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Saturday’s 9th annual Motor Festival has resulted in record numbers of visitors to Worcester city centre, organisers have announced.
Figures released have shown that the impact of the event was such that footfall on the day rose 37% compared with the previous Saturday and was 3% higher than the event last year. Meanwhile, the usage of pay for parking by phone scheme RingGo has its busiest day since it became available in the 14 City Council car parks in November 2010.
Adrian Field, Head of Worcester BID who organised the event added ‘the number of people in the city centre on Saturday was comparable with the Saturday just 12 days before Christmas which is outstanding. We are delighted with the feedback from the businesses, public, street entertainers and the car dealerships and vintage car owners which has all been positive. The number of businesses who got involved was higher than in previous years with more streets having activities on them. The new elements of the event such as the F1 simulator, workshops to allow children to paint using remote controlled cars and Scalextric course were clearly enjoyed by all. We noticed that people stayed in the city centre longer as well which was an aim as this helps to translate into higher sales with the businesses.’
Winner of the Best Dressed Shop Window competition was ladies boutique, Halo Style, based in CrownGate Shopping Centre’s Chapel Walk which featured F1 overalls, car tyres and even a racing car chassis.
Mr Field added ‘The aim of the events is to try and get people into businesses and areas of the city centre that they perhaps haven’t been to before and to use them as a shop window for the businesses here in order to encourage return visits.’
Ian Cook of PopbangColour is a contemporary British artist internationally known for his unique form of painting. Ian creates his art solely using the method of radio-controlled cars, car tyres and toy car wheels as his paintbrushes.
Visitors of the Worcester Motor Festival have the special opportunity to see Ian creating his art work live at the event. His pop up workshop will be located in the unit at the corner of The Shambles and Pump Street (formerly Card Party) during the Motor Festival on Saturday 16th May.
With a first degree in Fine Art Painting from Winchester School of Art, Ian has a quirky edge and describes his work as a ‘friendly explosion of colour’ which captures attention through his unusual method of working and live performance art.
Ian has recently demonstrated his creative skills at prestigious national and international events including the World Endurance Championships at Silverstone, British Touring Car Championships, World Rally Championships in Strasbourg, Autosport International and the Dubai Motor Show.
He is also famous for the creation of the Morgan #3WheelArt, a specially wrapped Morgan 3 Wheeler displaying the unique PopbangColour artwork. It was exhibited at the Geneva Motor Show this year to much acclaim and will be on display near his pop up unit at the Motor Festival.
Ian Cook said “The whole idea of creating the #3WheelArt is that it would be used, be seen and be experienced by people. It would attend events, be shared on social media and used throughout 2015. For me the car is an artwork that evolves, rather than being on display as a static vehicle somewhere.”
Nadja von Dahlen, Worcester BID Marketing & Events Manager, said “We are absolutely delighted that Ian will be showcasing his fun style of working to create motoring themed art live at our event here in Worcester city centre. Combined with the display of the Morgan #3WheelArt it is promising to be a hugely popular new feature at the Worcester Motor Festival this year”.
The 9th Worcester Motor Festival will be featuring the latest dealership cars and motorcycles, as well as showcasing a great array of rare historic vehicles throughout the city centre on Saturday 16th May 2015.
In High Street local and regional dealerships will be exhibiting around 50 of the latest two and four wheelers on the market from 9am to 5pm. If you are considering buying a new car, this free event is a must for you to see models from 19 different manufacturers in one location! Compare economical and practical family cars, fun cabriolets, SUVs, luxurious sports cars and classic bikes.
Vintage and classic car fans can enjoy a stroll through the pedestrianised event area in the heart of the city centre. View more than 80 eye-catching classic and vintage cars from the late 1920s to the 1970s throughout Worcester’s lively shopping area. Admire rare vehicles by Daimler, Buick and Ford, travel down memory lane when viewing historic Austin, Jaguar, MG and Triumph cars, look out for vintage Hot Rods, plus many more.
New this year are fun activities where you can test your own racing skills at an F1 cockpit simulator and Scalextric racetrack. Why not challenge your friends and family for a race?
New feature areas this year include a display of special Army vehicles at The Shambles and a family friendly police car display in Broad Street, where you can take a look at the latest public order police van and equipment of the West Mercia Police fleet as well as vintage police vehicles and even an American police car. If you love race cars, then don’t miss the opportunity to view a single seater Mclaren and British Hill Climb Championship car at the Shelsley Walsh stand in High Street and find out more about the world’s oldest motor sport venue celebrating 110 years.
