Partnerships for Better Business Ltd are seeking a Project Support Administrator with experience in Administration, Marketing, Events and Project Delivery to join our team at Bracknell BID

 This is a full-time position based at Bracknell Business Area  (3 days in the office minimum, up to 2 days may be taken as home working).

Partnerships for Better Business Ltd (pfbb UK) specialise in the development, delivery, project management and support services for Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) and partnerships in towns, city centres and industrial estates.

This is an exciting opportunity for someone to join a friendly dynamic team located in Bracknell. The successful applicant will be accountable for supporting the work of the Bracknell BID Team in marketing and website management, providing administrative support to the working groups and liaison with businesses and partners and coordinating activity to ensure effective delivery and promotion of projects.

The successful candidate must have

Salary circa £26,500 – £28,000 per annum dependant on experience.

Please send your CV and a covering letter to [email protected] clearly marking ‘Bracknell BID Project Support Admin’ in the email subject line.

A project to transform a forgotten green space in Northampton town centre has been shortlisted for another prestigious award.

For years St Katherine’s Gardens was a magnet for crime and anti-social behaviour but this year it has been revitalised by a lottery-funded project led by Northampton Town Centre Business Improvement District (BID) managed by Place and BID Management Company pfbb UK (Partnerships for Better Business Ltd).

With support from Northampton Town Council and an army of volunteers, the pfbb UK delivery team at Northampton BID spearheaded a campaign to turn the park into an urban green space for shoppers and town centre workers.

The project has already won a national award at the Association of Town and City Management Industry Awards and has now made it to the finals of East Midlands Chamber’s Derbyshire Business Awards in the Excellence in Collaboration category having been submitted by Derbyshire-based pfbb UK which manages Northampton BID.

pfbb UK’s Northampton BID Operations Manager Mark Mullen said: “Thanks to this project a previously unloved area of Northampton town centre has been transformed into a fantastic space for shoppers and people living and working in the area.

“Seeing so many different organisations from across Northampton working together to create something so special for the town has been incredibly inspirational.”

 

“This project has shown off Northampton’s community at its best and it’s wonderful to see people now enjoying the lovely outdoor space we have created.”

pfbb UK secured £10,000 of Lottery funding for the BID to help pay for the work, with multiple partners including groundworks firm Danaher and Walsh, landscapers idverde, builders merchants Travis Perkins, Zone Developments and Stepnells (the developers behind the ongoing Market Square works) donating their time and resources to help with the project.

A collaboration of volunteers from Northampton Town Council, the Royal British Legion, University of Northampton, Northampton College and local businesses joined forces to spruce up the area and clear litter as part of The Big Help Out – a national day of volunteering to mark the Coronation of King Charles III.

St Katherine’s Gardens is a green space in the centre of Northampton that was once the site of the 19th century church of St Katherine. It provides a walkway between the bus station and Horsemarket, and is neighboured by businesses on College Street, St Katherine’s Street and King Street.

The project saw benches and bins repurposed and upcycled following their removal from the Market Square. Railings and gates have been freshly painted while there are sections dedicated to Northampton Town Council’s Bloom campaign and the Climate Change Forum.

The theme for the space is influenced by the King’s passion for sustainability, biodiversity and the natural world. Volunteers have planted sustainable, perennial planters and a wild flower and grass bed, established flower beds have been pruned to encourage the growth of existing wild flowers and the whole site has given a bright and clean new look, with the addition of a stunning floral wellbeing mural, designed by Sarah Hodgkins and painted by college and university students.

Other highlights in the new-look gardens include poetry-based artwork by James McInerney that forms the basis of a trail for this year’s Northampton in Bloom campaign.

St Katherine’s Gardens had become a magnet for crime and anti-social behaviour but has now gone from ‘grey to gorgeous’ thanks to a lottery-funded volunteer project as part of The Big Help Out to mark the King’s Coronation weekend.

Read full article here.

St Katherine’s Gardens had become a magnet for crime and anti-social behaviour but has now gone from ‘grey to gorgeous’ thanks to a lottery-funded volunteer project as part of The Big Help Out to mark the King’s Coronation weekend.

Read the full article here.

