It is difficult to know who is elected, who is invited, who has made a financial contribution (and attends) and who just goes along. The meetings are normally well attended and informative. I certainly find the meetings very useful.
If the composition of the TCP is so confused, under what authority are decisions made? Does everyone attending get a vote? How for example was the decision to start/support the BID made?
I find the whole organisation difficult to understand as (in the same way the BID has been created) there seems to be little transparency in some very far reaching decisions. Is anyone willing to share any real answers on this?
List as promised (from Junction to Stations as Lovejoy requested):
Pageant, T4 Cameras, Dram Room, Dry Cleaners, Peter Earthy Jewellery, Bravo, RSPCA, Bloody Mary tatoos, Empire Bakery, Super Star Hair, Harry's Hair, Natural Therapy, Dentist, Mills & Bann solicitor and then the takeaways / pubs etc: Con Club, King Charles, Indian Lounge, Nawab, The Plaice, Lucky's, Prezzo, Mr India, Lotus Garden, Oitijjo and Chilli's.
I think the purpose of this list was to prove that retail was worth protecting in Cheap Street itself. By my counting, 12 are classed as retailers not including the takeaways and other services.
List as promised (from Junction to Stations as Lovejoy requested):
Pageant, T4 Cameras, Dram Room, Dry Cleaners, Peter Earthy Jewellery, Bravo, RSPCA, Bloody Mary tatoos, Empire Bakery, Super Star Hair, Harry's Hair, Natural Therapy, Dentist, Mills & Bann solicitor and then the takeaways / pubs etc: Con Club, King Charles, Indian Lounge, Nawab, The Plaice, Lucky's, Prezzo, Mr India, Lotus Garden, Oitijjo and Chilli's.
I think the purpose of this list was to prove that retail was worth protecting in Cheap Street itself. By my counting, 12 are classed as retailers not including the takeaways and other services.
None of the above are retail shops that people would browse in or buy from on a whim. Footfall in this area is mainly commuter (7.00am - 8.30 and 5.00-6.30pm) when the majority of these shops are closed. That is not to say they are not worth saving, but increased footfall does not necessarily mean increased trade.
Some of these aren't in Cheap Street and isn't the Dram Room only open by appointment?
Walking from the station to the junction bit of Cheap Street with the insurance shop on the corner opposite the cinema, yes it is. I went and made the list today.
I agree. It seems to raise more questions that it asks.
What are the key improvements that the BID aims to achieve? Where's the project plan, is this available to businesses or us punters? Is the BID an event? If not why is the Newbury Events Manager involved? Who's footing the bill for this "YES campaign" and is there a "NO campaign" too? If this is being paid for by the taxpayer will we have a say too?
You may remember the Town Centre Partnership used to beg for funds to pay for the Town Centre Manager. Anyone waving £200 around got a place at the table, and the TCP was repeatedly bankrolled by WBC when the finances got tight. Last year, the Town Centre Partnership was turned into a not-for-profit social enterprise (Community Interest Company), which means they don't have to provide annual accounts to ThatCompanies House. The directors of the TCP are (from memory) Patrick Griffin (architect), Tom Rossiter (lawyer), Malcolm Bull (developer), and Liz Chandler (retailer).
The TCP is driving and funding the BID, so it's fair to say this is the 'yes' camp (perhaps admin can tell us if WBC are throwing some our taxes at it too).
In the 'no' corner is Richard Garvie, Brianb, and a lot of non-retailers.
You may remember the Town Centre Partnership used to beg for funds to pay for the Town Centre Manager. Anyone waving £200 around got a place at the table, and the TCP was repeatedly bankrolled by WBC when the finances got tight. Last year, the Town Centre Partnership was turned into a not-for-profit social enterprise (Community Interest Company), which means they don't have to provide annual accounts to ThatCompanies House. The directors of the TCP are (from memory) Patrick Griffin (architect), Tom Rossiter (lawyer), Malcolm Bull (developer), and Liz Chandler (retailer).
The TCP is driving and funding the BID, so it's fair to say this is the 'yes' camp (perhaps admin can tell us if WBC are throwing some our taxes at it too).
In the 'no' corner is Richard Garvie, Brianb, and a lot of non-retailers.
Interesting to see that the position of Newbury Events Manager now includes promoting the "Yes" agenda perhaps at the expense of the interests of the whole town.
Can anyone remember the last event organised by the TCP? Has there been one this year?
In the 'no' corner is Richard Garvie, Brianb, and a lot of non-retailers.
I'm not quite sure why the vote for a BID in Newbury has anything to do with the Labour party, Richard Garvie or non-retailers. Perhaps you could advise.
I'm not quite sure why the vote for a BID in Newbury has anything to do with the Labour party, Richard Garvie or non-retailers. Perhaps you could advise.
