Shaping the Future of Plymouth City Centre
A draft new vision is being drawn up toenliven and improve Plymouth City Centre and meet the challenges facing theHigh Street.
The Plymouth City Centre Company is workingup proposals for a new five year business plan to put before businesses laterthis year.
The not-for-profit company, which runs thecity centre Business Improvement District (BID), says it will build on itssuccess in delivering events and championing the city centre, as well asbringing forward new ideas to reflect the changing nature of the High Streetand customer expectations.
Next week (September 25) the company’s draft proposals will be discussed at Plymouth City Council’s Scrutiny Committee.
The BID will seek to continue itsactivities for a further five years from April 2020, subject to a successfulballot of businesses next February.
It was one of the first BIDs in the UK whenit was set up in 2005 and has twice been voted back in by businesses.
Since then, it has:
- Delivered hundreds of events todrive footfall
- Reduced crime through itsaward-winning Plymouth Against Retail Crime (PARC) scheme
- Promoted the city centrelocally, nationally and internationally
- Lobbied for and influenced thecouncil’s city centre masterplan
- Worked with partners to attractinward investment
- Reduced business costs
It is well known for its flagship eventssuch as Flavour Fest, the biggest food and drink festival in the South West andits packed programme of Christmas activities.
More recently it has launched the West EndCarnival and created a new brand for the West End to attract more visitors tothat part of the city centre.
City council leader, councillor Tudor Evans, said: “TheCouncil has promoted the BID since it was created and is proud of the unbrokenrecord in BID renewal. The coalition of businesses of the City Centre Companyand the Council is vital to face the challenges of change in the retailsector.”
The city centre is wellplaced for growth with £400 million of development on the way, including TheBox, a new cultural attraction for the 21st century and The Barcode,a new cinema and leisure complex.
It has also beenshortlisted for up to £25 million of funding from the Future High Streets Fundand a Heritage Action Zone grant of £1.9 million.
Steve Hughes, chiefexecutive of the Plymouth City Centre Company, said: “We are moving in theright direction and the addition of more leisure to the city centre will behugely important in improving the experience for our visitors.
“But we need to do more.Our new business plan will seek to maximise the potential of the new and morediverse cultural offer and the Mayflower 400 anniversary and we need to findnew uses for some of our long-standing empty retail units.
The Scrutiny Committee will be asked toendorse the principles and approach of the Plymouth City Centre Company BID andits Business Plan for 2020 -2025 and to act as ballot holder for the vote bybusinesses next February.