Newsletter Feb-April

IT’S HAPPENING...

WELCOME TO OUR NEWSLETTER

A new year is always full of excitement and promise and at the BID we’re delighted that our team returned after the festive break full of renewed energy and vigour – and ready to deliver!

We are taking the opportunity in this newsletter to look back at 2025 and to showcase the many ways that the BIDs made a really positive impact across both the city centre and the seafront.

One of our key changes last year was implementing a new staffing structure, which ensured our team was fit for purpose – able to really deliver on our key priorities of City Pride, City Voice and City Promotion.

We have made some further changes and Lee Taylor – a familiar face around the city – has taken

on the role of Street Services Coordinator and will be responsible for ensuring our city centre and seafront are attractive for residents, businesses and visitors.

Business Liaison Officer Debbie Bowman is expanding her remit, and along with general engagement with businesses, she will also be a point of contact for any safety or security concerns.

At the top of our agenda are face to face meetings with businesses and ensuring that you are all fully engaged with what the BIDs can do for you.

With that in mind, Debbie Bowman and the rest of the team will be reaching out and organising visits. If you would like to book a meeting with us yourself, please email

info@sunderlandbid.co.uk or call the office on 0191 722 1002.

We’re currently hard at work putting together our activity calendar for the next 12 months. You can expect to see the return of favourite events such as the Food and Drink Festival and Restaurant Week but we’ve also got a few new plans up our sleeves!

These initiatives are all aimed at continuing our commitment to making the city centre and the seafront more attractive places to live, work and visit, and we’ll be sharing the full programme in our next newsletter.

As always, we’re here to help if you need anything.

Roberta Redecke Head of Business Services

RESTAURANT WEEK

March is just around the corner – and that means the first Sunderland Restaurant Week of the year.

This event will run from 7 - 15 March and it’s a fantastic opportunity for all of our hospitality businesses to entice new customers and invite regulars to dine with them at special, discounted rates.

The value to the local economy speaks for itself – and regular participants know that taking part is a great way to bring in extra income on quieter days and what is often a less busy time of year.

Our September week brought in more than £500,000 to the local economy, with a record 65 businesses taking part and almost 17,000 vouchers downloaded.

Pizza restaurant Wild Fire took part for the first time –and the team are already looking forward to getting involved again.

“Restaurant Week was great exposure for us,” said coowner, Josh Wild.

“It gave people who might not have visited us the incentive to do so and it gave our regular customers the chance to enjoy some great deals.”

Participating venues can once again put together £10, £15, £20 and £25 deals and benefit from the BIDs’ widespread marketing and promotion campaign to help drive footfall.

Once again, the week is being supported by Nexus, which will highlight the ease of using the Metro to visit the city.

We’re now starting to actively recruit businesses to take part and if you would like to do so, please contact us at info@sunderlandbid.co.uk

WHAT WENT DOWN IN 2025

What a year it was! Sunderland was well and truly on the map with its new Music City status and major events like the Rugby World Cup, the British Street Food Awards and Pride In Sunderland bringing in visitors from across the UK and beyond.

Here’s our breakdown of some of those key events.

Street Rangers

690 jobs completed, including 81 pieces of graffiti removal and 233 litter picking and weeding jobs.

Cocktail Week

2,430 cocktail lovers joined the event.

Lunar New Year

Attended by 2,500 people.

Restaurant Week

The two events brought more than 33,000 diners into the city.

Food & Drink Festival

50,000 food fans took part.

Urban Fest

The only urban art and sports event in the North East attracted just under 2,000 people.

Sunderland Art Festival

Three events across three months gathered an audience of 2,456 people.

Sunniside Food Markets

The monthly food markets welcomed around 5,000 visitors.

Sunniside Nights

The first-ever multi-venue event for music and art lovers had around 1,000 attendees.

The BIDs’ strong programme of activities has brought in additional footfall of 98,946 – with an estimated economic impact of a staggering £4.4m.

Christmas Window Trail

Unique artwork on 10 shop windows, which attracted hundreds of competition entries.

Engagement

We engaged with 511 businesses across the city centre and the seafront.

Sunderland Gift Card

We sold £92,397 worth of gift cards.

