements to boost the local economy, attract new investment and bring high value employment into the city centre.

Therefore our Year 7 plan will be flexible and adapt as and when needed, allowing the BID income to be spent most effectively. See below our plan.

Read below the ‘Top 5’ projects for each of our theme groups that we will work to achieve in 2023/2024.

Better Marketing

  1. Build on Southampton’s reputation as a visitor destination through activities such as PR work with Blakeborough
  2. Help BID members develop their own marketing as well as help them reach new audiences through the Visit Southampton channels
  3. Implement a Christmas marketing campaign that amplifies the festive offering and encourages an increase in spend and footfall whilst moving visitors around the city centre
  4. Support BID and citywide events by effectively promoting them to local and regional audiences
  5. Use insights from BID and partner datasets to drive citywide marketing and inform BID projects

Culture, Events & Partnerships

  1. Implement a series of sponsored Christmas events to attract primary and secondary catchments into the city centre
  2. Curate a calendar of business events to support the needs of levy payers
  3. Sponsor third-party events in the city that deliver economic value and/or celebrates Southampton’s culture and heritage
  4. Align event activity appropriately with the Festival & Events strategy
  5. As partner, support and work closely with the Culture Trust in delivering projects and goals that enhance the city as a cultural destination

Greater City Centre Experience

  1. Continue to support businesses against anti-social behaviour and theft, to create a safer city centre experience for everyone, including city centre workers, residents and tourists
  2. Deliver additional cleaning services for businesses including graffiti removal, hot washing, and fly tipping
  3. Explore city centre animation and installations to improve the visitor experience
  4. Shape initiatives which help foster an accessible and inclusive city centre for all users
  5. Support the night-time economy, by enhancing safety in the city and championing the positive perception of the city’s evening offering

Stronger Business

  1. Encourage cruise passengers and crew to spend more time in the city centre through improved visitor experiences and attractive offers
  2. Review and comment on the City Council’s Local Pan consultation from our businesses’ perspective
  3. Develop means for delivering economic growth, creating a vibrant, healthy city centre
  4. Develop the city’s narrative to attract investors and new businesses that will bring high paid employment to the city
  5. Implement the Night-Time Economy strategy to provide a high-quality experience for everyone