Roving street entertainment, traditional dance performances and live music will once again create a fantastic atmosphere! The little ones will certainly enjoy the Worcester Motor Festival with free face painting and a colouring in competition. Pick up a copy of the Worcester Motor Festival event programme for the entry form.
This year there are once again a number of stalls, special offers, in store activities and displays by local city centre businesses throughout the shopping area. There is plenty to see and do for kids and grown-ups – participate in the in-store treasure hunt at WhiteStuff, play interactive games at Joules, find that perfect Diecast or Corgi car at Toys & Games of Worcester, take a look at motoring themed celebrity masks and balloons at the Ultimate Party Shop and enter competitions and prize draws at Jones the Bootmaker and Individual Tailoring. You can even find out about the latest motor insurance deals by A-Plan Insurance and engineering courses at Heart of Worcestershire College.
Take advantage of the Motor Festival’s central location and enjoy Worcester’s fantastic shopping offer browsing through unique independent shops and major High Street chains. We have even collated some fantastic motoring themed special offers for you!
If you prefer a round of relaxing window shopping, why not enter our competition by voting for your favourite motoring themed shop window? Pick up a copy of the Worcester Motor Festival event programme for the entry form and if you need a bit of a break, simply pop into one of Worcester’s quality restaurants, cosy cafés and welcoming bars and pubs.
This free event is certainly not only for car enthusiasts, but for the whole family. For further information please also explore www.worcesterbid.com/motorfestival, follow us on twitter @WorcesterBID or visit www.facebook.com/WorcesterBID.
Cars, cookery demos and celebrations of unique Worcester businesses are all on the agenda in the city centre this year. The Worcester Business Improvement District (BID) has announced its exciting events schedule for this year’s city centre events with the aim to boost trade in the city.
The 9th Worcester Motor Festival will be taking place on Saturday 16th May featuring the latest dealership car and motorcycles, as well as a showcase of a great array of rare historic vehicles throughout the city centre.
After the success of the inaugural Worcester Foodie Festival last year, this is brought to you again by the Worcester BID on Saturday 1st and Sunday 2nd August 2015. Make sure you save the dates and discover the tasty treats that Worcester’s food and drink providers can offer you. The weekend will feature tasting sessions, cookery demonstrations and workshops, stalls and fun activities. This free event is for all the family and takes place throughout Worcester city centre.
New this year will the Worcester Foodie Fortnight from 27th July to 9th August, a celebration of the city’s fantastic food and drink businesses. Look out for delicious sample menus, offers and activities.
Worcester BID Manager Adrian Field said: ‘The new Worcester Foodie Festival aims to promote our fantastic restaurants, cafés, bars and delis. It is a great opportunity for people to get flavour of what Worcester has to offer and encourage people to have a look at businesses they may not have seen before.’
Uniquely Worcester is a campaign to celebrate and showcase the city’s wide range of shops, cafés, bars and other service providers that are independently run and beautifully complement Worcester’s unique character. From 2nd November to 5th December discover new businesses and their products and services, from high-end fashion to traditional toys, diamonds to art and craft supplies and home cooked delicacies to chompable choccies.
Nadja von Dahlen, Worcester BID Marketing & Events Manager said, ‘We are looking forward to working with local BID businesses on these events to create memorable experiences for businesses and visitors alike.’
For further information about Worcester BID events and businesses within the BID area please explore www.worcesterbid.com, visit facebook.com/WorcesterBID or follow @WorcesterBID.
Worcester BID, the company which aims to boost trade in the city centre are celebrating today after businesses gave them the thumbs up to continue for another 5 years.
The result means that over £2 million worth of investment will take place over the next 5 years on city centre initiatives. New projects include more marketing of the city centre, spending on reducing the number of gulls in the city centre, the introduction of hanging baskets, more free training and networking events as well as schemes to reduce overheads including trade waste.
The results of a 28 day postal ballot for which 643 businesses were asked to vote were announced with 65% of those voting willing to pay a levy to fund the delivery of a set of projects to help their own and the city centre’s economy. A majority was required both by number and by the aggregate rateable value of those voting. There was a 50.2% turnout with 323 businesses voting. The ballot was conducted independently by Electoral Reform Services.
A Business Improvement District (BID) can operate for a maximum 5 year period and since starting trading in 2010, the Worcester BID have won or been shortlisted for 5 national awards including its work to get people back into the city during and after the floods earlier this year. They were also shortlisted for their entry in the recent High Street of the Year Awards.
Nicki Williams, Chairman of Worcester BID said ‘We are delighted that the majority of businesses who took time to vote and have their say have decided that they want the BID to continue and deliver the projects that they wanted to see. Businesses had the opportunity to help shape the future of the city centre through our consultation events and exercises in the summer and we believe that all sectors which make up this fantastic location will benefit.’
