2012 2017 PROPOSAL
2012 2017 Heart of London Business Alliance Piccadilly and St James s
FOREWORD Our area is home to some of the most celebrated heritage, architecture, brands and businesses in the world an unparalleled destination. In today s highly competitive environment, however, more and more destinations are seeing the value of working collectively to raise their game and attract the discerning employee, visitor and customer. We too must step change our approach if we are to retain the high-ground and ensure ours is the destination to visit here in our world city. Through working with an organisation like Heart of London Business Alliance we can be part of a collective body with an established and credible business voice to lobby, affect change and help us deliver our aspirations for the future of the Piccadilly and St James s area. Whether an office occupier, a premium brand or retailer, our reputations rely on this area remaining of the highest quality, with the warmest welcome, the most exciting events and promoted through innovative, imaginative marketing. We must continue to attract the best businesses and staff and offer the finest shopping, dining and culture. Vitally, we must encourage investment in the future of our area, protecting and safeguarding its reputation through maintaining a well managed, safe and attractive environment. This organisation will help us keep this a world class location complementing the successful work we achieve through the St James s Strategies and the Jermyn Street Association. us have formed a Steering Group to lead on this. Already we have begun benefiting from a number of the advantages which Heart of London can bring ranging from being at the table to support the Piccadilly Two-Way scheme which will be completed later this year, London 2012 business briefings, Metropolitan Police forums regarding protests and marches as well as vital early support for a proposed Queen s Diamond Jubilee event. This proposal gives an overview of what we can achieve together. We hope you will support it and vote in February 2012 to establish a Business Improvement District for Piccadilly and St James s. Beverley Aspinall Managing Director Fortnum & Mason On behalf of the Piccadilly and St James s Leadership & Steering Group We have been exploring the opportunity of working with Heart of London for a while and a number of 4
INTRODUCTION Heart of London Business Alliance has been operational for over ten years across the Piccadilly Circus and Leicester Square area with a track record of influencing to make things happen. Our purpose is to support the commercial wellbeing of the businesses and organisations we represent. We recognise the immense value and prestige the Piccadilly and St James s areas bring to central London and we are confident that through linking our areas together as a collective voice, we can bring added value through the strong working relationships we have established with those who govern and shape our political, cultural and trading environment. From the Mayor of London, Leader of the Council and Police Commissioner to the many other influential partners we work with hand in hand, we can achieve more by working together. tasks we must accomplish and shows how we intend to tackle them on your behalf in the five years ahead. I very much look forward to working with you as we bring these plans to life. Sarah Porter Chief Executive Heart of London Business Alliance We see the importance of BIDs in helping champion and support thriving trading communities and as such enjoy a collaborative partnership with Heart of London which I believe benefits both private and public sectors alike. Councillor Brian Connell, Cabinet Member, Westminster City Council This needs futuristic thinking, a common purpose and the best marketing to leverage all the good work already being achieved here. Over the years our organisation has matured and earned its place as a credible contributor at strategic level, debating with policy makers to ensure business concerns are heard and acted upon. For example, we are actively working with the Metropolitan Police Authority to help safeguard businesses during demonstrations and protests in this area. We are part of the decision making process as to how these events will be managed in the future. This Proposal sets out our plans for the future, reflecting the priorities you gave us through extensive business consultation. It highlights the key 5
Contents Your Priorities 8 Proposal Summary 9 The Year 2012 10 Delivery Plan 2012-2017 13 Influencing the Agenda 15 Delivering a Strong Business Voice 16 Positioning and Promoting 19 Driving Down Costs 23 Street Management 27 Connecting with You 33 Governance 36 Reporting and Evaluating 39 Using Your Vote 40 Finance 42 Area Maps 44 BID Area Streets 46
YOUR PRIORITIES Through consultation you provided clear direction and we will be focused on the following priorities: Having a collective business voice to influence public authorities Destination marketing to reinforce Piccadilly and St James s as a world class destination in which to work and welcome visitors Delivery of signature events Operational cost savings Enhanced quality of the environment Integrated street management Better communication, intelligence and market research for businesses 8
PROPOSAL SUMMARY Driving down costs through specialist procurement and economies of scale ensuring we deliver genuine added value and tangible economic benefit. We will implement successful schemes and investigate more initiatives to meet our businesses corporate social responsibility and environmental ambitions. Effective management of the streets through a collaborative structure developed with our partners at Westminster City Council and the Metropolitan Police, pooling our resources and skills to create an integrated, seamless and comprehensive street management service. Providing strategic and operational support to deliver the priorities you want to see on the streets. Influencing the agenda through communicating a strong, united business voice on the wide range of issues you prioritised through consultation, to meet our collective ambitions and effect positive change for the area. Informative business communications which provide a vital two way artery of factual, timely intelligence. Engagement which ensures we are problem-solving through our Heart of London Ambassadors on the streets and ensuring our businesses are included in relevant events and at sector and issue specific forums. Our comprehensive reporting and evaluation procedures will analyse our performance and show return on investment. A robust promotional strategy to support businesses and firmly position the Piccadilly and St James s area on the international and national stage as a distinctive destination at the heart of London s West End. To raise share of voice for the area in the media and online. Ensure we help businesses optimise the opportunity of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, championing unique ideas and spectacular events commensurate with this world class destination. 9
