Business leaders gathered this week to launch the Sutton Coldfield Town Centre Business Improvement District (BID) Renewal Proposal and Business Plan.

The launch also included as a new video, encouraging local businesses to vote ‘Yes’ to extend investment and direct business support in the town centre business community for another five years.

Town Councillor Simon Ward - who is the town council’s leader and chairs the Town Centre Regeneration Partnership - and fellow town councillor Keith Ward joined Gracechurch Centre manager and BID chair Angela Henderson and Burley Browne director David Hemming.

The video focuses on the new BID Proposal and Business Plan for the next five years as well highlighting Sutton’s exciting potential.

Following the successful ballot of town centre businesses in 2016, the BID continues its current second term until December 2021. 

It provides an important role in improving the town centre for businesses and visitors, as well as a collective voice for businesses in important local matters such as the Town Centre Regeneration Partnership’s Masterplan.

Town centres that do not have a business improvement district receive no funding to specifically assist the needs of businesses, and there is no collective voice for businesses. 

The current Sutton Coldfield Town Centre BID term runs until the end of this year, and the renewal process will culminate in a vote by businesses in a ballot.

Funded by a levy paid by businesses in the town centre, the BID uses the £250,000 raised annually for a range of improvements and campaigns including funding Christmas lights, family events such as food festivals, deep cleaning and floral displays in the centre, marketing, running leading town centre social media accounts @suttonwhatson and @Sutcoldfieldbid, as well as promoting the town’s Restaurant Quarter and night life.

The BID provided business recovery support during the pandemic and created What’s On Sutton Coldfield – a free listings and offers website designed to help increase footfall across all sectors.

The levy also funded an upgrade from standard to fibre optic broadband cabinets as well as working with the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) to secure grants to aid town centre recovery. 

Another important element of the BID is that of lobbying and over the last two BID terms it has influenced policy on street lighting on the Parade.

The most recent policy change was brought about by the BID working with Sutton Coldfield Town Council and the MP Andrew Mitchell to change the policy on the cycle lane that was installed on Brassington Avenue. 

Angela Henderson, chair of Sutton Coldfield Town Centre BID, said: “By collaborating with Sutton Coldfield Town Council and Birmingham City Council on delivering and promoting the town’s masterplan we have a unique opportunity to survive huge changes and have a say in future changes.  This is why voters need to vote “yes” to ensure that the business people in the town have a voice and ensure that we end up with a town fit for purpose. 

“Shopping, living and work habits and trends have changed but we have achieved a lot together over the last four years and in these challenging times local business involvement is crucial.  We can build upon what we have already accomplished and ensure that our business community benefits from new opportunities and drives the future development of the area.”