Reflection and Vision Are Themes for Cathedral Quarter Event
Businesses and stakeholders will gather to celebrate Derby Cathedral Quarter Business Improvement District (BID) at a breakfast event on Thursday October 27.
The event will be held at Derby Museum and Art Gallery on The Strand with guests hearing from a number of speakers representing the BID and key sectors operating in the area. It comes in advance of businesses in the Cathedral Quarter developing a new business plan next year with a decision on BID renewal due to go to a vote in Autumn 2017.
The event will be opened by Martin Langsdale, chair of the Cathedral Quarter Board and Management Group, which drives forward activities under the area’s BID status. He will highlight some of the achievements of the BID since its initial launch in 2008 and renewal in 2013, leading to the Cathedral Quarter being awarded the Association of Town and City Management (ATCM) National BID of the Year 2016 title.
Adam Buss, Chief Executive of QUAD, will then discuss the development of the leisure and culture offer in the Cathedral Quarter as well as identifying opportunities for the future. Ian Ferguson, Director of Derby-based Partnerships for Better Business (pfbb uk), who are contract managers for the Cathedral Quarter and BIDs across the UK, will look at the changing face of retail and discuss the opportunities available to retailers in the Cathedral Quarter. He will also highlight the expanding customer demographic in light of new arrivals such as White Stuff, Dr Marten’s as well as the prospective opening of national retailers such as Joules and Jack Wills to complement the existing independent retail offer.
Finally, Mark Richardson, Partner at BB&J Commercial in Iron Gate will focus on the professional services sector – which is the largest proportion of businesses in the Cathedral Quarter - and the emerging trends in the commercial and residential property markets in the area. Martin Langsdale commented: “A great deal has been achieved in the Cathedral Quarter over the last nine years since the launch of the first BID Business Plan in 2008. “As we start the process to plan for a further five year term, this is an opportunity for businesses in the area to find out more about opportunities and challenges facing them and their neighbours and for stakeholders to consider how they can be involved in the Cathedral Quarter’s success. “In this time of increasing austerity within the public sector, a Business Improvement District provides businesses with the opportunity, finance and control to ensure sustained delivery of the projects it wants to see. “We have had an excellent response to the business breakfast invitation and look forward to welcoming a wide range of businesses and organisations to celebrate this unique and diverse area of the city centre.”