Not sure about the Labour Party but if (and I don't know if this is the case) West Berkshire Council is paying for this, then it has a lot to do with non-retailers. We currently have a situation where cuts are being made and I would be less than happy to hear that money is going into a venture that has no defined objectives and no disclosed benefit to the town.
BIDs are often successful at attracting funding in addition to the BID levy. They are particularly attractive to public sector grant making bodies (such as Regional Development Agencies) due to the private sector match-funding available through the BID levy. Local authorities, property owners, and businesses outside the BID area have all provided additional income for BIDs.
BIDs enter into baseline agreements with the local authority and other service providers which guarantee the level of service provision in the area. These ensure that any services the BID provides are truly additional.
An Operating Agreement is also entered into between a BID and their local authority governing how the BID levy monies are collected and administered and passed over to the BID.
List as promised (from Junction to Stations as Lovejoy requested):
Pageant, T4 Cameras, Dram Room, Dry Cleaners, Peter Earthy Jewellery, Bravo, RSPCA, Bloody Mary tatoos, Empire Bakery, Super Star Hair, Harry's Hair, Natural Therapy, Dentist, Mills & Bann solicitor and then the takeaways / pubs etc: Con Club, King Charles, Indian Lounge, Nawab, The Plaice, Lucky's, Prezzo, Mr India, Lotus Garden, Oitijjo and Chilli's.
I think the purpose of this list was to prove that retail was worth protecting in Cheap Street itself. By my counting, 12 are classed as retailers not including the takeaways and other services.
LOL, including the Con Club!
I cannot realy remember the last time I walked down a street & suddenly was induced to enter a solicitors by the brilliance of their window display to sign up for legal procedures I did not need.....
I cannot realy remember the last time I walked down a street & suddenly was induced to enter a solicitors by the brilliance of their window display to sign up for legal procedures I did not need.....
Wherever you trade these days, a car park within reasonable distance is paramount. Construction of the cinema deprived this area of the town's second most popular car park (The most popular at the time was the M & S car park). The lack of sensible parking (you can't park on the street because of the aggressive attitude of the Green Meanies) is affecting all businesses including solicitors.
The Con Club has its own private car park, although I do believe that this is under threat from inclusion within the Market Street development proposal. (The Market Street development was planned under a Lib Dem administration)
I'm pretty sure you can park on the street for a limited time too for free, so those wishing to blame the poor performance of their business will have to think of a new excuse other than lack of parking given this area of the town actually has the most free parking of all.
I'm pretty sure you can park on the street for a limited time too for free, so those wishing to blame the poor performance of their business will have to think of a new excuse other than lack of parking given this area of the town actually has the most free parking of all.
User23 you always have what you consider to be the answer to anything logical put forward on this forum. There are two words which I would ask you to consider "convenience" and "awareness". There is no "convenient" car parking in this area that potential shoppers are "aware" of.
"I couldn't stop to buy a couple of cakes because all of the on street parking was taken and your little car park down the road doesn't exist any more".
"Well were you not aware that you can park in Sainsbury,s for up to 3 hours. You go back onto the dual carrigeway down to the roundabout take the 4th exit follow the road along and turn right at the traffic lights. Then follow the signs into Sainsbury's. Park your car and then WALK out onto King's Road, cross the A339 then follow Kings Road West which will bring you back onto Cheap Street. This will only take you an extra 20 minutes at the most. Although you would be better off to pop into Sainsbury's and buy your cakes and do the rest of your shopping at the same time".
User23 you have the same arrogant attitude that pervades the offices of your employers and why so many ridiculous decisions have been taken in this town over the last few years.
Please ring the new BID manager on 01635 760309 his name is Russell Downing. He will confirm that without exception, every business in Cheap Street is blaming lack of convenient parking for the decline of this area of town.
BIDs are often successful at attracting funding in addition to the BID levy. They are particularly attractive to public sector grant making bodies (such as Regional Development Agencies) due to the private sector match-funding available through the BID levy. Local authorities, property owners, and businesses outside the BID area have all provided additional income for BIDs.
BIDs enter into baseline agreements with the local authority and other service providers which guarantee the level of service provision in the area. These ensure that any services the BID provides are truly additional.
An Operating Agreement is also entered into between a BID and their local authority governing how the BID levy monies are collected and administered and passed over to the BID.
Thanks. That's useful for seeing what a BID is but I still don't understand what the organisers in Newbury intend to do with the funds they collect. What are the additional services? What value will they have to the town and who will they benefit most? This does seem fundamental to the aims of the BID and surely there must be something in Newbury that indicates what this is, especially as money has already been spent for the BID. Any idea where this is stated?
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