THE YEAR 2012 2012 will see the completion of the Piccadilly Two- Way Scheme. In competition with other central London locations, Heart of London helped secure funding to deliver this significant improvement to the area which will ensure improved pedestrian crossings, reduction of street clutter, greater footway space and better street lighting. A major focus for the coming year will be to help you maximise the value of The Queen s Diamond Jubilee and London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, working hard to develop an exciting programme of activities to ensure this area is very much part of these momentous events, whilst minimising disruption to your business. With the sheer size of the opportunity and impact of this global event, businesses here on the ground work closely with Heart of London to ensure they are a truly representative voice of the retailers and also to be kept up to date on how plans are evolving. James Grieves, Area Manager West End, London, Boots (UK) The Queen s Diamond Jubilee Already we have formed a working party with businesses from this area to look at how Piccadilly can host a Street Party in recognition of Her Majesty The Queen s Diamond Jubilee. The objective is to design and deliver an event which brings to life the key focal points across the area in a celebratory way. We have created a brief to attract the best ideas and organisations to help us achieve this. Our brief requires a clear strategy and implementation plan, proposed funding mechanisms, a detailed breakdown of budget and timescale as well as recommendations for leveraging the event through marketing and PR. We are developing these plans with you now to ensure this becomes a magnificent event to remember. The idea of staging something so spectacular in honour of the Queen is so fitting for a destination like ours which boasts prestigious stores and brands by Royal Appointment. Beverley Aspinall, Managing Director, Fortnum & Mason 10
The London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games Hosting and celebrating globally important events brings with it a world of opportunity but realistically, some challenges to overcome. We will ensure we do everything possible to keep businesses operational whilst optimising the potential of the London 2012 Games, providing support before and during Games time. We will help you to assess: the operational impact to your business, planning for the traffic and congestion issues and how goods, deliveries and collections will be affected travel planning for employees through the Keep on Running campaign ensuring everyone can get to work safely and on time. We will be hosting sessions to help you in your own planning process the look and feel of the area, to make sure we are intrinsically connected to the Games and making the most of the opportunity. This is being led by the Mayor s Office everything from street banners to creating colour zones. We will be sharing advice with you to help business see how and where they can incorporate themes to enter into the celebrations and inextricably link you to it how to join in the Welcome aspect where we can all play a vital role. We are integral to the Greater London Authority s Welcome to London initiative which is dedicated to delivering the best experience the capital has to offer through integrated, co-ordinated visitor information and resource planning. It is about ensuring our location is visitor-centric, reflecting our local content and personality. The sheer size of the opportunity and impact of this global event means that as businesses here on the ground we welcome Heart of London keeping us up-to-the minute on how plans are evolving Bruce Wilson, Head of Business Rates, Tesco On an ongoing basis, we will be working hard to ensure we are your first port-of-call for news, information and advice on every aspect surrounding the events of 2012. Heart of London plays an active part on the Welcome to London Advisory Group which means we will be making sure your views are represented in how we welcome, marshal and entertain the many millions of visitors we expect in 2012. Our team will continue working with Westminster City Council, Metropolitan Police, the Mayor s Office and others as they prepare their operations. Every month we will be meeting with Westminster City Council to discuss current issues and their potential impact. As operational plans are firmed up we will ensure our businesses needs are kept at the forefront and dissemination of information is quick and factual. We will be championing unique ideas for spectacular events commensurate with our world-class status, working with all parties to ensure smooth running, well managed events are staged to showcase all the area has to offer and which attract visitors and spend. London 2012 will bring together the world s greatest sporting event and its greatest city. Businesses here are already helping deliver an economic, social and sporting legacy for years to come. Paul Deighton, Chief Executive, The London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games 11
DELIVERY PLAN 2012-2017
