Falmouth weekly updates

Falmouth BID weekly updates as usual:

BID Renewal

Thank you to the hundreds of businesses who took the time

to vote during the recent BID renewal ballot. As you will read in the local media this week, BID will continue investing in the town for the next five years following a huge majority of businesses voting in favour of it continuing. 87% of voting businesses voted YES, representing the strongest by far for any BID in the region and it’s great that Falmouth has so many proactive businesses committed to working together with the Town Team to support the town. You can read more information here – BID RENEWAL.

Julian Graves site

As has been mentioned, the Town Team has been on the front foot to revamp the vacant Julian Graves site with Christmas and Tall Ships imagery and messages. An image is attached.

Dementia Action
For info:

• The Falmouth Dementia Action Alliance will be outside M&S on Saturday December 7th, from 10 - 4pm with information about awareness of dementia, and also will be promoting the forthcoming performance of the highly acclaimed  play 'Grandma Remember Me'. This will be at the Poly at 7.30pm on Friday 13th December, and will be followed by a Dementia Friends session. Tickets available from the Poly £6/£4 (family £18) 01326 319461
• The theatre company is presenting a performance of 'Grandma Remember Me' at the Houses of Parliament just before ours, following a countrywide tour.

Falmouth Updates

Falmouth BID updates as usual:

Falmouth Christmas
The Christmas promotional literature and window posters will be delivered to town businesses over the next couple of days. Many of you will have seen Christmas posters in numerous bus shelters in the area and this will be combined with a strong push via 5,000 promotional fliers, local media editorial and online marketing. Please link on your respective websites to www.falmouth.co.uk so that visitors, customers and contacts are aware of the activities being planned.

Small Business Saturday
This national initiative, which aims to promote and highlight small businesses across the UK will be taking place on Sat 7^th Dec, one of the busiest shopping days of the year (first Sat in Dec of course). To find out more and to get involved look here – SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY.

Children in Need

Congrats to all who took part in the Children in Need activities throughout the town and at the NMMC on Friday.

Falmouth BID Updates

Falmouth BID updates as usual for you:

Christmas:

·
Late Night Christmas Opening – a reminder, do let me know if you intend to be open please (thanks to those that have), as I will be putting the ‘who’s open’ page live later this week.

·
Marketing - a Christmas flyer is being produced and will sit alongside the free Christmas parking posters. These will be distributed around the town in the next two weeks. In addition, many bus shelter sites have been secured, coverage planned for local newspapers and magazines and a variety of other activity in place to get the message out there. Do please link to www.falmouth.co.uk on your respective websites and social media channels, where the full Christmas activity listing appears.

National Award for Maritime Museum
Congratulations to the National Maritime Museum Cornwall for scooping a Silver in the Best UK Heritage Attraction category at the recent British Travel Awards. These are the ‘Oscars’ of the tourism industry, voted for by hundreds of thousands of consumers nationwide, so an excellent achievement.

Children in Need

I’m also including again the message sent last week, on how the town can get together for a great cause -

Wellies, Onesies and Wigs for Pudsey!

Falmouth Town is raising money for Children in Need on Friday 15^th November. All shops, galleries, banks and businesses are invited to wear Wellies, Onesies and Wigs for Pudsey. Let’s all get in the spirit and have a good old cake sale or collect money for Children in Need throughout the day on Friday 15^th November. All money raised during this day will be totted together to present a cheque from Falmouth Town Council (on behalf of the local businesses and community) during the evening event at National Maritime Museum Cornwall. The evening celebration will run from 6-10pm and if you would like to attend or want more info, please contact Charlotte Davis at Falmouth Art Gallery for any queries -  01326 313863, info@falmouthartgallary.com.

Children in Need in Falmouth

The National Maritime Museum Cornwall are delighted to announce that they have been chosen to host BBC Children in Need in the South West on Friday, November 15.

There will be live feature broadcasts by the BBC Spotlight team on BBC1 at half past one and half past six, as well as live links into the national TV network programme throughout the evening.

Celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2013 Falmouth’s multi-award winning National Maritime Museum Cornwall has 15 galleries, over five floors, of interactive hands-on exhibitions dedicated to the sea, boats and Cornwall. It’ll all be open to fundraisers and members of the public on the big night – so why not come along, and share in Pudsey’s party.   

Michael Sweeney, Communications Manager at the Maritime Museum said: “Everyone at the Museum is incredibly excited to be hosting this year’s BBC Children in Need in the South West.   As with last year’s Antiques Roadshow, this is another example of the Maritime Museum bringing the media spotlight to shine on what Falmouth has to offer.  And of course BBC Children in Need is such a worthwhile cause that staff and volunteers at the Museum are only too happy to get behind it.”

It promises to be a fun packed day with abseiling from the Museum’s tower.  Pudsey bear and a BBC Presenter, if they’re brave enough, will make the descent – see if you can guess who? There’ll be live musical performances in the Museum’s Main Hall, and creative craft activities for children throughout the evening.

A highlight of the event will be a performance by the BBC South West regions’ 200 strong children’s choir, linking across the UK for a national choral performance. The choir will be made up of children from across Cornwall with the performance being staged in the Museum’s Main Hall beneath their flotilla of flying boats suspended from the ceiling.

Local fundraisers and the public are invited to Pudsey’s party, and if you would like to come along e-mail pudseytickets@bbc.co.uk, tell Pudsey what you’re doing to raise money, how many people are in your group, and they’ll just send you the tickets.

FREE Car parking for Christmas

In a follow-up to the free February car parking campaign, the Falmouth BID is launching a FREE Christmas shopping car parking scheme in what will be a first at this time of year for the town. ALL Cornwall Council run car parks plus the privately run Maritime Museum and Custom House Quay car parks in Falmouth will be FREE on the four late-night shopping evenings, enabling shoppers to enjoy even more all the town has to offer – its high quality independent shops and national retail businesses, food and drink outlets and visitor attractions.

The free car parking will come into effect from 5pm on each of the late night shopping evenings in Falmouth, including the Christmas Lights switch-on evening of Thursday 28th Nov and then on the following Thursdays up until Christmas - 5th, 12th and the 19th Dec. As a result those that are FREE on the highlighted dates and times will be:

The Moor, Quarry, The Dell (Falmouth Town), Church Street, Maritime Museum car park, Custom House Quay, Grove Place, Well Lane and Gyllyngvase Beach

The scheme responds directly to feedback from businesses and local people who identify the cost of car parking as a key component in the shoppers’ decision making process. The Falmouth BID has responded to this by spearheading an innovative scheme that will make it even more attractive for people from across Cornwall to ‘re-discover’ Falmouth.

CELEBRATING FALMOUTH’S BUSINESSES

23 Sept-7 Oct FREE

They say people make a place. 

Falmouth is a town with a

rich maritime heritage, an independent spirit and an enviable creative streak. Its diverse range of businesses have in many cases a fascinating story to tell.

These images by local photographer Hugh Hastings and commissioned by the Falmouth BID offer an insight into the passion and innovative thinking behind many businesses in Falmouth, helping to support a thriving and eclectic high street despite prevailing economic challenges.


Celebrating Falmouth's Businesses
23 September-7th October 2013
Venue: The Poly FREE
www.falmouth.co.uk

£1.5m national coverage passed

The BID funded national PR campaign has now passed the £1.5m mark! Falmouth is the only Cornish town undertaking such a campaign and the results have been far reaching.

Latest results are in several B2B publications as we highlight the diverse and eclectic range of businesses on offer here in our town.

Our campaign supports the range of events & festivals as well as profiling more quirky, individual aspects of the town.