Social media

Our audience across all social media channels grew to 36,032, which is 72% up compared to last year. 237,810 people engaged with our content - an increase of 151% on the previous year.

PR

Our coverage had more than 5.4m views and an audience of 225m.

Newsletters

Our consumer newsletter database increased by 87% and we sent out 60 bulletins to keep businesses informed.

Website

55,000 people visited our website.

Affiliate membership

35 new businesses joined our affiliate scheme.

Business Breakfast

We held 4 business breakfasts, which again attracted dozens of attendees.

HOW TO GET THE MOST OUT OF THE BID

Success is a two-way street and we want us to work together for maximum benefit.

Here are some easy actions which can really help boost your business and your interactions with us.

• Keep up to date with everything that’s going on by following @sunderlandexperience – and tag us so we can see what you’re up to.

• If you haven’t already done so, sign up to our newsletter by emailing info@sunderlandbid.co.uk

• Are our contact details for you up to date? If you’ve had any changes, let us know so we can amend our records.

• Make events taking place in the city work for you by creating your own promotions and offers to bring in more customers.

• Ensure you’re signed up to the Sunderland Gift Card scheme and get your share of the annual spend. If you are already taking part, ensure that your staff/team help promote the fact you accept it and promote it across your channels.

• Sign up for Sunderland App where you can create your own offer to give your business a boost.

• Look at our quarterly calendar of events and see how your business can get involved.

• Take advantage of the opportunity to advertise for free on our digital screens across the city.

• Share your special events/ promotions with us so we can help to get the word out.

• Share your good news stories with us!

SPEND IT IN SUNDERLAND

Last year we launched Spend It In Sunderland, a Christmas campaign encouraging people to show up in the city and help boost the local economy.

It was supported by special initiatives such as our painted windows, which tied in with the Sleeping Beauty panto at the Empire Theatre and a proactive marketing push to get people to buy the city gift cards.

It highlighted the many ways that people could enjoy their time in Sunderland, from eating out to activities such as visiting the cinema or bowling.

On the back of this we are looking to launch another similar initiative, this time focusing on the seafront and encouraging people visit the area in the colder months.

Our aim is to focus on the wellness aspect of visiting –from walks along the beach (with or without the dog), a brisk run or even cold-water swimming.

It will also highlight the main options for eating – from a quick coffee to a delicious gourmet meal.

We want to use real people and a range of locations, so if you have any professional photography or video footage you’d be happy to share with us, it would be very much appreciated.

The campaign will run on digital screens, on social media and through Google Ads.

We’ll be reaching out to hotels, restaurants and other businesses to find out what printed and digital assets would help them to promote the campaign and to offer them posters/flyers and any other assets they might need.

We will also be creating a dedicated page on the www.spenditinsunderland.co.uk website. If

ONE ROKER TERRACE

When Angela Tsang went to drop her daughter off at a school friend’s party, she had no idea it would lead to a reunion – or the start of an exciting new business venture.

Angela had spent more than 20 years in London before deciding to head home to Sunderland with her family, excited by all of the potential the city had to offer.

She had worked as a buyer for prestigious companies like Arcadia and Fortnum and Mason, with a keen interest in design and interiors and wanted to put those skills to work in a new venture.

But she had little idea when she knocked on that front door how soon her dream would come to fruition.

It wasn’t until the door opened that Angela was staggered to come face to face with Laura Lane, who had both been at St Anthony’s together.

Laura had also returned to the city with her husband Joe and they were building up a strong portfolio of properties.

So when Angela said she was also keen to get into the property business the threesome embarked on an exciting new project – and the Beach House at One Roker Terrace was born.

“It was incredible because we hadn’t kept in touch during those 20 years but when we came face to face we recognised each other instantly,” said Angela.

Together they visited the then rundown house and could see how it could be transformed into their vision – creating a versatile home away from home space which could be booked by room or in its entirety.

It took two years to complete the refurbishment but then in summer last year One Roker Terrace opened its

doors for the first time – and has never looked back.

Joe said that people across the city have really taken the development to their hearts.

“It’s been great since we launched,” he said.

“We had to work incredibly hard to create the product, but since this happened, the support has been great.