INFLUENCING THE AGENDA We must influence on a wide range of issues at many levels if we are to meet our collective ambitions: from central government and local authority to the international visitor and consumer on our streets. Our role is to understand and champion the issues you want us to help address. With over ten years experience of working closely with an extensive range of partners in and around the area, we can ensure we are influencing the right people at the right time so your business priorities make the agenda and importantly, making way for you to sit at the table where appropriate to personally shape progress going forward. We are able to access and bring together parties to find the right solutions. This area is home to numerous world-renowned office headquarters, hotels and retail and it is essential we influence decisions which safeguard this matchless reputation for premium quality business, shopping, dining and culture. We will be working across the spectrum of opinion formers from planning authorities to conservation groups to ensure this area benefits from focus, investment and support. We welcome our partnership with Heart of London as we can see the benefits available for enhancing our influence with those who govern and shape our cultural, trading and political environment." Andrew Love, Chairman, The Ritz Club 15
DELIVERING A STRONG BUSINESS VOICE As a united, collective business voice you are more powerful. We will use our knowledge and leverage our contacts to help lobby decision makers, ensuring you an influential voice on the many issues which affect everyday trading, things which colour the experience of staff and visitors alike. From parking and licensing to accessibility and connectivity, we will help identify, meet and talk to the right people. We will simplify the complexities and help deliver the best outcomes and solutions. Through consultation you told us the initial three key areas on which to focus: Protests and Demonstrations We are committed to ensuring better management of the protests and demonstrations which affect this area. It is vital that we share the burden of these events and we are already integral to the discussions exploring ideas such as potential re-routing through other areas in central London. We have just been invited to join the newly established Westminster Safe and Secure Group which focuses on issues relating to counter terrorism and public disorder. This will ensure that the businesses perspective is strategically co-ordinated. We have made a huge step forward in terms of dramatically improving communication between the authorities and businesses during these kinds of events, helping better equip businesses with real-time intelligence and updates. Our current Radio Link system will be fully digital by the end of 2011, allowing us to expand and enhance the ways in which businesses and the police can communicate. Through the one Radio Link handset, you will be able to communicate on three different channels: local area, retail/night-time and to a wider audience for major events, demonstrations and incidents. For the first time, we will be able to deliver bespoke communications to bespoke audiences, meaning that business will be better able to react and respond to situations and events as they unfold. Championing the Pedestrian We support the St James s strategy to redress the balance between pedestrians and vehicles. We were champions of the new Piccadilly Two-Way Scheme which has delivered wider pavements, less traffic and less street clutter. We passionately believe that getting the balance right is vital to achieve a well managed, easily accessed and attractive public realm. Signature Events We have the capacity, credibility and a proven track record to deliver large scale events for this area. We work closely with Westminster City Council and other agencies to ensure major events not only happen but that they place destinations like this securely on the map. We have made significant impact already with imaginative projects like The Maze which promoted the diversity of London s West End. The Maze was staged in the centre of Trafalgar Square and attracted 30,000 visitors, 200 global broadcasts and features generating coverage with a PR value worth 4 million. 16
POSITIONING AND PROMOTING A resounding element of your feedback was the need to set a strategy for destination marketing which will take this area confidently into the future. This strategy must firmly position the area on the international and national stage as a distinctive destination at the heart of London s West End. Your area s reputation is priceless. The calibre of marketing must reflect and match these standards. Our strategy will help achieve: raised share of voice for the Piccadilly and St James s area in the media inclusion of Piccadilly and St James s in the West End Marketing Alliance activity optimised online presence for the business worker and visitor alike development and staging of show stopping events and illuminations promotion of the area s artistic and cultural offer support for the London Luxury initiative business to business promotion a personable welcome on the streets "We are pleased to be working collaboratively with Heart of London and our colleagues at other world famous venues like The National Portrait Gallery helping to bring to life the diversity of the arts and culture offer here in the Heart of London." Ian Blackburn, Director of Buildings and Estates, The Royal Academy Promoting Piccadilly and St James s We will ensure this area is powerfully promoted through our work with the West End Marketing Alliance. This Alliance brings together a range of businesses and organisations with a shared vision to make the West End synonymous with culture, shopping, dining and entertainment through collaborative promotion and marketing, importantly ensuring we promote the area as a great place to do business. As a founding member of this group we have been integral to its success to date and will be preparing exciting plans to showcase this area to the world s media in 2012 and beyond. As a Platinum partner we also work closely with London & Partners where our collective goal is to ensure London is recognised as the best big city on earth! Through this partnership we speak with one voice, vision and mission to all audiences in the UK and internationally. Our role is to ensure this area is integral to that promotion and marketing so that the vibrancy and personality of the area is championed. Online Promotion