THE Newport Now Business Improvement District (BID) is delighted to again be supporting the South Wales Argus Business Awards as sponsors of the Best BID Business of the Year category.

The BID was the main sponsor of the first two awards and the event has been a great boost for Newport and its businesses.

These awards are a fantastic way to recognise and celebrate some of the amazing businesses and people that are a credit to our city centre, and we would urge our members to enter. You’ve got to be in it to win it!

What we know from being involved in judging these awards in recent years is we have some outstanding businesses operating in Newport and the surrounding area.

It is a cliché – but also entirely accurate – to say that every nominated business on the awards night will be a winner.

The Best BID Business of the Year award is open only to BID Levy payers – whether they are independent businesses or national chains.

This award recognises and celebrates the amazing businesses and people that are a credit to Newport city centre and the wider BID area, particularly after the most difficult period any of us can remember due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Our board of volunteer directors, led by chairman Zep Bellavia, all either own or run businesses in the Newport BID area and know well enough the impact Covid-19 has had on the local economy.

More than 600 businesses are represented by Newport Now, which is one of more than 300 BIDs across the UK.

Not-for-profit private companies funded and run by local businesses for local businesses, BIDs work to enhance business opportunities in the areas they operate; finding ways to increase footfall and create a better experience for businesses, visitors, shoppers and staff alike.

All BIDs are set up, following a successful ballot of local businesses, to deliver a five-year plan. BIDs then seek renewal via another ballot of their members for a further five-year term.

Newport Now is in Year 2 of its second five-year term following a successful renewal ballot at the end of 2019.

By the end of the BID’s current term in 2025, it will have invested more than £2 million across 10 years in the city centre.

Like all small businesses, Newport Now had to make considerable savings during the 2020-21 financial year due to Covid-19, particularly during the first national lockdown.

We provided a three-month window for levy payments instead of the usual 14 days, and completely repurposed funds and activities to concentrate on recovery.

Despite reduced funding, we delivered a daily online help and advice service during the first UK lockdown, free downloadable guides to reopening safely for the various business sectors we serve, free PPE and covid safe materials for our independent members throughout the last 18 months, and a contactless ordering app for those in the hospitality sector.

Alongside this, we lobbied government at local, Welsh and UK level on a variety of issues including the cap on rates relief in Wales, help for businesses struggling to meet the criteria for grants, and measures to allow for safe reopening of the hospitality sector in outdoor spaces.

Our Street Ambassador service was suspended during lockdown periods. But our uniformed Ambassadors are on now back on duty five days a week, dealing with issues including anti-social behaviour, shoplifting, general public enquiries, and medical emergencies.

In the autumn and winter of 2020, we produced two sets of social media videos – the first highlighting the work done by all premises and all sectors in the city centre to make themselves safe to shop and visit, with the second focusing on Christmas.

We reinstated our Shopfront Improvement Grant, providing funding of up to £1,000 to BID members and businesses from pubs to barbers, from estate agents to restaurants have benefitted.

Last November, our annual Countdown to Christmas event, including the Christmas lights switch-on, became a virtual event broadcast live on Facebook, attracting more than 13,000 views.

We’ve partnered with Friars Walk on the Time To Grow competition, offering a shop unit free of charge for one lucky new Newport businesses.

This is part of our policy of encouraging more independent businesses into the city centre, making use of available retail units. We are also working in partnership with M4 Property Consultants, matching businesses with available units. This is proving successful in bringing permanent tenants into the BID area.

We are also working with Newport City Council and Welsh Government to re-purpose vacant premises for ‘meanwhile’ use and pop-up shops.

With the majority of restrictions now lifted, the BID is moving back towards ‘normal’ operations.

We are back in our office at the Riverfront Theatre, we sponsored the first live outdoor music gig in the city centre in June, our gift card (that can only be spent in the city centre) relaunches in September along with our Savings Advisory Service (saving money on utility, telecoms and merchant fees for our members), and we are planning this year’s Christmas lights switch-on.

The 2020/21 categories and their sponsors are:

  • Lead sponsor and Business of the Year: Newport City Council;
  • Innovative Business of the Year: Western Power Distribution;
  • Young Entrepreneur of the Year: Icon Creative Design;
  • Lifetime Achievement Award: TBC;
  • Family Business of the Year Award: Azets;
  • Large Business of the Year: RDP Law;
  • Small Business of the Year: Kymin;
  • Start Up Business of the Year Award: TBC;
  • Contribution to the Community Award: Monmouthshire Building Society;
  • Customer Service Award: Friars Walk/The Kingsway Centre;
  • Training and Development Business of the Year: Solo;
  • Best BID Business of the Year: Newport Now Business Improvement District/Kevin Ward Media;
  • Environmental Business of the Year: Cintec International;
  • Hospitality Business of the Year: TBC;
  • Digital Technology Business of the Year: TBC.

Entry deadline is September 24 and the awards will be announced on November 18.

For full details on the awards and how to enter go to southwalesargus.co.uk/businessawards