We hope you are all well. Please see below a quick update on some questions that have been coming to us lately – and information about our upcoming business meeting.
BID Business Meeting: Wednesday 30th March
The Royal Pug (141 Regent Street, upstairs)
Arrive 5.30pm for a 6pm start.
Please see (image above) our invitation to our next Business Meeting. This will be an opportunity to hear about the variety of events and activities coming up in town. This includes the 70th Queens Jubilee Celebrations and the Commonwealth Games and we will be joined by representatives organising this. We will also update you on emerging developments and investment in the town centre – as well as all our upcoming promotions and activities.
Please email info@bidleamington2022.mystagingwebsite.com if you wish to join us, so we can plan for your attendance.
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Road Works
We have fed back business concerns relating to the impact of the extensive road works in and around Leamington to Warwickshire County Council and Warwick District Council. The issue has also been raised and discussed in parliament by our local MP Matt Weston. Like many, we feel there should have been better planning and coordination between the various agencies delivering works this year. Questions have also been raised about the timing of some works given we had a period of two years during Covid when roads were quieter.
However, we are conscious of how we mitigate impacts now and have asked Warwickshire County Council about compensation for businesses. You can also write to them by clicking here. As below we are also busy planning to activate the town centre wonderfully this summer.
To stay up to date with current works – and plan for future ones please see this link to a local map of planned works.
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Business Rates Information
A number of businesses have asked us about what businesses rates they will be paying in the year ahead (1st April 2022 – 31st March 2023). As in the past, the amount you pay is related to the rateable value of the property from which you do business and the type of business you are (i.e. retail, hospitality, office etc). The rates multiplier and any rates relief is then applied. You can find your rateable value on the VOA by clicking here.
Please see some key information for 2022 – 23:
- Small Business Rate Relief will continue at 100% for eligible businesses with a rateable value of 12,000 or less and on a % sliding scale for those with a rateable value of 12,001 – 14,999.
- At the Budget, on 27th October 2021, the Chancellor announced the introduction of a new business rates relief scheme for retail, hospitality and leisure properties worth almost £1.7 billion in 2022-23. This will support the businesses that make our high streets and town centres a success and help them to evolve and adapt to changing consumer demands.
- The 2022/23 Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Business Rates Relief scheme will provide eligible, occupied, retail, hospitality and leisure properties with a 50% relief, up to a cash cap limit of £110,000 per business.
- The Government anticipates that local authorities will include details of the relief to be provided to eligible ratepayers for 2022/23 in their bills for the beginning of the 2022/23 billing cycle.
- The guidance sets out the eligibility criteria for the scheme – as well as some examples of how it will be applied, can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/business-rates-guidance-202223-retail-hospitality-and-leisure-relief-scheme/202223-retail-hospitality-and-leisure-relief-scheme-local-authority-guidance
- The Business Rates multiplier rate is also staying the same this year with no increase.
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Some Key Dates for Your Diary
Below are some keys dates of interest. We will update you further on activities surrounding these events at our Business Meeting – and in our forthcoming newsletter. Please do not hesitate to give us a call if you wish to discuss any of these in more detail.
Please note, the events with * are organised by BID Leamington. The others are organised by various other groups and organisations with whom we have some contact so can put you in touch.
| Dates – 2022 | Event |
| Last Sunday each month starting February | Covent Garden Quarter Markets (Warwick Street) |
| 10th April | Regency Run |
| 15th– 18th April | Easter Weekend Trail and Activities* |
| 2nd until 5th June (4 day public holiday) | Queens Jubilee Weekend |
| 4th June | Leamington ‘Right Royal Picnic’ Jubilee Event in the Pump Room Gardens* |
| 26th June | Leam Half Marathon |
| 28th July until 8th August (12 days) | Commonwealth Games – LIVE site and Big screen in Pump Room Gardens |
| 29th July until 6th August | Commonwealth Games Bowls in Victoria Park |
| 13th & 14th August | Art in the Park |
| 20th August | Warwickshire Pride |
| 25th August until 11th September | National Bowls Competition – Victoria Park |
| 10th & 11th September | Leamington Food Festival* |
| 25th September | Cars at the Spa |
| October onwards | Sunday Markets |
| 31st October | Halloween Trail* |
| November onwards | Christmas Markets |
| TBC | Christmas Light Switch-on |
| 5th December | Leamington Lantern Parade* |
As always, we have lots of news, events and activities coming up, so please look out for our future updates.
You may have seen in recent news we are working with a small group of partners to deliver a feasibility study investigating a future event in Leamington – reigniting the historic ‘Lights of Leamington’. Information and a survey on this can be found here: https://lightsofleamington.co.uk/. You can also find out more via this Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/LightsofLeamington.
Don’t forget the Royal Leamington Spa Town Centre Facebook page, Instagram and twitter is where we showcase what you are doing / offering. Please also join our Leamington Town Centre Facebook Group if you haven’t already and share your ideas, information, promotions etc. We also post updates on the BID Leamington Facebook Page and information here on our website.
Please stay in touch and we look forward to seeing you soon,
Steph and Alison