We will be invigorating our well optimised and easy to navigate consumer website to showcase the wealth of businesses in this area and we are currently looking at developing ways to make this information more available and accessible to people on the move. www.westendlondon.com provides a comprehensive directory of all the key businesses operating within the area. It positions the West End as entertainment, shopping and culture like nowhere else. The vibrant and colourful site provides a taste of what to expect and will feature all the reasons why Piccadilly and St James s provides the ultimate experience. Museums, galleries, premium stores by royal appointment, iconic hotels and world famous bespoke tailoring emporiums as well as some of the most beautiful parkland and architecture in central London. We connect with consumers through Twitter and Facebook on a regular basis keeping our area and your business relevant and front-of-mind. POSITIONING AND PROMOTING 19
Show-stopping Events and Illuminations We will bring inspiration and resource to help create show-stopping events in support of the Queen s Diamond Jubilee and London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Our mission is to work with you to ensure these events staged here are amongst the most spectacular and we will work closely with you to leverage your profile ensuring this area benefits from the increased footfall and world media attention. We will be commissioning designs and ideas to create and deliver real wow factor illumination for this area for 2012 and beyond, ensuring our streets are elegantly dressed to celebrate every occasion in style. We propose extending the Christmas sparkle along Piccadilly through to St James s area, adding to the night-time atmosphere during the commercially important festive period. London Luxury This initiative has already successfully positioned and promoted the area as the ultimate mix of the world s finest fashion, jewellery, dining, accommodation, art and culture. Dedicated marketing campaigns aimed at influencing the international and national markets have delivered profile and media coverage. We will be working with all the partners on the London Luxury strategy to develop fresh ideas looking forward into the future. This area is famous as home to some of the world s premium brands for all the right reasons - its sense of style, elegance and heritage. How we promote the area going forward is critical to protect and build our reputation as unparalleled anywhere else in the world. Stephen Boxall, Managing Director, The Ritz, London Business to Business One of our fundamental aims is to help this business community share and trade products and services. There are a number of promotional routes we take to achieve this. We understand the value of connecting the business community for mutual advantage and will organise forums and events to facilitate this. It is the opportunity to meet, share aspirations and do business. We also manage and deliver a Privilege Card which provides special offers from businesses in the area and all staff in member organisations are eligible to use this. Over 4,500 cards are now in circulation across the Heart of London area and we will be extending the service to encompass Piccadilly and St James s. It s about giving back to our own trading community and all of us who work here. We will be working with businesses to offer special promotions that add value and help us enjoy the great facilities and services we have in our own area. Welcome on the Streets We must not forget the valuable role played out by our Heart of London Ambassadors in terms of positive promotion of the area. These knowledgeable, uniformed guides will be providing additional presence and support on the streets with a brief to give a warm welcome to visitors. Not only do they greet and assist visitors but they help signpost consumers to your venues. Our role is to ensure these Ambassadors remain up-to-date with your developments to ensure they can make the right connections on your behalf. We recognise that Heart of London can bring fresh ideas and resources and help facilitate funding to build on the excellent marketing we have achieved so far. Working together enables us to link and communicate with other stakeholders in the area. Ciarán Fahy, Managing Director of The Cavendish Hotel and Chairman, Jermyn Street Association POSITIONING AND PROMOTING 20
OUR PROMISE A robust marketing strategy A well promoted destination championing its culture, heritage, elegance and luxury Raised share of voice in the media Supportive promotion of your business Spectacular celebrations in 2012 Exciting events which place this area centre stage A personable welcome on the streets Brand new lighting and illuminations Great Privilege Card rewards for those working here POSITIONING AND PROMOTING 21
DRIVING DOWN COSTS Everything we do has to count economically. Our goal is to add value to your business through delivering tangible financial benefits, driving down costs to ensure you are part of a more sustainable district. We can offer the advantages of economies of scale, working with third parties and other funding bodies to procure services to deliver cost savings for you. Recycling We currently operate a recycling scheme for our members. The service has the following benefits:- it saves you money you can recycle your waste in one sack one contractor means fewer vehicles, fewer vehicles means less disruption and a lower carbon footprint Since we introduced this scheme in October 2009, 34,290 recycling sacks and card have been collected which is equivalent of 171.5 tonnes of waste. This has lead to a saving by current Heart of London businesses of 362 tonnes of CO 2. To illustrate the value of this, we would need either 77 acres of pine forest or 3,725 trees to be planted to absorb this amount of CO 2. DRIVING DOWN COSTS 23
