What Next? Meeting Thurs 14 May 2020

Guest this week - Gavin Stuart Business Improvement District - A BID is a defined geographical area which involves all businesses located within it. Traders join together to fund improvements to their trading environment. On the 1st July 2016 the new BID came in to being. It will last for 5 years until 2021 and encompasses 517 city centre retail and hospitality businesses. The BID covers Western Road, Preston Street, North Street, parts of both The Lanes and The North Laine.

National WN news:
No chairs meeting last week – setting up a new national steering group of 8 members. Want to diversify the leadership. Will share link for those who want to join.
National recognition – not enough info currently to capture case studies for freelancers and solutions. What packages are needed. Marshal plan for the sector being produced with spending review happening at the end of this year. Practical solutions needed.
Freelancer specific discussion next week – who would like to lead?

Next Thurs WN – 3 MP’s joining. Some conversations to happen in advance for prep.
MP’s – Peter, Lloyd and Caroline – co hosting with EPIC and Arts Commission. Areas of conversation;
What support is needed for the sector.
Reopening Brighton economy – what do we need nationally
Inequality in lock down – discuss from cultural perspective
What it’s like from our perspective in the City and what we want to ask of them.


Local:
Welcome to Gavin.
Break out groups last weeks – Digital and Children and Young People (CYP).
John Trigg – Freedom Works
BH Economic Partnership meeting – brief being developed on how we will coordinate citywide brand – LB to share document

Digital and CYP
Digital meeting – Offered to do more if there’s demand. The meeting covered reaching participants of workshops and trainings – zoom, pre-recording, breakout rooms, and also reaching people who don’t have access to internet – sending out tablets etc…
Broadcasting options – discussing how this would work
Broadcasting as artists – use of ECAM, OBS
Contact Michelle at cast_iron@outlook.com

CYP – 12 attended, good mixture of people/areas. Meeting mainly covered sharing concerns, online safeguarding – training & resources, so another meeting is planned for in a couple of weeks.
Jane Artswork – talked about the gap between kids that can and can’t engaged – vulnerable being left behind even more now – how can they support these groups? Link for resources to be shared.
Contact Nicky for details on future meetings: nicky@littlegreenpig.org.uk

John Trigg – MD co working space Freedom Works – talking to West Sussex County Council – missed millions, for people slipping through the gaps. Majority are freelancers and small Ltd businesses.
1800 members across their spaces. How do we unlock this funding at local level;
WSCC and Coast 2 Capital discussion – asked for quantitative data in order to lobby – please participate in the survey so that this can be used to lobby. So far 400 respondents to survey. Hi level data coming out of it. Over half of survey said they have been drastically impacted – 90% seen drop in their revenue. Type of financial support in order to get through 3 to 6 months - £5 to £15k – not much. Shows what is needed isn’t a great deal.
Lots of collaboration with businesses for fundraising.
Encouraging spend from local businesses to create supply chain portal. Need to get business and communities behind it.
For full survey results please contact John.
There is more info now on the Discretionary grant. Working with the local authority to deliver it to the right people.

Gavin
See presentation
https://www.brilliantbrighton.com/what-next-2020-presentation/
If you have an offer you’d like to share please let Gavin know.
Currently no events budget but keen explore this for the future.

Q - Marina – current climate and conditions – what impact? Is there an Emergency approach? What is happening with Empty spaces within the bid?
A – not in a position to move on emergency approach. Empty spaces – starting to set up a project to encourage landlords to open up spaces for use – gallery, performance, training etc… the project stalled but still talking to landlords and hope to revive. No shortage of artists offering to use the space but landlords are the block – they need tenants and admin if they are to open up. BID offered to be the interim admin to manage the process of getting people in and out of spaces. Couple of people interested. There is a planning process – talking to local authorities to find out what a premises can and cant do.
As lockdown eases – hoping this will become easier

Q – Cast Iron Michelle – branded re-open of Brighton? Marketing brief to be shared to anyone who would like to see it.
A -= VB leading on this. Ambition for all sectors to work together with a really clear, simple message – well being & health main message – freedom in Brighton. Get broad consensus for marketing message. 4 stages – locals engaged in economy, friends and visitors, conferencing, travel. Galvanise the city to love itself.

LB – creative industries – Brighton known for extraordinary opportunities and diversity. We currently rely on older images, but that’s not always representing the vibrancy – all encouraged to feed back and use this as an opportunity to re-position and re-brand for a modern Brighton.

MN – voluntary sector– impact on mental health – creative sector being more joined up working with 3rd sector


KP – outdoor arts – council passed motions for car free events – air pollution. Re develop car free day events. Businesses have key interest and evidence to show cycling & walking increases foot fall to businesses
A – Gavin – environmental impact – huge. Before C19, 4000 buses a day on North St. Much better feel with less traffic. Encourage businesses to explore other options for the future. New Normal for restaurants or cafes?? Opening up roads so they can spill out into streets. Higher levels of pedestrianisation – also opens up opportunities for street art/[performance.
Depends on government guidance for social distancing – could be good opportunity.

LB – John, B2B platform – what will be on there? Business name and description?
J – 3 channels;
people to list what service they offer,
business with budget and spend available,
projects board.
EG; A local Digital developer lost all their work overnight so started Pick, Pack and Post – targeting independent retailers. Wanted to know who does he speak to? This new platform, once it’s created would ideally have all groups signposted here for everyone to use.

Reminder - Hot House grant programme to help new start ups via Chichester Uni.