Promote Committee Meeting May 2025

Tuesday 13^th May 2025, 9.30am

PARTNER EVENTS

City Day: 1^st March 2025

• Feedback link still open online: Southend City Day 2025 - Visit Southend. Committee feedback:

• Potential to be a great annual event but there needs to be a contingency for the weather – what happens if it rains

• When the timings are signed off earlier better marketing can be achieved

• Use the day to promote the citywide events of the year – CityJam, Wild in Art/Havens trail, Lazy Days Festival, Halloween Parade, Fireworks, Switch On, etc.

Royals Southend Portrait Artist: 27^th April – 7^th June

• Seems to be in popular attendance

Southend Film Festival: 5^th – 8^th June

Waddle on Sea: 11^th July – 3^rd September

Pride: 12^th July 2025

• Sponsorship confirmed. Request to BID members via email to outline the events and provisions they continue to provide for the LGTBQ+ community.

City Jam: 29^th – 31^st August

• Will be sponsoring the event but awaiting sponsorship packages. (now received)

Fireworks: tbc

• We are awaiting costs from the organisers but member feedback provided a top limit on how much to sponsor, anything more then we will decline.

Halloween Parade: 25^th October

BID EVENTS

VE Day Trail. Date: 2^nd – 18^th May

• Planned Easter trail from South Essex College (SEC) was delayed, and so it was taken as an opportunity to appoint a local artist, Chalk of the Town, to create a VE Day Trail.

• Able to commemorate the 80^th anniversary, encourage visitors, and promote businesses. Sponsorship provided from Southend Theatres with entrants having the chance to win tickets to an upcoming show. Have had good participation so far.

Summer History Trail: dates tbc

• In partnership with SEC, the delayed trail should be ready for the start of the summer holidays.

Southend Cocktail Week. Date: 24^th October – 2^nd November

• Date confirmed and have spoken with C2C regarding their potential sponsorship for a second year.

Christmas Switch On. Date: 15^th November

• Sponsorship packs to be issued within the next month. Discussions with event organisers about how to change up the day and prolong. Quoting for two new design concepts.

STREETSCAPE

Bunting and Baskets

• Installation on Sunday 18^th May. As per previous discussions more colour has been added to them. Florist feedback was to avoid red and so a purple tone will be introduced.

Cleaning

• Great British Spring Clean had a great turn out, fantastic volunteer numbers from the college and 40 bags of rubbish were collected in the hour. No support provided from SCC but contract had just switched over.

• Have requested a targeted cleaning day using the gladiator for the start of June now that Suez are up and running.  

Signage

• Feedback from the council contact is that it would be £200 per front cleaning of building and shop facia, discount for multiple bookings.

• Regarding updating signage, the planning department have been contracted to find out restrictions and I have contacted economic development to understand if there are any grants.

Bollards

• No updates. Committee recommendation to the board to escalate with councillors and council Chief Exec.

OPPORTUNITIES

Maps and Guides

There is a small pot of money to be allocated for the above. Could be used to promote night time economy with ‘Sip Southend’ and simple pin collection. Committee liked the idea but avoid an alcohol focus. To be explored.

AOB

Next meeting - 2nd September at 2.30pm