business anything in time and effort. We will be working with specialist partners to review for example, businesses current utilities contracts and renegotiating for them. Where appropriate we will work in partnership with owners and managing agents to help further reduce costs. Our aim is to save every business their BID levy and more. We will also review how our businesses are using their energy and provide you with a report on how you can further save by becoming more energy-efficient. We will also be investigating and facilitating other cost saving exercises in areas such as: telecoms business Insurance lighting electrical testing pest control couriers Waste We will be introducing a Zero-2-Landfill waste scheme which will augment the successful recycling scheme we have already put in place. We will also be considering schemes for food and glass waste in particular. A single provider across the entire community will mean better costs, better control, better service levels and reduced traffic flows through the community. Also let s not forget that there will be NO waste going to landfill anymore. Procurement By bringing together the buying power of the community we are able to reduce costs and improve service levels for every business, without it costing DRIVING DOWN COSTS 24
OUR PROMISE To operate an effective recycling scheme To deliver a Zero-2-Landfill waste scheme To deliver specialist procurement and economies of scale initiatives To assist in your corporate social responsibility and environmental ambitions To work with you to help reduce costs DRIVING DOWN COSTS 25
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STREET MANAGEMENT We will be fundamental to helping deliver genuinely integrated street management for this area. We have a collaborative structure with our partners at Westminster City Council and the Metropolitan Police, pooling our resources and skills to create a seamless and comprehensive street management service. The Business Neighbourhood Management Team Business Neighbourhood Manager: a central and senior role in the process of tackling crime and antisocial behaviour, working with all parties and directly responsible for co-ordinating the Heart of London Wardens. Heart of London Street Manager: deputy to the Business Neighbourhood Manager, managing the Heart of London Ambassadors and handling day-to-day issues and priorities. A direct operational link for businesses. Heart of London Ambassadors: handling business liaison, reporting issues and problem-solving and delivering a welcome to visitors to the area. Heart of London Wardens: patrolling, managing and enforcing local street management issues helping sustain a cleaner, safer environment. The Safer Neighbourhood Team, Neighbourhood Crime Reduction Officers and other local wardens and partner agencies will continue to feed into the structure and work as part of the overall team. This custom-built team provides strategic and operational management of the streets and will deliver the priorities you set out through consultation: a safe, secure and well managed area joined-up tasking identifying and reporting rough sleepers a friendly and professional welcome Street Manager Business Neighbourhood Manager Safer Neighbourhood Team Neighbourhood Crime Reduction Team Heart of London Ambassadors Heart of London Wardens Partners STREET MANAGEMENT 27
Business Crime Reduction Partnership Through the Heart of London Business Crime Reduction Partnership we bring our business members together with the Metropolitan Police and Westminster Neighbourhood Crime Reduction Officers, as well as CCTV and other local agencies to help reduce crime and anti-social behaviour. Integral to the Partnership is our Radio Link scheme and our hosting of regular Business Watch, Pub Watch and Cafewatch meetings to share information and discuss issues. With the many major events and celebrations planned, not only will we focus on managing the streets to accommodate these events and ensure they translate to commercial success for our area, but we will be championing and influencing the operational elements, helping manage their impact on our businesses. The threat of terrorism is always with us and working with Heart of London to raise awareness and mitigate risk is vital. Continuity planning is just one area where we will benefit from the role the Alliance can play in helping us to safeguard our area and our people. Yeston Wood, Regional Manager Jermyn Street/West End, TM Contingency Planning We will champion business continuity planning, helping to arm and empower business through continuing to facilitate tactical briefings with the Metropolitan Police and developing crime prevention materials. Event Management A vital component of efficient street management is preparing for the extraordinary as well as the everyday - handling both the exciting and challenging events and projects we see on the horizon and beyond. This is not simply about ensuring a robust infrastructure but also about attention to detail. Understanding the implications of managing large or small scale projects requires pre-planning to minimise disruption and provide business with a constant flow of information so you can plan and resource effectively. Working collaboratively with Heart of London means that together we are able to better prepare for and manage the issues that arise on our streets, both large and small. Simon Bray, Borough Commander, Metropolitan Police STREET MANAGEMENT 28
Parades, Protests and Demonstrations We will continue to influence the Metropolitan Police Authority to ensure these events are not commercially damaging to your business. We will champion your concerns to ensure we are part of the decision making process as to how these events are managed in the future. which focuses on issues relating to counter terrorism and public disorder. This will ensure that the businesses perspective is strategically co-ordinated. We will ensure the flow of intelligence is genuinely joined-up, connecting you through Radio Link, CCTV and the Police, sharing timely, factual information. Our presence in the Command and Control Centre will enable us to know how protests and marches proceed and develop in real-time. We have just been invited to join the newly established Westminster Safe and Secure Group STREET MANAGEMENT 29
