Term One Business Plan

Welcome host training and customer service masterclasses for all front of house staff:

LQ BID marketed Welcome Host training provided by Council in 2018 and Tourism NI in 2019. With the pandemic now receding we will evaluate further opportunities to support this objective

Create a new signature event for the BID, probably based around food, that will encourage visitors back into the area:

A weekend “Flax Foodie Festival” was fully developed and ready to roll out when Covid struck. Due to ongoing issues around the pandemic we have been unable to progress any further. However, we plan to re-launch Belfast Restaurant Week later this year.

• Seven projects under this theme have been fully delivered
• One project has been discontinued.

Service to quickly respond to incidents of graffiti, waste, vandalism, and other problematic issues:

The LQ Clean Team was commissioned in 2018, with 2 operatives working 3 mornings a week. The Team will focus on value added activity, including graffiti removal on private land, additional power-washing of streets, and maintenance of additional planting.

Enhanced street washing programme:

Service includes graffiti removal, litter picking, weeding, cleaning frontages, and power washing of pavements.

https://linenquarter.org/projects/current-projects/cleaner-district/

 Office technology and white goods waste management service, with confidential waste shredding:

The LQ BID Waste Management Service was launched in 2019. As well as excellent value the service has transformed sustainable practices.

Food waste management assistance:

https://linenquarter.org/projects/current-projects/sustainable-district/

 Create a bin and recycling facilities storage:

LQ BID does not have capital budgets for storage, but the waste management service includes free consultancy and improved management of existing storage.

 Discreet pest control service:

Service was launched in June 2021 around Blackstaff Square, to support our enhanced hospitality aspirations at this location. We can also provide services across the district on request.

linenquarter.org/news-events/news/pest-control-in-lq/ 

Deliver support to help organisations secure ISO14001 and other company accreditations:

Business in the Community has been commissioned to run the equivalent BS8555 accreditation for LQ organisations. The first cohort is currently underway and concludes later in 2022.

 Utilities savings through bulk procurement:

A carbon saving green energy scheme, which is no more expensive than traditional energy, was launched in September 2021 in partnership with Power NI.

Procurement of an office incidentals service e.g. plumbing, electrician and maintenance service:

This project has been discontinued due to potential liability issues and duplication with existing landlord provision.

• 5 projects have been fully delivered
• 2 projects are underway, 1 has not yet started, and 1 has been discontinued.

Enhanced policing for the Linen Quarter to target the range of anti-social behaviour and provide an additional service to all levy payers:

Enhanced policing began Sept 2019, with LQ BID funding full time dedicated PSNI officer for the District. LQ BID regular engage with members on problem solving initiatives, and have  also invested into new CCTV provision for the district, in partnership with the PSNI.

https://linenquarter.org/projects/safer-district/

 Cyber & fraud prevention and training:

Free seminars held 2018 and 2019. Further training will be scheduled subject to demand.

 Introduce the retail crime watch scheme:

Free membership for RCW, worth £250 per year, was rolled out to all retailers in 2018.

https://linenquarter.org/projects/healthydistrict/retail-crime-watch/

Provide a healthy working environment for employees & deliver greater safety for all visitors:

Free health checks were provided Sept 2019, along with a virtual health week in March 2020 and in-person events in September 2021. Health week has now been mainstreamed as an annual event, providing a comprehensive range of free health based activities.

https://linenquarter.org/projects/healthydistrict/

Late night staff working support and retained taxi service for business in the area:

The retained taxi service has been discontinued but we have provided a range of initiatives to support late night staff. These include police patrols at evening commuter areas, an annual lighting audit to ensure the district is properly lit, and distribution of free personal alarms.

Assist business to develop corporate social responsibility plans:

LQ BID provides a range of sustainability services and support, which is a key part of corporate social responsibility. We are currently progressing initiatives around community wealth building, which will be rolled out in 2022.

 Defibrillators installed in key locations:

Many hospitality venues, hotels, and new buildings now have these devices. LQ BID are instead running annual CPR training, and are currently conducting a scoping study with Belfast Ambulance Service to ensure all defibs are properly registered.

A business emergency response scheme and a business emergency preparedness training support project for your business to reduce risk and the cost of managing risk:

This will be progressed as a year 5 project.

Deliver support to help organisations secure ISO18001 and other company accreditations:

This project was discontinued due to insufficient demand.

• All five projects under this theme have been fully delivered

Lobby for additional monitoring and resources, influencing statutory bodies on programmes, projects, and their spending:

LQ BID represents the district on the City Centre Reference Group, BCC Sustainability Board, Transport Hub reference group, Shaftesbury Square Stakeholder Group, SW Quarter, ongoing Streets Ahead consultation, and other groups.

Representation on these groups has delivered positive benefits for the Linen Quarter, including greater inclusion of the area in government strategies, positively shaping multi-million-pound public realm / infrastructure schemes, and additional investment of over £300k in 2021-2022 as part of the Covid Revitalisation Programme.

Create a united look and feel for the area that will include street dressing and add value with higher standard features:

Year 1-4 Projects include:

• Linenopolis July-Dec 2018
• Installation of Flax Field at Invest NI in April 2019
• Deep Clean and Replanting of the Thomas Thompson Fountain in 2020-21
• Vinyl Wraps at Bedford Street in November 2020 and June 2021
• Blackstaff Square Tree Wrap lighting, June 2021
• BBC Parklet, July 2021
• Bedford Street Parklet, Oct 2021

Year 5 projects include:

• Linenhall Street Parklet, March 2021
• Brunswick St lighting animation, March 2021
• Brunswick Street Boardwalk, April 2021

https://linenquarter.org/projects/current-projects/re-imaging-public-realm/

 Address vacancy levels through property promotional schemes, and a new welcome package for business moving into the BID:

The Welcome Package, including district brochure, tourism material, hand sanitiser, police contact magnet, and £25 coffee card, was distributed in Autumn 2021 to all our levy payers.

Area office space prospectus for vacant buildings. This will be part of a programme to help fill empty spaces in buildings within the BID area, working with landlords and public agencies to incentivise uptake:

The LQ Vision was produced in 2019, including strategic themes for future regeneration and investment.

76 development projects, including investment opportunities, was launched on our website in January 2021, and will be maintained and updated going forward.

https://linenquarter.org/regeneration-vision/

https://linenquarter.org/explore-lq/lq-regeneration-vision/

 Building frontage enhancement award scheme:

While it would be difficult to gain traction for an award, LQ BID have invested in frontage enhancement, including cleansing, painting, weed removal, and vinyl wraps.