VACANCY: Chief Executive c£45k
Worcester Business Improvement District (BID) has just secured another term, following its most successful ballot result in its history. Building on this success, we are now seeking a dynamic and motivated leader with considerable experience in stakeholder engagement, programme and project management, managing a team as well as an understanding and perhaps experience of running Business Improvement Districts, to help take the organisation in to its ambitious third-term and continue the great work that is already in place.
The BID brings together a wide cross section of businesses from national retailers and independent shops to heritage facilities and the regional and head offices of some renowned corporate services. The main aim is to cement Worcester’s position as a key regional destination, ensuring a great visitor experience, and working with key partners to successfully deliver the next stage of the city’s growth and evolution. Worcester has an exciting future, and now is a pivotal time for city centre businesses, who are seeking a collaborative and inspiring leader to be part of the success story.
A competitive salary is offered of c.£45,000 dependent on experience.
To apply please send a CV and covering letter, detailing your suitability for the role to recruitment@worcesterbid.com by Monday 16th December 2019, 5pm.
For an informal conversation about the role, please contact Phoebe Dawson (CEO) phoebe.dawson@worcesterbid.com before Tuesday 10th December.
See the full job description by clicking here.
Letter for Businesses and Local Residents
Worcester Victorian Christmas Fayre 2019 – Useful information from the City Council
| · Thursday 28 November, 12pm-9pm | · Saturday 30 November, 10am-8pm |
| · Friday 29 November, 11am-9pm | · Sunday 1 December, 11am-5pm |
This newsletter is for local residents and businesses to update you on plans for the 2019 Worcester Victorian Christmas Fayre. We appreciate your patience during the build-up and staging of the event, and would like to provide information on the local traffic and access arrangements that will be in place.
Your needs are considered at every stage of the planning for the event but we understand there will necessarily be an impact on a number of people affected by the road closures and additional visitors to the city. The entire event team will work to keep any disruptions to a minimum and appreciate your support at this time. Our contact details are at the end of this letter if you have any queries not covered.
The Fayre Area
Stalls will be located in New Street, Friar Street, Pump Street, High Street, the Cornmarket and Cathedral Square. Stalls are selected and managed by our market operator LSD Promotions who have promised Victorian dress, local producers and Fayre favourites with quality products.
As in previous years, we would encourage businesses across the city to get involved with the Fayre as much as possible. You are able to sell goods outside of your premises as long as they are the same as the goods for sale inside your shop (though, as always, please be confident that you trade within your agreed licenses and have the necessary insurance and documentation). Worcestershire Regulatory Services have provided more information on licensing guidance. Please note that the last day for submitting a TEN application for alcohol sales is 13th November 2019.
Entertainment
A full programme of entertainment has been planned for the weekend, with a number of traditional Victorian entertainers lined up to amuse the crowd and plenty of Christmas music as carol singers fill the streets. Programmes will be distributed in the week before the event, please take a copy to see details and timings of entertainment or visit our website: www.worcesterchristmasfayre.co.uk.
Stages will be located in Cathedral Square, Bell Square and at the Cardinals Hat, with additional activities taking place on New Street, the Shambles, The Hopmarket and around the city centre.
Access during the event
The Victorian Christmas Fayre takes place in Worcester city centre and access to this area will be restricted through the opening hours of the event and during stallholder set up and breakdown.
We recommend that deliveries are re-scheduled to times outside of the Fayre where possible. Vehicles will not be allowed access once the road closures are in place so deliveries during this time will need to be brought in by foot.
Please be aware that Cornmarket Car Park will be closed from the afternoon of Wednesday 27 November until the morning of Monday 2 December. Signage will be in place, but businesses are advised to recommend alternate parking to customers where possible. A full list of car parks can be found at www.worcester.gov/parking.
Businesses and residents who normally have access to private off road parking spaces which are inaccessible during the event may be eligible for a FREE parking permit at St Martin’s Gate car park to cover the period of the event. For more information, please contact the team on 01905 722501 or email christmas@worcester.gov.uk.
Road Closures
Full details of the times and locations for the road closures and traffic restrictions are as follows:
| Road Closures 2019 | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
| 27th November | 28th November | 29th November | 30th November | 1st December | |
| Angel Place | 09:00 - 23:00 | 09:00 - 23:00 | 09:00 - 22:00 | 09:00 - 20:00 | |
| Broad Street | 09:00 - 23:00 | 08:00 – 22:00 | 07:00 - 21:00 | 08:00 - 23:00 | |
| Carden Street | Bay suspension only | ||||
| Cathedral Square | Wednesday 27th November 18:00 to Sunday 1st December 23:00 | ||||
| Charles Street | 04:00 - 23:00 | 08:00 – 22:00 | 07:00 - 21:00 | 08:00 - 23:00 | |
| Copenhagen Street (High Street to Deansway) |
18:00 to 21:00 |
07:00 - 23:00 |
08:00 – 22:00 |
07:00 - 21:00 |
08:00 - 23:00 |
| Cornmarket | 04:00 - 23:00 | 08:00 – 22:00 | 07:00 - 21:00 | 08:00 - 23:00 | |
| Friar Street | 04:00 - 23:00 | 08:00 – 22:00 | 07:00 - 21:00 | 08:00 - 23:00 | |
| High Street (Pump Street to
Elgar Statue) |
04:00 - 23:00 |
08:00 – 22:00 |
07:00 - 21:00 |
08:00 - 23:00 |
|
| High Street (Pump Street to The Cross) |
07:00 - 23:00 |
08:00 – 22:00 |
07:00 - 21:00 |
08:00 - 23:00 |
|
| Mealcheapen Street | 04:00 - 23:00 | 08:00 – 22:00 | 07:00 - 21:00 | 08:00 - 23:00 | |
| New Street | 04:00 - 23:00 | 08:00 – 22:00 | 07:00 - 21:00 | 08:00 - 23:00 | |
| Pump Street (Charles Street to The Shambles) |
04:00 - 23:00 |
08:00 – 22:00 |
07:00 - 21:00 |
08:00 - 23:00 |
|
| Pump Street (The Shambles to High Street) |
09:00 - 23:00 |
08:00 – 22:00 |
07:00 - 21:00 |
08:00 - 23:00 |
|
| Queen Street (St Nicholas St - The Trinity) |
Wednesday 27th November 18:00 to Sunday 1st December 23:00 |
||||
| The Shambles | 07:00 - 23:00 | 08:00 – 22.00 | 07:00 - 21:00 | 08:00 - 23:00 | |
| The Trinity & Queen Street | Thursday 28th November 04:00 to Sunday 1st December 23:00 | ||||
| Union Street | 04:00 - 23:00 | 08:00 – 22.00 | 07:00 - 21:00 | 08:00 - 23:00 | |
Dedicated stewards will work with West Mercia Police to try and help anyone with legitimate access needs in the areas covered by road closures.