Radio Link Businesses can take advantage of our Radio Link scheme designed to help facilitate shared intelligence. The service is linked into CCTV, the Police and our Heart of London Ambassadors providing a seamless communication so business is forewarned and forearmed. We are making huge strides forward with our partners across Westminster with our current Radio Link system which will go fully digital by the end of 2011, allowing us to expand and enhance the ways in which businesses and the police can communicate. Through the one Radio Link handset, you will be able to communicate on three different channels: local area, retail/night-time and to a wider audience for major events, demonstrations and incidents. For the first time, we will be able to deliver bespoke communications to bespoke audiences. The immediacy of this is excellent. Through Radio Link our staff can be better prepared to handle situations, safeguarding staff and customers alike. Alex Garland, Managing Director, Planet Hollywood Street Cleansing We know clean, fresh, litter-free streets are a prerequisite for an area of this calibre. Through collaborative working we have developed an intelligent approach to effective street cleansing. We will raise issues at a higher level to influence those setting the street management strategy agenda. We will monitor the impact of urination hotspots, street flushing and litter picking. Our Heart of London Ambassadors are the eyes and ears on the streets, helping identify and rectify these and other issues. These Ambassadors meet with businesses every day to listen and respond, providing the most effective process to manage the issues you raise. We will establish baseline agreements with Westminster City Council to identify gaps and help provide additional cleansing support where necessary. An area of such prestige deserves a seamless service of street cleansing - 52 weeks and 365 days a year. STREET MANAGEMENT 30
OUR PROMISE Effective, integrated street management Efficient problem-solving for every day issues A Business Crime Reduction Partnership A friendly ambassadorial welcome to the area Reduced crime and anti-social behaviour Reduced incidents of rough sleeping Contingency planning Support regarding demonstrations and parades Fresh and clean streets STREET MANAGEMENT 31
CONNECTING WITH YOU We will provide a vital two-way artery of factual, timely intelligence. Connectivity helps us punch above our weight on issues that affect you. If we are to influence effectively we must have constant and regular communication with you and our robust contact programme will ensure we are connecting with you at many levels within your business to listen as well as to inform. Business Briefings From the London 2012 Olympic Games to planned demonstrations and protest marches, we champion and arrange business briefings on topics we know will affect your trading environment and your staff. We ensure the right people are briefing you directly, so you can ask the questions you need answers to. We will fuel you with information about anything that impacts the environment in which you trade. Effective communication allows us as a business community to share invaluable experience and expertise; to provide information on which to base trading decisions and to present a unified voice. We have already been invited to join Heart of London s facilitated Business Briefings and have found them to be both interesting and information-packed. Helen Kirwan, Head of Facilities, British Academy of Film and Television Arts One to One Contact We pride ourselves on being able to listen to business to know your views, gather your opinion on policies and feed through changes that may affect you. At Street Level Our Heart of London Ambassadors provide a vital link with you at operational level. Whilst their primary role is to provide a warm welcome to the area and help wayfind with directions, they also problem-solve quickly and efficiently and report issues to the relevant agencies. CONNECTING WITH YOU 33
Conferences and Events Being included at major conferences and events which are relevant to you and your business is something we will champion and facilitate - it not only informs but enables you to make important connections. Forums Whether sector or issue based, our forums are designed to keep you involved and help you prepare and plan. Reports and Evaluation We will prepare and distribute Annual Reports which track and measure the results we are achieving against the clear objectives you have set us for the next five year term. We lay out clearly in the Reporting and Evaluating section exactly how we plan to do this. Currently we run a number of forums and we will be building on the range and scope of these types of forums, creating new groups as they are required. Online Through our business-dedicated website at www.heartoflondonbid.co.uk, we provide you with a one- stop source of information, reports, research and the latest up-to-date intelligence on everything that affects our area. There is also a wide range of links recommended to help generate useful connections. Our team here at Heart of London ensures the site is constantly managed and refreshed and if you have any comments regarding the site, we would welcome your thoughts. E-communications Regular, relevant and timely e-communications is a bedrock of our service. Whether it is knowing when roadworks are planned in your street or when the first London 2012 Olympic Games event is being staged, our role is to arm you with everything you need to pre-plan, manage and where possible optimise events and opportunities. CONNECTING WITH YOU 34
OUR PROMISE Extensive consultancy and engagement with you Inclusion in all relevant events Sector and issue specific forums to join Informative and helpful websites Regular and timely e-communications to assist and inform Useful and enjoyable networking opportunities CONNECTING WITH YOU 35
