Plymouth Waterfront Partnership BID

Waterfront Business Plan puts businesses at helm of £6.2 million investment programme

Detailed investment plans were today unveiled to drive visitor numbers and boost profitability for businesses in Plymouth’s Waterfront area. The first ever Plymouth Waterfront Business Plan sets out a five-year, £6.2 million programme which puts local businesses in the driving seat in helping transform the way the Waterfront is marketed and managed.

The launch of the Business Plan by the Plymouth Waterfront Partnership (PWP) follows more than 12 months’ consultation by the PWP with local businesses – and comes ahead of a month-long ballot when Waterfront businesses will vote on setting up a Waterfront Business Improvement District (BID).

The Business Plan sets out how the BID will work and details 42 projects to be delivered including:

• Regional,national and international destination marketing campaigns aimed at creating £63 million new annual visitor spend
•  High quality waterside events programme
• Better signage,gateway improvements and water transportlinks
•  Environmental improvements and a vision for investment and regeneration
• Proposals to make the Waterfront cleaner and safer,including better cleansing standards and a night time economy manager

The BID would also give Waterfront businesses a powerful lobbying voice through the Plymouth Waterfront Partnership and a greater say in all aspects of the future development, regeneration and management of the Waterfront.

Under a BID, businesses will be asked to make an annual contribution to help fund delivery of improvement projects – with a third of businesses contributing less than £100 a year and half between £100 and £500.

For every £1 contributed by Waterfront businesses a further £2 (£2.4 million in total) will be targeted in match-funding by PWP. On top of this Plymouth City Council has confirmed it will support the initiative by ring-fencing £2.7 million of funding for services on the Waterfront for the full five years of a BID and also contributing £673,000 in match funding to the BID.David Wheeler, Chairman of Plymouth Waterfront Partnership, told businesses attending the launch at the Holiday Inn Hotel, Armada Way: “The launch of the Waterfront Business Plan is the culmination of a year of detailed consultation with business on what they want for the Waterfront, their own business needs and their customers.

“The result is an exciting and thorough set of proposals to secure a better future for the Waterfront, drive visitor numbers and spend and to give businesses a strong independent voice.

“It is a good deal for businesses and the PWP Board urges them to back this Business Plan and vote Yes for the Waterfront Business Improvement District to ensure a strong mandate going forward.”

Following the launch of the Business Plan, Waterfront businesses will receive BID Ballot papers by post for the confidential postal Ballot being run throughout February by the independent Electoral Reform Services. The deadline for Ballot papers to be returned to Electoral Reform Services will be 5pm on March 2

Related articles

• Launch of the Waterfront Business Plan (plymouthbuzz.com)
• Plymouth Waterfront Business Improvement District (plymouthbuzz.com)
• Plymouth Waterfront Partnership Votes to Proceed with BID (plymouthbuzz.com)

Princess Ball - Plymouth National Marine Aquarium

First Annual Princess Ball Held To Help Save Tiny Lives 

Princess Ball is holding their first annual ball, ‘The Princess Mermaid Ball’ will take place on Saturday 24^th March 2012 at Plymouth National Marine Aquarium and they will be raising funds for baby charity Tommy’s.

The annual event has been created to help support British Charities with a different one each year, the event is being organised by Claire Hooper owner of Events by Claire, a Devon based event and Wedding planner.

The Princess Mermaid Ball gives guests the opportunity to have an underwater dining experience in the Sea Palace at Plymouth National Marine Aquarium with a sumptuous three course meal fit for King Triton and entertainment by Poppy Mills. After dinner guests can enjoy the casino and DJ to help party the night away and raise much needed funds for Tommy’s.

Claire Hooper Owner of Events By Claire said: ‘The money raised at the Princess Mermaid Ball will help with research into areas which effect many couples and families throughout the UK. We have experienced the loss of a pregnancy first hand and feel very passionately about helping to raise as much money as possible.

Jane Brewin, Chief Executive of Tommy's, said: "We believe it is unacceptable that 1 in 4 women in the UK will lose a baby at pregnancy or birth, and our mission is to try and change this.  However none of Tommy's work would be possible without the fundraising efforts of the public - as such we are very grateful for events like the Princess Balls which will help us give every baby the best chance in life."

Tickets can be bought through the Princess Balls website and are priced at £40 each or £360 for a table of 10. Alternatively if you would like to sponsor the event by offering supplies, expertise or donate prizes for the charity auction on the evening please get in touch with Claire Hooper on 07531010278 or email info@eventsbyclaire.co.uk

For more information on the event or to sponsor the Princess Mermaid Ball visit the website at www.princessballs.co.uk

Town Crier Plymouth and Deafness

Town Crier and Hearing Aids!!!!

I have had my suspicions for a couple of years now.....

At times I would have a constant ringing - buzzing in my ears, I thought it was probably tinnitus or something to do with my sinuses.