Head of Worcester BID, Adrian Field added ‘The BID staff and Board members who are made up of people from city centre businesses have worked extremely hard in the last 4½ years to make Worcester a place which has overcome the economic downturn better than the vast majority of other places in the country. The Foodie Festival, Motor Festival, introduction of RingGo Pay for Parking, new fingerpost signage, business overhead reduction schemes, funding for CityNet and NightSafe anti crime groups, Christmas promotional campaigns and our popular Uniquely Yours book to promote independent businesses for example have all been delivered as a result of the Worcester BID. It is the businesses who make a BID successful and we are really pleased that they have clearly indicated their support for the next 5 years as there is still a lot of work to be done in order to compete with other centres.
The current BID term finishes in March 2015 and more information on the BID including the projects it delivers can be found at www.worcesterbid.com
Worcester Business Improvement District (BID) is again celebrating after being recognised for their work in a national awards ceremony.
The not for profit organisation which aims to boost trade for its city centre members was runner up in the British BIDs ‘Proud Projects’ Awards for their work earlier in the year in getting people back in to the businesses during and after the floods through their open4business social media campaign. The award follows on from success at winning the Association of Town and City Management’s (ATCM) Award in July. The latest recognition beat applications from over 80 other towns and cities in the UK.
The company, which is currently asking businesses if they are willing to fund them to deliver projects requested by businesses for another 5 year term via a 28 day ballot was also shortlisted for the Future High Street Forum’s ‘High Street of the Year’ last month and despite not landing the winner’s prize, Head of Worcester BID Adrian Field added ‘we are delighted that we have been recognised by three national bodies for the work we have undertaken to help businesses this year. We have now been recognised nationally for 3 of our projects 5 times since being set up in April 2010 and we would clearly hope businesses will want us to support them for another 5 year term.’
Eligible businesses in the BID area have until 27th November to cast their vote with a majority of those voting both by number and rateable value needed for it to continue beyond March 2015.
As you will be aware from previous correspondence and local media coverage there is a proposal to create a 240,000 sq.ft. retail park south of Newtown Road by the Worcestershire Royal Hospital. This would include John Lewis, M&S, Sainsbury’s and Next at Home stores. A public consultation exercise took place in September by the developers to which some businesses attended. Detail of the plans can be found at www.worcesterwoodsretail.co.uk
Having spoken to many businesses regarding this proposal, Worcester BID has arranged a meeting with the developers Land Securities so that you can raise any concerns or questions with them. As well as inviting all BID businesses, invitations to this event are also being sent to relevant Councillors including the City Council Planning Committee, planning officers and the media.
It is crucial that your views are aired to these stakeholders before any planning application is submitted. Speaking with BID businesses, it has so far generally caused a lot of concern about how it will impact on the city centre. Our role is to ensure that businesses are informed of the proposal and can have their views heard as well as representing the BID businesses where there is a strong consensus.
The meeting will take place at 6pm on Tuesday 11th November in the Lecture Theatre, All Saints Building, Heart of Worcestershire College, Deansway and we want as many people to attend as possible. To get an idea of numbers for capacity purposes, we would be grateful if you could let us know if you are attending by emailing info@worcesterbid.com along with the names of any attendees and your business name. Otherwise, please let us know on 01905 731612. Please note that numbers are limited so it will be on a first come first served basis.
If you are unable to attend but wish to make your views known or have a question to ask the developers, please also let me know.
We look forward to your anticipated involvement in this very important consultation exercise.
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The countdown is on to determine whether businesses want to see the continuation of an award winning city centre management company.
Eligible businesses in Worcester city centre have today (Thursday) received a copy of Worcester BID’s Business Plan which outlines the planned work for the next 5 years ahead of a 28 day postal ballot which starts on 31st October.
644 shops, offices and leisure businesses will be eligible to vote to see if they are willing to support the proposals which they themselves fund through a levy based on their rateable value. Worcester BID will continue if more than 50% of businesses voting agree to the proposals by number and by aggregate rateable value. The announcement will be made on November 28th, one day after the ballot period closes. The ballot is being conducted independently by Electoral Reform Services.
Head of Worcester BID, Adrian Field said ‘we have a Business Plan that outlines the projects that businesses themselves wanted to see to help them so it is very much demand led and this is how a BID should be. We want to build on the projects that we have delivered for the last 5 years and introduce new ones for the next 5 such as more done to combat the gull population, introducing hanging baskets, more free training and networking opportunities, schemes to reduce overheads and improvements to trade waste recycling.’