GOVERNANCE The Purpose of BIDs Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) are businessled and business-funded organisations formed to improve a defined commercial area. BIDs are statutorily established having been voted for by the majority of businesses in the defined area and have a maximum term of five years before returning to their electorate in order to be renewed. Heart of London Business Alliance was the first BID to be established in central London in 2005 and over 120 BIDs are now operating across the UK. Accreditation Heart of London Business Alliance is a British BIDs Accredited organisation and we will be applying in 2012 for the Advanced Level Accreditation further underpinning our quality management systems. The Company Heart of London Business Alliance is the BID Proposer for the new BID area along Piccadilly and St James s and is the legal entity that will run the activities of that BID assuming a successful ballot, alongside its existing BID area around Leicester Square and Piccadilly Circus. This ballot is being run separately but simultaneously with the Renewal ballot for the existing area. The Board The current Heart of London Business Alliance Board of Directors lead and guide the work of the Business Alliance and have been elected from a variety of sectors including property owners to offer a wide range of skills, experience and balanced opinion. In the event of a successful ballot in the Piccadilly and St James s area, the Board membership will be broadened to ensure a balanced representation from both geographical areas. The Heart of London Team The professional and enthusiastic team at Heart of London Business Alliance will deliver the projects and services outlined in the Business Proposal, with the support of specialist advisors. Full details of our Directors and the Heart of London team including how we operate, report and evaluate everything we do can be found on our constantly updated website www.heartoflondonbid.co.uk To view the Seven Years of Delivery report visit www.heartoflondonbid.co.uk and click About Us. Residents The Ward Councillor for St James s is a Board Director at Heart of London representing the views of residents in the area. In the event that one of the ballots is unsuccessful, Heart of London Business Alliance will continue to run activities in the successful area. 36
Street Associations We will continue to work in partnership with the Street Associations in the area to ensure a collaborative approach that will benefit all the businesses we jointly represent. Jermyn St and Regent St Association members who are liable for the BID Levy at 1st April 2012, will not have to invest twice. Association membership fees will be ring-fenced within the BID Levy and paid to the individual Associations. Other businesses in Jermyn St or Lower Regent St who are liable for the BID Levy will be invited to become Association members and their membership fee (as at September 2011) will also be ring-fenced. This fee will be capped at 1% of the Rateable Value as at 1st April 2012. The BID Levy will be allocated against the agreed Business Plan which has been developed through extensive consultation with all businesses. The Associations will play a role in the business management structure through involvement, where appropriate, as co-opted members of the Special Task Groups. Voluntary Funding Businesses of all sizes are important to us. A voluntary membership scheme for businesses falling beneath the levy threshold will be established. This will give smaller businesses the opportunity to engage with, and benefit from the BID whilst not being compelled to pay a mandatory levy. Property Owner BID Heart of London Business Alliance has always been well supported by property owners through voluntary contributions. Government legislation is now emerging to facilitate a formal process to enable all owners to contribute. Finalisation of the Regulations to put this in place is anticipated to enable a ballot for property owners to take place beyond Spring 2012. Early consultation with existing contributors is underway. As property owners we must remain focused on the long term value of our interests and we recognise that BIDs funded by owners and occupiers enhances both this value and our investment. Anthea Harries, Portfolio Manager St James s, The Crown Estate 37
REPORTING AND EVALUATING We will feedback reports on the following: investment in the area new business activity business feedback and satisfaction surveys consumer perception surveys helping measure changes in people s perceptions The launch of the West End Sales Index has armed us with vital retail intelligence helping us better understand the trends along our world famous streets. To augment this, we launched the Heart of London Food and Beverage Index which helps us chart monthly percentage changes in sales. This scheme is gathering momentum with more businesses choosing to take part and we will continue to manage this and share the important data it generates. Now as never before we are aware of the importance of evaluating the work we do. Setting high standards and delivering against these is fundamental to this Business Proposal Andy Godfrey, Chair, Heart of London Business Alliance We will provide useful intelligence and research which helps your business planning as well as thorough evaluation of our work with detail of all key activities undertaken, insights and learnings as well as demonstrating return on investment. Area Intelligence We will continue to produce the West End Tracker which is an index representing current and future forecasts of socio-economic destination indicators. We will investigate the value of potentially installing footflow cameras within the area to provide useful statistics with a view to interpreting and passing on this information on a monthly basis. Measuring our Performance In addition we will be measuring our performance against a range of indicators where we can have influence: numbers of issues reported and sorted by Heart of London Ambassadors within set timeframes level of cost saving initiatives offered media coverage analysed by editorial value equivalent/reach and circulation/key message communication WOW Privilege Card offer redemptions website visits stakeholder feedback 39
