Bath has a deserved reputation as a City of Festivals, with music and literature galore. This is one of Bath's great attractions, and serves to distinguish Bath from not only other towns and cities in the region but from locations across the UK.
The Bath BID is focused on building on this reputation by introducing and running events that complement what is already on offer in the city. It's about adding to the portfolio of events that Bath offers to visitors, not competing with well-established festivals and events that are already doing a superb job in enhancing the cultural richness of the city and bolstering its economy.
One example of this is Bath in Fashion 2013. This month, between April 13 to 21, the city is playing host to its fourth fashion festival with no fewer than 43 events being staged, including talks with Michael Jackson's costume designer Michael Bush, catwalk shows, exhibitions and fashion workshops.
It is not only fashion retailers who benefit from events such as Bath in Fashion. Restaurants, cafes and bars also enjoy a lift, while Bath as a whole benefits from the enhanced exposure that the city receives. In recognition of this, the Nationwide BID Survey 2012 highlighted Bath in Fashion as an example of a BID-organised event that benefited its levy payers in terms of high profile, celebrity endorsement and increased footfall to the city.
The Great Bath Feast is another successful event that the BID has established. The inaugural food festival for the city was held last autumn and attracted such high-profile gastronomic personalities as Michael Caines and Giles Coren.
The second Great Bath Feast will take place from October 1 to 31 this year and we are committed to making sure the second course is as tasty as the first.
When it comes to big events, they don't come much bigger than the Christmas Lights Switch-on. The BID has welcomed Nicolas Cage, the Duchess of Cornwall, John Cleese and The One Show to do the honours in recent years, and more big names will be sought in future years as this great annual event goes from strength to strength.
The events the BID puts on are not of a one-size-fits-all character. In some cases, smaller events are needed for a specific area within the city centre. Last summer, for example, the BID was involved in organising a mini-festival along Green Street. The event was held in response to a request from retailers along the street, who wanted to be part of an event that would help boost footfall.
The success of that one-off event has prompted businesses along the street to do more. Following discussions with traders, the BID has applied to hold seven such events along Green Street over the course of a year, with the majority being held in the summer months.
The example of Green Street is a great illustration of the BID working with business people in a particular area of the city in order to help meet a particular need.
If you would like your street to become involved in such an initiative then please contact the Bath BID on 01225 430 640 or email info@bathbid.co.ukby Andrew Cooper, manager of the Bath Business Improvement District
