This is your latest COVID-19 and business bulletin from your BID. If you need more information on reopening guidance, our city centre recovery plan or the Southampton Inside Out scheme you can find dedicated pages on our website.
In this bulletin, you will find BID services which can help your business save money on core business bills and recycling, something that may prove valuable to those who are starting to reopen in the city. You will also find information on our Business Crime Partnership, which has been launched today.
BID News
Launch of Southampton Business Crime Partnership (SBCP)
Today GO! Southampton has officially launched our new Southampton Business Crime Partnership scheme. A core aim within our Greater City Centre Experience theme group is to work with Hampshire Constabulary and Southampton City Council to enable a safer city centre by reducing crime and anti-social behaviour. You can read our initial letter to the Hampshire Police and Crime Commissioner detailing our concerns for the safety of the city centre and increased crime and anti-social behaviour due to inadequate levels of policing here.
To build on the work we have achieved to date through our Case File Builders we have launched two new services, which levy payers can take advantage of to further increase the safety of their business and staff. SBCP will improve the collation of crime intelligence across both daytime and night-time economies through our dedicated crime-reporting portal, which is free for BID levy payers and our new radio scheme in the city. Below is a summary of the initiatives and how you can get involved.
- Access to DISC
From today, levy payers will be able to access DISC, an online portal which has updated information of offenders in the city, alerts on live incidents, community news as well as other local crime intelligence. There is also an events section that highlights available training for businesses. This platform is exclusively free for levy payers. If you would like to sign up please email sbcp@gosouthampton.co.uk with your organisations name for you to be added to the system.
- Radio Scheme
We have now launched a radio scheme available to all levy payers. Businesses will be able to purchase or hire radios, which will connect to the City Watch CCTV control room should they need additional visual support and security footage of an incident on their premise. Any calls made via the radios will be picked up by our security team who will be able to provide onsite support if the incident is reported during their working hours. Businesses will be able to use this system instead of ringing the security team on the normal telephone number. As a reminder, Martin, Sam and Kieran work from 12pm to 8pm, Tuesday to Saturday.
Radios can either be hired for £5 per week, paid in quarterly instalments, or can be bought directly starting from £250. For more information about the radios you can get in touch with us at sbcp@gosouthampton.co.uk or to purchase/hire a radio please contact M.R.S. Communications via email sales@mrscomms.co.uk
Dry Mixed Recycling Scheme As numerous businesses have been closed over the last three months, we feel it is important that GO! Southampton can support levy payers by offering ways they can save money to further help them through recovery. Levy payers can save up to 50% of their dry mixed recycling costs as part of our Dry Mixed Recycling Saving Scheme, in partnership with Southampton City Council. Through this scheme, businesses will be able to save a significant amount of money and reduce levels of general waste reaching landfill. There are no hidden fees and bins will be provided free of charge. To find out more about the scheme and to sign up, get in touch with the Council on 02380 834 325 or email commercial.waste@southampton.gov.uk. To allow for this scheme to continue, it is only available to levy payers who have paid their BID Levy bill. LoyalFree Update
We have recently come to the end of our initial three-year commitment to the LoyalFree app, which allows businesses to offer discounts and loyalty schemes. Whilst the scheme has worked well for some businesses, we haven’t seen positive enough results across our full set of relevant member businesses, and so, with a need to ensure we deliver a return on investment for our levy payers, we have decided not to continue with the scheme.
However, we have negotiated an offer for any BID members who currently use LoyalFree to have continued access to the app for their offers, at a discounted cost of £20 per month (per business). If you are interested in this option please contact tech@loyalfree.co.uk.
Our arrangement with LoyalFree will officially come to an end on 28 August, at which point all offers will be removed from the app, unless you’ve taken up the offer for individual businesses. If you have any queries about this please contact tom.madge@gosouthampton.co.uk.
Local and National News
New Pavement Licence Guidance Passed
Yesterday the Business and Planning Act received Royal Assent which means that the Government guidance for pavement licences is now no longer in draft and can be used by Local Authorities and businesses. The guidance makes it easier and cheaper for businesses to apply for a temporary pavement licence which allows them to utilise outdoor space for trade. Application fees will now be capped at £100 and have a 5-day consultation period compared to 28 days previously. Businesses can find out more information on the changes and apply for a temporary licence on the Southampton City Council website here. You can read our press release on the launch of our Southampton Inside Out initiative, which aims to support hospitality businesses through the use of outdoor dining here.
Updating Your Fire Risk Assessment
As a reminder to those businesses who are beginning to reopen in the city, they will need to update their Fire Risk Assessments. It is important for all information to be accurate and to meet the terms of their lease agreements to maintain fire safety standards. More information on fire risk assessments can be found here.
Recovery Advice for Business Scheme
Hosted by Enterprise Nation and backed by the Government, small businesses can sign up to the Recovery Advice for Business scheme to receive access to free, one-to-one advice with industry experts who can help prepare firms for long-term recovery on a number of topics including: - Accounting and finance
- People and building a team
- PR, social media and marketing
- Technology and digital tools
- Planning, strategy and pivoting
Reopening Businesses From 1 August
Last week, the Prime Minister announced the next steps in the Road to Recovery plan, which outlined further reopening from August 1 and beyond for other sectors. In summary: - From 1 August bowling alleys, indoor skating rinks, casinos, exhibition halls and conference centres can reopen - more guidance to be published shortly
- Live performances can take place indoors in front of a socially distanced audience from 1 August, read more here
- All other face-to-face services which are currently unable to take place, such as facials and eyebrow waxing, can resume from 1 August
- As of August 1, employers will be given more discretion on how employers can work safely, either by working from home or returning to the workplace
- Indoor business events and conferences can resume from 1 October, read more here
Useful Links - For Government guidance for businesses, employers and employees go here
- View the Council's latest coronavirus information here
- Sign up for the Council's business e-newsletter here
- View our city centre recovery plan here
- View our COVID-19 reopening guidance here
- Use sector-specific working safely guidance on your reopening here
- Find out more about the Transfer to Transform initiative here
- Register for the Eat Out to Help Out scheme here
- Register for the free industry standard ‘Good to Go’ mark here
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