The Big Heart of Merthyr Tydfil - Amazon Web Services€¦ · October 2012 – launch of The Big Heart of Merthyr Tydfil Business Improvement District after yes vote At the time,

The Big Heart of

Merthyr Tydfil

Merthyr’s Business

Improvement District

The story so far ....

October 2012 – launch of The Big Heart of Merthyr

Tydfil Business Improvement District after yes vote

At the time, The Big Heart was only the 2nd BID in

Wales but there are now 9 in Wales and some 230

across the UK. BIDs are increasingly seen as the

way forward in managing and enhancing town

centres for the benefit of the business and wider

community.

January 2013 onwards – delivery of projects and

services to support our 4 major themes:

PROMOTING: marketing the town centre to visitors

and capturing more local spend

TRANSFORMING: creating a thriving business and

retail environment

ENGAGING: better communication between

businesses and realising cost savings

WELCOMING: enhancing the town centre experience

A taste of the last 12 months ...

Promoting

• Summer events and festivals including

Merthyr Chilli Fiesta, Merthyr Food Festival,

Merthyr by the Sea & Ready Teddy Go

• Heart Radio marketing campaign

• Christmas marketing & lights switch on

• Special promotions such as Valentine’s Day,

Mother’s Day, Love Your Local Market,

Independent Retailer Month and Back to

School

• We Love Merthyr website, digital and social

media campaign

Christmas 2015 in Pictures ...

A taste of the last 12 months ...

Engaging

• Merthyr Town Centre Retail & Hospitality

Awards

• Big Heart Energy & Business Development

Grants

• We Love Merthyr Loyalty Card

• We Love Merthyr website

Welcoming

• £1 Saturday parking promotion

• Business Crime Reduction Partnership

• NiteNet Radio launch

• Pubwatch Merthyr training

A taste of the last 12 months ...

Transforming

• Additional hanging baskets

• Floral displays

• Gateway improvements – Caedraw Roundabout

• Table and chair licenses

• Big Heart Shop Front Improvement Grant

Key Findings from Business Consultation

Undertaken in January 2016 to obtain feedback across the 4 key themes:

• Promoting

96% of respondents were either satisfied or very satisfied with the

marketing and promotion undertaken by the BID

70% said that the Christmas campaign has improved the promotion of the town

centre a lot

68% said that the We Love Merthyr social media campaign has improved the

promotion of the town centre a lot

• Welcoming

92% were either very satisfied or satisfied with the £1 Saturday car parking

initiative

66% said that the safety of the town centre in the daytime has improved either a

lot or slightly in the last 2 years; the equivalent figure for the evening time is 54%

• Transforming 81% said that the attractiveness of the town centre has improved either a lot or

slightly in the last 2 years and 80% said the cleanliness has improved either a lot

of slightly

80% said that the hanging baskets and floral planters have improved the

attractiveness of the town centre either a lot or slightly

• Engaging

84% said that they were either very satisfied or satisfied with the BID’s business

development activities over the last 2 years

96% said that they were either very satisfied or satisfied with the BID’s

communication with its members over the last 2 years

Our plans for 2016 ...

Promoting Merthyr Tydfil

• We Love Merthyr digital and social media

campaign (throughout year)

• Heart & Smooth Radio campaign (throughout

the year)

• Merthyr Chilli Fiesta (June)

• Merthyr Week (July)

• Merthyr Food Festival (July)

• Merthyr by the Sea (August)

• Merthyr Children’s Festival (September)

• Christmas lights switch on event (November)

• Christmas campaign (November / December)

Our plans for 2016 …

Engaging

• Joint Procurement Project with

Meercat Associates

• Town Centre App

• Merthyr Loyalty Card

• Town Centre Retail & Hospitality Awards

Welcoming

• £1 Saturday Car Parking Promotion

• Business Crime Reduction

Partnership

• NiteNet Radio Scheme

• Support to Evening Economy

Transforming

• Town Centre Information Points

• Hanging baskets and floral displays

• Table and chair licenses

• Big Heart Shop Front Improvement

grant

• Town Centre cleansing

Securing the best possible future for Merthyr Tydfil

The Big Heart of Merthyr Tydfil

13 Wheatsheaf Lane, Merthyr Tydfil, CF47 8AY

[email protected]

01685 726272