See the full range of coverage so far here

Falmouth Updates

Falmouth Updates

Falmouth BID, your input

The strength of the projects delivered so far (including the comprehensive new visitor signage)despite such a challenging economic climate, stem from the good ideas and input of businesses 4 years ago during the consultation period for Falmouth BID. Each term of BID (there are  over 150 across the UK) lasts for up to 5 years and so this year in November, Falmouth BID will go to re-ballot. What’s key now is to seek your views and input once again so that we can look to shape another 5 years of critical investment and supportive projects for the town. Over the next week we will look to speak with you to garner those views - projects that really matter to you and the town. As before, your views will then shape a business plan.

Sea Shanty Festival 14-16 June

39 groups performing at over 20 venues this year, bigger than ever for its 10^th Anniversary. Promises to be another great event

Armed Forces Day Cornwall – 22 June

Many of you should now have received the Armed Forces Day programmes for your customers and guests. If you haven’t as yet or you’d like more, then please do get in touch. If you’d had a browse through, you’ll see an enormous effort has been made to ensure the day is a memorable one which can hopefully attract many visitors. Some business such as Sisley have decided to do a promotional offer on that weekend which is great. If there are others who are planning something similar then do let us know and we can push them via social media channels.

Arvor

Arvor is a collective of 30 emerging multi-national photographic talents, fresh from finishing their Press and Editorial Photography degree at Falmouth University. They are organising many initiatives one of which is the Arvor Trail around Falmouth running until 23^rd June, so keep an eye out for that. More info here - Arvor  

Falmouth Updates

Falmouth BID updates as usual for you:

 

Visitor Signage
Thank you to those who fed back thoughts and ideas regards the exciting visitor signage project. Hopefully by now, many of you will have seen the designs either on display in the Town Hall, online or in the local media. This is most comprehensive project of its kind in Cornwall at present with the first phase being installed over the coming weeks.

Armed Forces Day

Many of you will know that a really exciting day is planned on Sat 22^nd June for Armed Forces Day Cornwall. The idea (and significant efforts going on behind the scenes at present are to this end)is to make this a fantastic, inclusive day for all the family - yet another great reason we hope for thousands of people to visit Falmouth. The place to keep checking is on the Falmouth website see here – Armed Forces Day Cornwall. I will be updating this as soon as we are able to confirm things but already you can see how much is being planned and what is in store.

#loveFalmouth

Hopefully for those of you that use social media you are by now, following the Falmouth spirit of the sea Facebook page for news on events, images of Falmouth, videos etc and @FalmouthBID on Twitter to be kept abreast of business related topics. If you are a Twitter user then please consider using the hashtag #loveFalmouth which has been set up. Its another way by which we can continue to talk and spread the word about all that’s exciting and positive about our town, its people, businesses and activities.

Tremough Community Games
Head on up to Tremough Campus this Sat 27^th April between 12 noon and 4pm for an afternoon of fun activities. All free with climbing walls, a dry ski slope, circus skills demonstrations, a fun run and more. 

Celebrating Falmouth's Businesses

Celebrating Falmouth's Businesses exhibition in the Poly went very well, numerous positive comments, good feedback and a great start to the ongoing campaign that aims to highlight the passion, creativity and dynamism that exists on Falmouth's high street.

We held a preview evening to thank the business participants and you can hear their thoughts via The Source FM here:

https://soundcloud.com/andy-coote/falmouth-for-business-package?utm_source=soundcloud&utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=twitter&utm_content=https://soundcloud.com/andy-coote/falmouth-for-business-package 

Falmouth Updates

Some Falmouth BID updates as usual for you:

Falmouth Spring Festival 14-24 March

• The Festival Guide will be out late next week. I am producing 10,000 copies which will be distributed locally and regionally to promote the town and the event
• 15,000 flier inserts will be in both the Packet and West Briton in the week leading up to the festival
• We now have 90-100 schoolchildren, 100 businesses, 30-40 University students and 4,000 daffs all working together and involved in the Paint the Town Yellow Day on 14 March!
• We have in the region of 90 volunteers and have earmarked 10 sites for the big Spring Clean Day on 9^th March!

·         Full schedule www.falmouth.co.uk

BID Director and support

Thank you for the keen interest shown by a number of businesses in wanting to get more involved with the Falmouth BID and therefore supporting the town. We’ll make an announcement on the new ‘High St Champion’ Director very soon.