To try to minimise the impact on traffic, a Park and Ride service will be in operation from County Hall on Saturday 30th November and Sunday 1st December. All visitors will be encouraged to use these where possible. In addition, Fayre stallholders have been offered car parking outside of the city centre to alleviate the impact on local residents and visitors.
Community Carol Service and Opening Ceremony
We would like to invite you to attend the Community Carol service taking place at Worcester Cathedral from 4.45pm to 5.15pm on Thursday 28 November. This will be followed by a procession to the Victorian carousel in the Cornmarket.
Thank you from us
Worcester Victorian Christmas Fayre benefits the whole county of Worcestershire in a variety of ways and contributes an additional boost to the economy of more than £7.3 million a year. However, we are aware that not everyone enjoys or gets a direct benefit from the event and we could not run this event without the support and understanding of locals who we know can be inconvenienced.
If you would like to speak to somebody before the event or during the trading hours of the Fayre, please contact the Fayre team on 01905 722501 or email christmas@worcester.gov.uk.
We hope that you will join us at the Fayre and enjoy the event!
Worcester’s festive parking offer for Christmas shoppers
Festive shoppers are being given a cracking deal by Worcester City Council in the run-up to Christmas.
Shoppers heading into the centre to look for gifts and soak up the yuletide atmosphere during late night opening each Thursday in December before Christmas can take advantage of free parking after 6pm in the council’s car parks.
The deal applies to council-run car parks from 6pm on December 5th, 12th and 19th.
The council is also offering drivers a chance to pay for three hours and get a full day’s parking on Sundays in December up to Christmas. This starts on Sunday December 1st and concludes on Sunday December 22nd.
All of Worcester City Council’s car parks have retained the prestigious ‘Park-Mark’ award that is issued by the British Parking Association and the Association of Chief Police Officers. That means they are safe, well lit and are well managed.
For a map showing the locations of City Council-run car parks, go to www.worcester.gov.uk/parking
Please note, drivers coming into the city while the annual Victorian Christmas Fayre is on are being advised that the Cornmarket carpark will be closed from 3pm on Wednesday November 27th until midnight on Sunday December 1st. The four-day fayre starts on Thursday November 28th and finishes on Sunday December 1st.
** Worcester City Council press release received 07/11/2019 **
Worcester BID enjoys its most successful ever ballot
Worcester Business Improvement District (BID) enjoyed a landslide ballot this week, with more than 84.9% of city businesses voting in favour of another five-year BID term.
This is the most successful ballot in the BID’s ten-year history, with 51% turnout and a record 84.9% of businesses backing their continued tenure.
The results, released today by Civica Election Services who conducted the independent ballot on behalf of Worcester City Council, show that 332 businesses cast their vote. 282 businesses voted positively, with a combined rateable value of over £17million.
Worcester BID will manage more than £2 million worth of investment over the next five years, building on their success of the last decade which has seen Worcester’s high street footfall grow when other cities have seen significant decline.
Phoebe Dawson, BID CEO, said: “We are beyond delighted with the results of this year’s ballot, which have exceeded expectations and are better than any ballot in the BID’s history.
“The city boasts enviable high street footfall numbers, and new initiatives such as evening food festivals and the pop-up park have been a great boon for the city. We are looking forward to continuing this great work, as well as expanding and improving Worcester’s commercial offering.
“Worcester BID’s success can be attributed to the collaborative approach that partners and stakeholders have taken over the last few years. Thanks to our shared ambition and effective cooperation, the future for the Faithful City looks very bright indeed.”
Nicki Williams, Chair of the BID Board and Deputy CEO of Heart of Worcestershire College, said: “Worcester BID is taking the lead in tackling issues facing the city. Businesses have seen a return on their investment over the last five years and have voted accordingly.
“It’s an exciting time for the city with huge investment planned over the next couple of years. The city centre community is passionate about Worcester and there’s a great feeling of confidence in the future.”
Worcester BID3 will operate from 1st April 2020 for five years. Their work is funded by the levy paid annually by businesses in the BID area and since its formation, BID has provided extensive cost saving and town safety initiatives.
BID’s mandate includes making improvements to the public realm, marketing and events, and other support for businesses. BID provides businesses with a powerful voice, lobbying on key issues from business rates to the town’s car parking strategy.
Worcester BID is incorporated as a company limited by guarantee and its volunteer directors will continue to be drawn from the businesses in the BID area.
Current BID initiatives include Visit Worcester, Safer City, Training courses, Cost Savings and Worcester Cares.