“We had a clear vision; Laura & Angela had lived away from Sunderland for about 20 years and in that had gathered a great deal of experience of working in the hospitality and retail world.

“That, combined with my building meant we were able to put an exact plan into action.”

Visitors from across the globe have come to stay, enchanted by the five bedroom, three bedroom home which is not only stunningly decorated but has breathtaking views across the seafront.

“We’ve had people visit from Florida, Dubai, Australia, Switzerland and even Hollywood,” said Angela.

“And what we’re also discovering now that visitors who may be going to Edinburgh and then travelling down to London are recognising that Sunderland is a really good place for a pitstop along the way.”

The epic views have undoubtedly been a great selling point – “as soon as people look out of the windows and see the sea they are blown away.”

Angela added; “ it was very important for us that people would really view this as home from home, somewhere they can relax and enjoy.”

The flexibility of the property has also helped boost its popularity, which includes the ability for companies and businesses to book some of the downstairs rooms for meetings and gatherings.

While a success in its own right – so much so that the co-owners would like to roll out the concept elsewhere – it is very much part of the seafront community.

“We have a handbook full of information for guests and so we can suggest to them places to eat, places for drinks, things they can do,” said Angela.

“WE ALL CAME BACK TO SUNDERLAND BECAUSE WE LOVED WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN THE CITY AND WE JUST WANTED TO BE PART OF IT.”

“Both my husband and Laura’s husband are not from the area but they fell in love with it as well – in fact it was my husband’s idea for us to leave London and move back.

“It is a very exciting time to be here.”

Sunderland Altogether Improving Lives Marks Three Years of Positive Change

In December, Sunderland Altogether Improving Lives (SAIL) celebrated three years of making the city centre a safer place.

Since the project began in 2022, with the aim of making a real and lasting difference to people’s lives, the city centre has seen a 40% reduction in anti-social behaviour.

SAIL, successfully driven by Northumbria Police, Northumbria Violence Reduction Unit (VRU), Together for Children and Sunderland City Council, works to deliver a coordinated, long-term approach to issues that matter most to the city centre businesses, and all who live and work in, and visit the city centre.

It has grown into a key multi agency service tackling offending and anti-social behaviour and helping children, young people, and adults at risk of exploitation or harmful behaviour.

The team includes dedicated staff funded by the Northumbria Violence Reduction Unit, working with young people involved in violent offending, offering support and the chance to divert away from future offending.

The team works with targeted cohorts of people to reduce offending in addition to

cohorts of Prevention, Transitions, and Adults - offering tailored, relationship based support that meets individuals where they are, early intervention continues to make a real difference, with many young people reducing or stopping harmful behaviour thanks to consistent guidance and trusted relationships.

Meanwhile, the adult cohort brings together partners from policing, housing, recovery services, and community safety. Over the past three years, the police team has made 646 arrests in the city centre, contributing to a safer environment for residents and visitors.

With new investment, additional staff, and strengthened partnerships, SAIL is looking ahead with confidence - continuing to support vulnerable people, trial new safeguarding approaches, and help keep Sunderland clean, green, and safe. Thank you to every partner, practitioner, and community member who has helped make SAIL a success.

SAIL BUSINESS EVENTS

popular

Service at Just Eat. You may be aware that the company has moved its operation to the city and this should be a fascinating insight into this highly successful business.

Welcome to our new Community Engagement Worker.

We’re delighted to introduce Irena, SAIL’s new Community Engagement Worker. She’ll be out across the city centre listening to residents, connecting with businesses and organisations, and supporting joined up work that keeps the area safe, positive, and welcoming.

She’s looking forward to meeting you - so please say hello if you see her around.

The event will take place at Sunderland College City Campus and includes a two course lunch. Tickets are £35 per person and if any businesses would like to book places, please email info@sunderlandbid. co.uk

The BID regularly runs Business Breakfasts, which is a great way to hear updates on events in the city, hear a guest speaker and do some early morning networking. Future dates are 30 April, 21 May and 25 June.

We are always looking for venues/ businesses to host these events which is a great opportunity to showcase your company. Anyone interested please email debbie@sunderlandbid.co.uk