IT’S HAPPENING...
Inside... everything you need to know about our Food & Drink Festival, summer line-up, the new community shop, advertising opportunities, as well as all the usual stuff!
WELCOME TO OUR NEWSLETTER
Here at the BIDs, we’re heading into one of the busiest times of the year – which is great news for businesses as there are lots of opportunities to get involved in.
The events calendar is already starting to look full, with things like the 10k Run and Half Marathon, BBC Radio 1 Weekend, Food and Drink Festival, Take That and lots of music events all lined up – there’s more information on all of these throughout this newsletter.
As the BID’s first Business Liaison Officer responsible for Engagement and Promotion, it has been very important for me to get out and about and meet as many people as possible.
I’ve learned so much about what businesses are doing and at the
same time, letting you all know about the benefits of working with Sunderland’s BIDs, with more information about those opportunities on the pages ahead.
I’m working my way through making contact with everyone but if you have a more urgent reason for wanting to meet up, please let me know and we can organise a gettogether.
We also made some slight changes to our team and the good news is our Street Ranger, Vincent, is now working full time so you’ll see him around more often.
We’re also in the middle of recruiting a permanent Marketing and Events Assistant who will replace the current student placement role which is now coming
to an end. We will however continue to work closely with both the university and the college to create opportunities for students to play a role in our activities.
You should start receiving your new BID levy bills soon. If you haven’t yet, please get in touch.
We understand it’s a challenging economic climate, so we’re here to help and support you. We can offer payment plans and are happy to discuss any difficulties you might have.
As always, we’re here to help if you need anything.
Debbie Bowman Business Liaison Officer –Engagement and Promotion
SPRINGTIME CLEAN-UP
It’s that time of year where everyone is looking to have a spruce-up –regardless of whether it’s at home, at work or outside.
And that’s true at the BIDs, where our Street Rangers are getting rid of the aftermath of the winter months with a programme of sweeping, moss removal, weeding, litter picking and power washing.
If your business has its own issue that needs a tidy, then please get in touch and we’ll do what we can to help.
It’s also a case of out with the old and in with the new, particularly along the seafront, where we are looking at some new options for planting. We’re aware that some of the signage in the area is also past its best, so we’re in talks with fabricators to look at the best way to update these .
Lighting at the seafront is something that has been flagged up with us a number of times and so we’re looking at fixing the existing lighting, along with installing some new festoon lighting on the promenade.
Dog fouling continues to be an issue –particularly at the seafront and around the Sheepfolds. To counteract this, we are looking to introduce dog waste bag dispensers in both areas as well as additional bins, so there is no excuse not to dispose of any mess.
Over in the city centre, there’s also a spring spruce up taking place, with seating, electric boxes, railings and
other furniture getting a new coat of paint, as well as plans for a chewing gum removal and bin cleaning schedule being formalised.
Our commitment to making the city more environmentally friendly continues and we work with the council to contribute to their sustainability goals. Among the measures we have taken is a review of the vehicles that we own, which has led to us purchasing an electric cargo bike. It is funded through the Department for Transport (DfT) and the North East Combined Authority (NECA) via the 2024/25 Active Travel Capability Fund, administered by Active Travel England,
which is working to strengthen local authorities’ ability to deliver high quality active travel initiatives.
This bike will be used by the rangers to get from one job to another and to transport tools, etc., and will make an active contribution to lowering our carbon footprint.
On the horizon is a range of new services, including gutter clearance and small DIY jobs, which will be free for levy payers and have a small cost for non-levy payers.
For more information, please email info@sunderlandbid.co.uk
SUNDERLAND FOOD AND DRINK FESTIVAL SUMMER OF EVENTS
Eat, drink and be merry – yes, we’re now actively working on this year’s Sunderland Food and Drink Festival, which will return from 5-7 June.
The benefits to the city’s economy are significant, with last year’s three day event bringing more than 50,000 people into the city centre.
This time round it will take place across Keel Square, High Street West and - for the first time - it will expand onto the old Argos site on High Street West.
The former site will host a small
community stage where there will be entertainment throughout the run of the festival, along with a range of traders and places to sit.
Keel Square will have hot food traders, kids’ activities, crafts, bars and the main entertainment zone with a bigger/improved stage, with High Street West home to a variety of food traders of local produce and street food.
The Food and Drink Festival offers a brilliant opportunity for businesses to get involved in a number of different ways. Whether it’s having a
stall, putting a promotion on, after parties, discounts, etc.
There’s also an opportunity to advertise on the Keel Square screen for a fee – a great way to boost brand awareness or drive more visitors to your business over the weekend.