Stuart Bailey, Director at BID business Thomas Guise Solicitors in Foregate Street and Vice Chairman of the Worcester BID added ‘We want to ensure that businesses have their say in the ballot and would urge them to look at the Business Plan and our track record in delivering high quality projects such as the Foodie Festival, the recent Uniquely Yours book, open4business marketing campaign during the floods and Customer Service Assessments for example. Businesses need to have an informed view of the proposals and how they will help their business if they sign up to them and the Business Plan delivers this.
If the BID ballot is not successful then events, marketing campaigns such as for Christmas, RingGo pay for parking by phone, funding for CityNet and Nightsafe anti crime groups and deals to reduce overheads would simply go and that would be a disaster for the city.’
Worcester BID have recently led on the submission which shortlisted the city’s High Street for the Future High Street Forum’s High Street of the Year competition and have won national awards for the open4business post flooding campaign and for their loyalty card for employees.
More information on the Worcester BID’s plans can be found at www.worcesterbid.com/bid2
City centre bosses and businesses have hailed the news that Worcester has been shortlisted for a coveted national award as ‘fantastic’ for the city.
The city is to battle it out with other cities, towns and villages in the Great British High Street Awards which aim to highlight new and innovative ways to boost commercial city centre areas.
Adrian Field, Head of Worcester BID (Business Improvement District), who compiled the award’s submission, said it was deserved recognition.
He said: “This is fantastic news for Worcester and the businesses who get involved in the events and campaigns such as the open4business promotion which was so successful in the aftermath of February’s devastating floods. Our High Street looks great with the recent resurfacing at the southern end and we have ridden the economic downturn well as we continue to welcome new businesses such as Moshulu, Joules and this week Swarovski with serious investment soon to take place at Cathedral Plaza.”
“We are delighted that Worcester has been shortlisted for this prestigious award,” said Cllr Marc Bayliss, Cabinet Member for Economic Prosperity. “The City Council is working hard to support our vibrant High Street, which is an essential ingredient to the success of our local economy.”
The submission also included the important role on the economy that events have on the High Street such as the Foodie Festival, Motor Show, Museums on the High Street (MOTHS) parade, Artillery parade, Christmas Fayre, Worcester Music Festival which all led to huge increases in footfall.
The contest is being run by the Future High Street Forum and received more than 135 entries from across the UK.
High Streets Minister Penny Mordaunt said: “There is a real sense of momentum behind our high streets and I’m determined that the hard work of people who have strived to make their high streets great places to work, shop and live is not only recognised but shared with others so they too can learn valuable tips for success.”
“We have seen a lot of enthusiasm for this competition and I’ve heard first hand on my tour on high streets around the country how proud people are of their streets and the value they place on them as an essential part of their community.”
The entries were whittled down to a shortlist and Worcester will now be visited on Monday by a member of the judging panel which consists of key players from the Forum. A winner will then be selected for each category and announced in a month.
The winners will win a share of £50,000 prize money and receive dedicated support and mentoring from industry experts.
A business in Worcester city centre has been crowned Best Business for the second year running for its levels of customer service.
House of Dogs based in New Street beat off the challenge from over 60 other city centre businesses at the 4th annual Worcester BID Customer Service Awards. Scoring perfect marks, the dog grooming business, run by Stuart Wilson also won the Health, Beauty and Well Being category.
The results which are determined after an independent customer service assessment or mystery shop is carried out were announced at a ceremony at the Worcester Whitehouse Hotel last night (Monday). The assessments covered all sectors and as well as physical visits businesses were offered the chance to see how they fared when answering the telephone or responding to an email. Firms were assessed on a variety of factors including branch appearance, products and pricing, service, and staff image.
Other winners on the night were:
Businesses who scored 100% in their visit but missed out on winning the category after a telephone assessment tie breaker were also awarded trophies in recognition of their superb efforts and were:
Anja Potze Fine Jewellery – Friar Street
Early Learning Centre – Chapel Walk, CrownGate
Premier Places Estate Agent – Foregate Street
Adrian Field, Head of Worcester BID added that ‘the standards of customer service had slightly increased year on year in those businesses assessed but the stand out sector was in food and drink sector which performed brilliantly with an average score of 88% with all 16 businesses assessed being independent. Overall, the average score of the assessments for the physical visits was a healthy 81% and this puts Worcester in a very favourable light when compared with other cities who carry out such assessments.
House of Dogs is an independent business who have clearly demonstrated that excellent customer service will boost business through word of mouth and repeat visits – to win two years in a row is a great testament to that.’