So a while back my Doctor asked if I had any ailments on a routine visit - I piped up that "Yes indeed I do" and proceeded to mention my suspected "tinnitus"

I was duly referred to Express Diagnostics in Tamar Science Park where I was given a thorough and rather impressive "hearing check"

I was shown on a computerised print out that said that indeed I had some hearing loss in both ears and that yes I probably did have tinnitus....

GULP!


The hearing check Lady also said that my sometime "fluffing of lines" when doing my Town Crier - Plymouth MC thing could possibly be attributed to hearing loss....  It all made sense...

So!


At the tender age of just 60 I have been prescribed some rather cool looking hearing aids that are really difficult to see.

I shall continue to do the Town Crier / Ding Dong MC thing and will now not get carried away with my lines....  !

Why me?


There is no history of hearing loss in my family - I put it down, firmly,  to thirty years of Club DJ and MC work and the love of concerts...

I shall continue as Town Crier and am dedicating my time to the Drake Foundation and City Events....

..... now at last I will be able to hear myself talk and get back to not fluffing the lines!

Plymouth Town Crier in Tavistock

Plymouth's Town Crier - Unwrapped -  as the MC - DJ at Tavisrock, Tavistock Wharf near Plymouth.

Plymouth Pier the Ultimate Vision

Plymouth Pier

A Vision by Tam Macpherson
Plymouth Buzz

Plymouth Waterfront – A Vision for the FuturePlymouth Businessman and Visionary Tam Macpherson has unveiled plans for a modern, eco – friendly pier to be built on the EXACT spot that the old Plymouth Pier stood. The new Plymouth Pier would be futuristic and not a replica of the old pier which the German Luftwaffe destroyed.

• Tam stated the Pier would “entertain and educate”

Forward thinking Tam says that the Plymouth Pier would be up to five storeys high with a conference hall, restaurants, shops, berthing for boats, water taxis and fishing pontoons – even a monorail could be in the mix!

AWW Architects of Plymouth has produced some stunning images of the project and how it could look.

“We would be returning our foreshore to its former glory and reinstating lost heritage,” said Mr Macpherson, adding that it would complement attractions such as the newly refurbished and stunning art deco Tinside Pool and the new Plymouth Dome which will, next year, be a restaurant operated by chefGary Rhodes.

“This could be a fantastic goal for us, to achieve regeneration and growth of Plymouth’s visitor appeal,” Tam said. “We can leave an iconic legacy we can be proud of for future generations.”

Ian Sanders, a director at Sutton Harbour, Plymouth based AWW Architects, said:

“Plymouth Pier provides an opportunity to once again provide an attraction that will be the centrepiece of the waterfront.”

The design has included a wind turbine which would generate electricity for the project , theatrical productions and exhibitions are also envisaged should the stunning Pier be built.

Plymouth’s Waterfront  could be a fantastic example of the old and new living side by side – a Pier would give Plymouth some much needed “pep in our step” it would help Plymouth be a world famous must visit destination – we only have to look at Weston Super Mare and the draw that is their new Pier.

Mr. Macpherson has stated many times that Plymouth needs much more than “a lick of paint” it needs “a giant leap of imagination” – Plymouth Buzz and it’s directors could not agree more.

“I understand there is English Heritage, Heritage Lottery and European funding ring-fenced for such projects. We would not be taking vital monies from social housing, education, the NHS or police.” Tam stated.

“We need political will and public support to get it to a pre-planning stage which requires a provisional budget of £500,000,” he said.
City council leader Vivien Pengelly said a pier would be a tourist magnet and complement the Gary Rhodes restaurant coming to the Dome, and said: “I think it’s a great idea. It would generate business and be unique.”

But she said the price would be beyond the council and it would need funding for a feasibility study to begin with.

“We would have to go for some kind of European funding or Lottery money, which I understand other councils have done,” she said.

Charles Howeson, chairman of Plymouth Area Business Council, said: “This pier could be the jewel in the crown. It’s regenerative, restoration, futuristic, probably practical, and there is lots of experience to make it happen. It has my fullest possible personal support.”

• Carla Williams of the Edgecumbe Hotel said “Wow – that looks amazing!!”

The original Plymouth Pier was officially opened on Thursday May 29th 1884, when the guests gathered at the Council House for light refreshments before processing to the Pier, where they were welcomed by Baron Grant, chairman of the directors, Mr C E Daniel, the contractor, and Mr E Lancaster.  The Band of the Royal Marines was, as ever, in attendance.

Then the Mayor, Mr John Greenway, was presented with a silver guilt key made by Messrs Elkington & Company of London, and he proceeded to unlock the gate.  Some 30,000 people attended the ceremony and it was estimated that 10,000 were on the pier itself.

It was destroyed during the Second World War and has never been replaced although older residents, who remember it with affection, are always suggesting that it should be.

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