Any businesses wanting to discuss any ideas, secure a pitch at the event or advertise on the screen, please let us know by sending an email to info@sunderlandbid.co.uk or ring 0191 722 1002.
COMMUNITY
running their business and gave them the tools to grow successfully.
In December, the BIDs launched a new initiative, in conjunction with the University of Sunderland and Sunderland City Council, aimed at supporting small, independently owned businesses across the city, helping them prepare for the future growth and increased footfall in Sunderland.
Led by retail expert Karen Williamson, the Foundational Businesses Academy supported participants from 17 diverse businesses across the city, helping them focus on working ON their business rather than becoming absorbed in day to day operations.
Subjects covered included everything from cashflow management to managing best sellers and supply chain, strategic pricing and margin management, cutting overheads and how to reduce waste across the business.
Those who signed up found the experience life-changing in terms of
FOUNDATIONAL BUSINESSES ACADEMY SHOP
One company found that they were owed £11k in invoices, which seemed to have slipped through the net, while another recognised, through taking part in the Academy, that their profit margins were too low.
This first Academy was considered bronze level and now the plan is to look at silver and gold levels, which will look at subjects such as people management and personal behaviours.
The final session was a celebration event, with senior business people, including Dame Irene Hays, taking part in a discussion panel but also listening to the closing presentations from the Academy alumni.
The panel discussion was centred around the foundational business sector, current challenges and what action is being taken to overcome the issues facing independently owned businesses.
For more information, please email info@sunderlandbid.co.uk.
This project is part funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
At a time when many people are facing financial hardship, any opportunity to help their money go further is always welcome.
Which is why it’s great to see that the award-winning social enterprise Community Shop, part of Company Shop Group and the UK’s first social supermarket, has expanded into Sunderland, with a new store in Fawcett Street.
Funded by Ocado Retail, the ethos of the enterprise is to ensure that surplus products are redistributed while at the same time working towards tackling the root causes of food insecurity.
In their own words, the aim is to “offer its members a hand-up, not handout.”
Ocado Retail has supported
Community Shop for over a decade and so given the online supermarket has its call centre in Sunderland, opening in the city is a natural progression.
Also supported by Sunderland City Council and the Voluntary Sector Alliance, the shop offers three distinct but interconnected spaces: Community Store, Community Hub and Community Kitchen.
The Community Shop offers food and household essentials at a heavily discounted rate, including its Plenty for 20 range, which provides fruit, vegetables and bread for only 20p.
Profits are reinvested into the Community Hub, which will deliver life-changing holistic support and development programmes, empowering people across the local community to learn new skills and build their confidence. The Community Kitchen is a café that will enable people to connect with others and will offer home-cooked meals, with kids eating for free every day.
Access to Community Shop is available through a free membership for anyone on a means-tested benefit who lives in the local area.
Gary Stott, Executive Chairman of Community Shop, said opening a shop on Wearside was a natural progression.
“Sunderland was the location for one of the first ‘social supermarkets’ with the People’s Store opening in the city over a hundred years ago, and we are proud to be bringing our similar offer to Fawcett Street,” he said.
“COMMUNITY SHOP OFFERS MORE THAN JUST DEEPLY DISCOUNTED FOOD AND HOUSEHOLD PRODUCTS, WE ALSO PROVIDE LIFE-CHANGING SUPPORT THROUGH OUR COMMUNITY HUB AND COMMUNITY KITCHEN TO GIVE OUR MEMBERS THE HELP AND GUIDANCE THEY NEED TO DEVELOP THEIR OWN CAPABILITIES AND FEEL EMPOWERED TO DELIVER A POSITIVE FUTURE FOR THEMSELVES.”
Our Business Breakfasts continue to be extremely popular, bringing people together at the start of the day with the opportunity to network, exchange ideas, get an update on everything happening in the city and listen to a relevant guest speaker.
There are two currently planned – 21 May and 25 June – with details to follow about venues and times.
We’re always looking for new businesses to host and/or sponsor these events and anyone interested should contact us at info@sunderlandbid.co.uk.
BUSINESS BREAKFAST ADVERTISING
One of the many advantages of being a BID levy payer is that it opens the door to a range of benefits.
That includes a number of advertising opportunities that give you a great way to improve your business’s visibility and highlight what you have to offer.
We can feature you on our social media channels –meaning you get in front of our 36,000 followers and can be featured in our digital newsletters, which go to a range
of different audiences.
Levy payers can also get a free advert for a week on digital screens we have across the city, a fantastic option as they are hard to miss.
These are just some of the many opportunities available, so please, for any questions or more information, please email info@sunderlandbid.co.uk.
