1. Little Book Of Offers, Taste Leamington & Art in the Spa
An offers book will be produced ready for the summer and autumn season – and is open to all. Also, alongside our ‘art in the spa’ directory, we will also produce a ‘taste’ directory produced to go directly into the hands of visitors. Offers can be valid from mid-July to October, to cover the Commonwealth Games, Art in the Park, and Food & Drink Festival.
Please drop us an email with your offer by the 8th of June, if you wish to be included?
2. The Lights of Leamington Research
As previously reported, a local steering group has secured grant funding from Arts Council England to research the return of this amazing historical event – and the feasibility study is now well underway. We very much want to hear from the business community as we know that events like this must draw people into town and involve local businesses.
Curated Place will be hosting online workshops with local businesses and the creative community and / or please complete our survey (if you haven’t already). It takes around 15min and has a specific business section where we want to understand how this can benefit you. This might be by using your products or expertise, running the event in a quiet time of year, or having installations located in different places around town – so we would love to capture this information from you.
- The survey: (via Survey Monkey): https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/HX2JG5D
- Lights of Leamington Website: www.lightsofleamington.co.uk
ALSO – please email us, if you are interested in attending an online workshop to learn more? (outside of core work hours, no more than 1 hour, date in June TBC).
3. Queens Jubilee – Windows and Bunting
We will be showcasing all of your Jubilee inspired shop window designs throughout the month across digital channels. Please let us know if you would like any ‘red, white and blue’ bunting?
4. Dates for the Diary
Please see below and at this link (please click) a list of upcoming events between now and September, that you may wish to note in the diary and / or get more involved in. Please note, only the Food Festival is solely organised by us, but we are in contact with the organisers of other events if you wish to find out more.
| Date | Event Name | Location |
| 02 until 05 June | Queens Jubilee Weekend | Town Centre |
| 02 June | The lighting of the Beacon | Town Centre & Pump Rooms |
| 04 June | Right Royal Picnic | Pump Room Gardens |
| 26 June | Leam Half Marathon | Town |
| 28 Jul until 8 August | Commonwealth Games – Big screen | Pump Room Gardens |
| 29 Jul until 6 August | Commonwealth Games Bowls | Victoria Park |
| 13 & 14 August | Art in the Park | Jephson Gardens |
| 14 August | Bikerlott | Old Town |
| 20 August | Warwickshire Pride | Pump Room Gardens |
| 25 Aug until 11 Sep | National Bowls Competition | Victoria Park |
| 10 & 11 September | Leamington Food Festival* | Pump Room Gardens |
| 25 September | Cars at the Spa | Pump Room Gardens |
| Last Sunday each month | Covent Garden Quarter Markets | Warwick Street |
5. Attract, Surprise, Inspire, Delight, Support and Lobby
Right now there is a lot happening behind the scenes and the BID Board is meeting regularly to discuss ideas and offer feedback.
We are planning activities that will attract, surprise, inspire and delight visitors in our town centre, and showcase local businesses and products, and well as a package of bespoke business support measures.
We are also speaking to local authorities, the LEP, MP, and investors and working with others to secure more support for businesses. This includes identifying (and lobbying for) grants and advice to support energy and business cost savings, engaging on new town centre developments and investment (e.g. the Argos site and House of Fraser’s new tenant Sumo, Future High St Fund and Share Prosperity Fund), vigorously challenging local price rises to services (car parking, parks etc), reviewing government proposals on business rates multiplier freeze /online tax (debate), tackling local vacant units and engaging with emerging government policy on this complex issue, and addressing emerging policy on carbon taxes and waste, among other things. There is a dizzying array of information circulating, which we will summarise as things become clearer.
This will be relevant to all sectors in different ways – so please keep a watch out for forthcoming emails and our newsletter very soon. For now, we wanted to keep this short as we know you are busy.
Please do not hesitate to get in touch if you have ideas or wish to learn more. Also, don’t forget to keep sending us your offers, product photos, promotions, job opportunities – and anything you wish for us to promote on our website and social media. A quick email to info@bidleamington2022.mystagingwebsite.com is all it takes.
Best wishes,
Steph and Alison