USING YOUR VOTE From 24th January 2012 you will be given the opportunity to vote on this Business Proposal for Heart of London Business Alliance to become operational on your behalf. To ensure neutrality, the BID ballot is administered by the City of Westminster Returning Officer and his Electoral Services staff. It will be arranged in line with the rules set out in the BID regulations (2004) as approved by Parliament. The ballot needs to satisfy two tests a majority in number of those voting and a majority in proportion of Rateable Value of those voting. The BID levy can only come into effect if these two tests are met. The BID Levy is then applicable to all eligible businesses. All eligible businesses will be entitled to one vote per hereditament. Some businesses occupying more than one hereditament within the area will therefore be entitled to more than one vote. A full list of businesses eligible to vote is available at www.heartoflondonbid.co.uk Voting procedures your ballot paper will reach you by post on 24th January 2012 you will need to cast and return your postal vote by 5pm on 23rd February 2012 the results of the vote will be announced online on 24th February 2012 To discuss this document in more detail please call 020 7839 3409 to speak to Sarah Porter, Chief Executive or Karen Baines, Head of Communications or email sarah.porter@heartoflondonbid.co.uk or karen.baines@heartoflondonbid.co.uk BID Levy Rules The BID process is governed by Government legislation and regulations. As such, once a majority vote had been achieved, the BID levy becomes mandatory on all defined ratepayers. The rules for the BID levy are as follows: the Renewal BID term will be five years from 1st April 2012 to 31st March 2017 the BID levy will be applied to rated properties in the BID with a Rateable Value of 150,000 or more the BID levy will be fixed at 1% of Rateable Value using the 2010 rating list as at 1st April 2010 (rising annually by 0.03%, ie. Year 2: 1.03%, Year 3: 1.06%, Year 4: 1.09%, Year 5: 1.12%) the liability for the daily BID levy will fall on the eligible ratepayer charitable organisations in receipt of mandatory charitable relief from rates will receive 80% allowance the BID levy will not be increased other than those specified in these levy rules the BID levy is to be paid in full within 14 days of receipt of invoice there will be no VAT charged on the BID levy refunds will be at the discretion of the BID a full version of the rules can be found at www.heartoflondonbid.co.uk Full ballot arrangements are available at www.heartoflondonbid.co.uk 40
FINANCE Indicative BID B udget - 5 year cash projection 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 Income BID Levy 760,950 783,779 806,607 829,436 852,264 Voluntary Income - Property Owner 109,020 112,291 115,659 119,129 122,703 Voluntary Income - Other 13,648 14,057 14,479 14,914 15,361 Total 883,618 910,127 936,745 963,479 990,328 Expenditure Influencing the agenda 29,225 30,102 31,005 31,935 32,893 Positioning & promoting 238,609 245,768 253,141 260,735 268,557 2012 74,100 0 0 0 0 Driving down costs 51,350 52,891 54,478 56,112 57,795 Integrated street management 199,230 205,207 211,363 217,704 224,235 Connecting with you 59,517 61,303 63,142 65,036 66,987 Reporting & evaluating 77,518 79,843 82,238 84,706 87,247 Management (Core Costs) 75,000 77,250 79,568 81,955 84,413 Provision for street associations 40,000 41,200 42,436 43,709 45,020 Contingency 38,048 39,189 40,330 41,472 42,613 Total 882,598 832,752 857,701 883,363 909,761 Notes: Budget figures are indicative based on the anticipated levy income. Management and overheads will cover all costs associated with the staffing, legal, accountancy and accommodation for the BID. Assumed 0.03% annual inflationary increase and 95% levy collection rate. Expenditure headings correlate with business plan. Voluntary income confirmed for 2012-13, assumed assured for subsequent years. Contingency based upon 5% of BID levy. Indicative BID Budget 2012/13 Voluntary income - other 2% Voluntary income - property owner 12% BID levy 86% Influencing the agenda 3.5% Contingency 4% Provision for street associations 4% Positioning & promoting 27% 2012 8.5% Driving down costs 6% Integrated street management 22.5% Connecting with you 7% Reporting & evaluating 9% Management 8.5% 42
Financial Management Through an Operating Agreement with Westminster City Council the following process will be put in place to monitor the BID finances over the duration of its five year tenure. Within one month of the Ballot result Heart of London and Westminster City Council will set up an Accounting Procedures and Monitoring Group. There will be at least two meetings of the Group each financial year throughout the BID term. At each meeting the Monitoring Group will: review the effectiveness of the collection and enforcement of the BID levy if required, assess the information provided by Westminster City Council and Heart of London and make recommendations for adjustments Within two months after the end of each financial year Westminster City Council will provide an annual report to Heart of London. Within one month from the receipt of the annual report in each financial year Heart of London shall provide a BID Company Report to Westminster City Council. On a monthly basis Westminster City Council will provide Heart of London with the following information: the amount of the BID levy for each BID levy payer the amount of the BID levy collected for each BID levy payer details of those who have not paid details of reminder notices issued details of liability orders applied for details of any agreement which is made to extend the payment terms After the first two months of the BID term and then at six monthly intervals Heart of London will provide Westminster City Council with the following information: the amount of BID levy received from Westminster City Council the contributions received by Heart of London excluding BID levy payers the total expenditure of the company 43
Proposal final artwork:layout 1 21/10/11 14:25 Page 44 Piccadilly & St James s BID Area
Proposal final artwork:layout 1 21/10/11 14:25 Page 45 Existing BID Area
BID AREA STREETS All of the following streets are included in full or in part: Piccadilly (to Stratton Street) Burlington Arcade Princes Arcade Piccadilly Arcade Jermyn Street (excluding current BID area) Haymarket (excluding current BID area) Lower Regent Street Waterloo Place Burlington House - Piccadilly Eagle House - Jermyn Street Northdale House - Haymarket Princes House - Jermyn Street Eagle Place Church Place St James s Market St Albans Street Norris Street Carlton Street Royal Opera Arcade Charles II Street Duke Street Excel Court For a detailed list of properties within the BID area visit www.heartoflondonbid.co.uk 46