Newport Conservative Councillors Matthew Evans and Chris Reeks recently met with members of the board of Newport Now BID (Business Improvement District) to discuss their journey around making Newport City Centre a more attractive destination for visitors, shoppers and businesses alike.
Newport Now is one of more than 300 BIDs across the United Kingdom and has been in existence since 2015. Each BID is created following a ballot of businesses and funded via a small annual statutory levy on the rateable value of each business in the BID area. BIDs must go back to businesses for a re-ballot every five years. Newport Now will be seeking a third five-year term when it re-ballots businesses in November this year.
The volunteer Board of Newport Now consists mainly of people who either own or run businesses in the city centre – varying from chip shop owners to financial planners - all focused on the goal of improving the trading conditions and visitor experience across the day and night-time economies in the city centre, one aspect of which is increasing footfall . Indeed, latest footfall figures released for 2023 show an increase of 32% of people visiting the city centre compared to 2022. Zep Bellavia, of Bellavia & Associates and the Board Chair of Newport Now, comments further: “The footfall trend is encouraging to see, and when you consider that 2023 compared to 2019 (pre-Covid) as a whole footfall was up in Newport city centre almost 6% whilst the United Kingdom as a whole was down nearly 14% it’s positive for our members and all traders.”
Newport Now works with its members to help them make savings and increase trade whilst leading on initiatives to make the city centre a safer and more inviting place for visitors. Through various grants Newport Now was able to introduce its Night Ambassadors who work alongside police and door staff on Friday and Saturday nights to help make evenings in Newport a safer and more amenable place, as well as being one of the driving forces behind retaining Newport’s Purple Flag status for its thriving Nighttime economy. “We listen to our members”, continues Zep, “and try to do what they need with our limited budget , and we often invite local projects and ideas to be presented to the Board for consideration”.
Matthew Evans, Newport’s Conservative Group Leader and City Councillor, was keen to affirm the Group’s support for Newport Now. “As a party we fully endorse the way the BID seeks to work with the city’s traders and businesses to enhance the retail and leisure experience within Newport City Centre. With visitors deserting many other town centres across the UK the footfall numbers quoted here today show that the initiatives are working for the BID and for Newport itself”.
BID also helps fund and promote many events throughout the year within the city centre, from marathons and fun-runs, to food festivals, and Pride in the Port. The BID organises and delivers the annual Countdown to Christmas event that includes the switching on of the city centre’s festive lights. They are in the process of rebranding their City Centre App which gives access to discounts, fun trails such as the Coffee Trail throughout the city centre as well as local events.
“As an organisation led by volunteers it is great to see the time, effort and dedication put in by its members to improve the city centre experience to everyone’s mutual benefit, and we’re pleased as a group to offer our support in their efforts”, commented Councillor Chris Reeks.
From grants to improve shopfronts, projects to rejuvenate empty shops, to saving money for its members, Newport Now BID is an asset to the city centre that benefits retailers, traders, shoppers, and leisure-seekers alike. More information about Newport Now can be found here: www.newportnow.co.uk