 

 

 

A specialist BID and Place Management consultancy firm is celebrating success in tow BID renewal ballots, one in the Cathedral Quarter Derby and the other in Chelmsford.

Partnerships for Better Business Ltd (pfbb UK) work with local authorities and businesses across the country to implement and manage effective Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) in their areas, focusing on partnership and investment opportunities, and creating better places for shoppers and visitors to enjoy.

Ian Ferguson Director of pfbb UK said ‘The Cathedral Quarter ballot is particularly special to us as this was pfbb UK’s first ever Business Improvement District and this result is the best it has ever had across the four ballot since its first one in 2007.’

‘We have also been very pleased to work closely with the BID team in Chelmsford to support their second ballot where there is huge opportunity to the BID to build on its achievements to date.’ Ian said.

BIDs are playing an increasingly important role in supporting businesses and shaping the future of towns and city centres as they undergo major changes from simply retail destinations to centres for their communities to work, live and enjoy.

pfbb UK continues to provide support to BIDs across the UK in renewal ballots, delivery of projects to support businesses and the development of place management plans to support town and city centre regeneration.

Our specialist consultancy firm is celebrating its biggest ever year after supporting town and city centres to rebuild in the post-pandemic world.

At Partnerships for Better Business Ltd (pfbb UK) we work with local authorities and businesses across the country to implement and manage effective Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) in their areas, focusing on partnership and investment opportunities, and creating better places for shoppers and visitors to enjoy.

In the last year, we have launched a new ‘Place Management’ service to help local authorities with research, partnerships, BIDs and strategies to improve town and city centres, grown to a team of 14, and increased our loyal client base by 67%, as more and more businesses and organisations need help to overcome challenges caused by Covid. Ian Ferguson, Director at pfbb UK and a Government expert for the High Street Task Force, said: “We have experienced some fantastic organic growth here at pfbb UK, which has come through our expertise in delivering BIDs and helping local authorities to generate levy revenue to reinvest in their areas.

“Making places better is at the heart of what we do, and our experience of working in town centres for the last 20 years has put us in an excellent position to help local authorities and businesses adapt to the changes brought by the pandemic, such as the reduction in retail footage, the need for more green spaces, and making offices work in a different way due to hybrid working.

“The way people use town centres has changed dramatically in the last two years, and we have the experience and skills to ensure masterplans are delivered on the ground. Many towns and cities need help and support to bring all their plans together, and our success and growth as a business demonstrates that the high street is certainly not dead.”

Kerry Reynolds, Co-Chair Northampton town centre BID and Area Director, Metro Bank said: “pfbb UK has been managing the BID since 2014, eighteen months before its first renewal to set it back on track.

”They have since managed delivery of our BID projects and taken us through a further renewal into our third term. Through their skill they developed a very close and productive working relationship with Northampton Borough Council and managed relationships under the newly reconstructed unitary authority.

“During Covid the BID initiated and led the creation and coordination of Northampton town centre Task Force, supporting businesses and managing the town centre throughout the various stages of Covid, lockdown and openings. Through a highly experienced, effective and professional team, the BID is now playing a key role in shaping the delivery of the Northampton town centre’s Masterplan, driving real benefits to businesses and shaping the future of the town centre.”

Gavin O’Brien, Chair of Luton BID and co-director of Clearhead Media added: “I have worked with pfbb UK since they developed the BID back in 2014. Since then the pfbb UK team have managed the delivery of BID plans and taken Luton BID into its second term.

“We are very fortunate to have such a professional, experienced and technically skilled team supporting the Board and managing the BID to deliver real benefits to businesses in Luton town centre. Thanks to the effectiveness of their project delivery, the BID has made a real difference to the way the town centre looks and feels.

“pfbb UK’s placemaking expertise also enables the BID to play a key strategic role in working with the council in the development and delivery of its masterplan which is key to changing the perceptions of the town centre and enabling Luton to reach its full potential.

“On top of this, they aren’t scared to challenge ’the norm’ and really do feel like incredible teammates, guiding us through issues that any town or city might have. I highly recommend pfbb UK as a highly professional and competent team who deliver valuable benefits to BID business levy payers.’

To find out more about pfbb UK visit www.pfbbuk.co.uk.