BIDs’ critical role in the London Growth Plan
In this new ‘From ambition to action’ blog series, key South London stakeholders respond to the South London BIG Ambition Growth Statement.
As we mark 20 years of Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) nationally this year, with Kingston First being the first BID in the country to be created, we recognise the huge opportunity that BIDs are presented with in the London Growth Plan.
London has 70 BIDs working with and for their town areas, high streets and commercial areas, and representing thousands of businesses and organisations of varying scale and size across different sectors. BIDs are strategically placed in the heart of towns and cities and have unprecedented insight into the opportunities and challenges that are unique to that place. BIDs deliver place-led projects and services to make high streets and business districts more welcoming and attractive while delivering strategic and tactical changes at a local level to encourage and retain investment, jobs, footfall and spend.
It’s great to see that the London Growth Plan recognises the need for place-based growth outside of central London, acknowledging the needs of its particular communities with more local decision-making.
But what role can BIDs play in contributing to the London growth agenda?
At Kingston First, we have the credibility among the local businesses we represent, but also the trust and confidence of the stakeholders within and around the town. Why? Because we build long-standing relationships and partnerships with people, genuinely care how our town evolves and bring data and insights to the forefront of our decision-making. We respond to their needs and deliver with impact, not just on a day-to-day basis but long-term, taking a strategic view and bringing people with us on that journey. Since our inception in 2005, we’ve delivered over £24m on additional projects, services and initiatives supporting the town as it evolves and develops while helping to attract almost 20 million visits to Kingston each year through our destination marketing.
An example of this in action was working in collaboration with Kingston Council, Kingston University and the Mayor of London to create a new strategy, Reimagining Kingston’s Streets and Spaces, which focuses on new ideas for how streets and public spaces can contribute towards a successful, vibrant and inclusive town centre which supports the delivery of good growth. This led to partnership investment from South London Partnership, GLA and Kingston Council to reinvigorate a vacant space into much-needed modern workspace and cultural support for young people developing their careers in the creative sector
We continue to be a vital partner in the delivery of the Reimagining Kingston’s Streets and Spaces Strategy. We’ve helped shape the Kingston Town Centre Vision by coordinating the voice of local businesses and organisations, and landowners and developers. In partnership with Kingston Council, we have co-commissioned, designed and invested in the revitalisation of public spaces, enhancing businesses, visitor and resident experiences in Kingston.
These examples demonstrate that as BIDs, we’re able to get to those voices that matter and take a visionary and strategic view, putting our mission for our local places at the heart of all our thinking. This makes us perfectly positioned to help drive the delivery of the London Growth Plan. Partnerships between the public, private and not-for-profit sectors will be critical to moving the dial on the growth agenda and subsequent benefits and opportunities this brings. The South London Partnership, which we’re part of, is a great example of a cross-sector collaboration, creating a vision aligned to the London Growth Plan. It recognises that we have shared priorities across boroughs in South London and that working together, rather than in silos, we can make a real difference.
The challenge we face is that often South London is overlooked for investment or big infrastructure projects because, on the surface, it’s performing well compared to other London boroughs or other parts of the country. We indeed have a lot to be proud of; great Universities, visitor attractions such as Wimbledon Tennis Championships, Chessington World of Adventures and Twickenham Stadium and new investments like Unilever in Kingston and the new London Cancer Hub in Sutton, all of which provide vital employment opportunities, skills and innovation.
To fully unlock South London’s potential and support the ambitions of the London Growth Plan, we need targeted investment and long-term thinking around shared missions, particularly in transport and digital connectivity. This will enable us to create a high-quality experience for visitors, residents, and workers alike, while also delivering the vital connectivity improvements that make it easier to do business and enjoy all that South London has to offer.
As BIDs, we are uniquely placed to help shape and deliver these outcomes, and we welcome the opportunity to have a seat at the table so we can play an active role in supporting and driving meaningful, long-term change for London.