St Austell BID

Congratulations to the steering group and to the businesses of St Austell who have voted YES (75% Yes vote) to a Business Improvement District, making it the 5^th town in Cornwall to now have a BID.

Great South West Walks – some info from the organisers

We are contacting you to ensure you are aware of our Great South West Walk in April and May this year.  The walk is to be a relay to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the South West Coast Path Association.  It will  start on both North and South coasts, walking westwards day-by-day and ending at Land's End on May 7th.  Walkers will try and raise money to fund over forty improvement projects on the South West Coast Path.  Full details of our walk on to be found at www.greatsouthwestwalk.co.uk

Celebrating Falmouth’s Businesses

Celebrating Falmouth’s Businesses 21^st Jan-4^th Feb

The exhibition is now live in The Poly until 4^th Feb. The intention is to take more business images and also to extend this creative strand of the Shop Local campaign to film in the coming weeks. At the same time, we are pushing and promoting the exhibition regionally and nationally, looking for as many opportunities as possible to highlight the vibrancy and originality of Falmouth’s businesses. 

Falmouth BID Updates:

Great coffee shops listing

Two of Falmouth’s cafes in the UK top 50 as compiled by The Independent. Well done goes to Provedore and Expressini both fairly recent additions whose proactive commitment to quality and customer service has been recognised nationally, the only in Cornwall as well to make the list. Independent article here

Falmouth Food & Drink Week 9-17 Feb

Thanks to those businesses who have responded – we now have a good selection. This is being promoted both online and offline – via homepage of www.falmouth.co.uk and social media, mention in Cornwall Today March edition and local media support. 

Spring Festival Updates and Advertising 14-24 March

Progressing very well as the first main Festival of the season. Some updates for you:

1.       Delighted to announce the NMMC as this year’s title sponsors. Terrific to have their support and they will I’m sure, be very proactive in assisting with the promotional effort

2.       Spring Clean Day on 9^th March. Shaping up very well with lots of volunteers and numerous sites earmarked subject to permissions:

·         Gyllyngvase Beach Clean

·         Railings painted along Cliff Rd

·         Waterfront Crew litter clearing along Pendennis Point

·         All of the Hodgsons Accountants on Arwenack St staff are getting on board and will undertake a site cleanup which is fantastic and just the sort of community effort envisaged.

·         Involvement from Sarah Newton MP which again is great news

3.       Run Falmouth half-marathon now on the Cornwall Grand Prix circuit and we can expect in excess of 500 runners. To book your place or to forward to colleagues click here

4.       Zumba Zestifal details are out, please see attached and do book up to support!

5.       Thanks to Paul from walkitcornwall who has done a sterling job co-ordinating the myriad of different walks. As  you can see from the schedule there are several on each day of the Fest

6.       We have a new event the two day folk & Cider fest which is an exciting addition

7.       There will be a 16 page guide backed up with promotional flyers and PR support. 

Visitor Signage Project

·         Submitted planning apps to Cornwall Council for this very exciting project and have presented to a number of key partners/funders, the designs for the various components

·         You may have seen designs in local media but we will shortly also have these on public display and online for the community and visitors to see what is planned

·         Installation, planning application pending, is earmarked for late Spring/very early summer

Celebrating Falmouth Businesses Exhibition 21 Jan - 4 Feb

A reminder that our two week exhibition will be running in The Poly from the end of the month. Very much another strand of the Shop Local Think Falmouth campaign, we will be taking the images of businesses owners you have seen on the vacant unit wallpaper designs, taken by local photographer Hugh Hastings and showcasing these. The intention of course is to celebrate the vibrancy and diversity of our town through the characters and personalities that help shape it.

Tall Ships 2014

A new Facebook page has been set up, that will be populated in due course with imagery, event details and videos. Do like and follow to keep up to date with this amazing event. TALL SHIPS 2014 FACEBOOK PAGE