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HAPPY NEW YEAR!
We hope you all had a great Christmas and managed to take some time off to relax after a very busy festive season. We're very much looking forward to seeing what 2024 brings to Oxted town centre, with some more businesses set to open very soon...
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Christmas Events Feedback
Thanks so much to all for your support over the festive period and for all your efforts to look festive. The shop windows were amazing. Well done to Piper's for winning the window competition. We had just under 500 votes.
We were really pleased with the turnout for the Late Night Shopping and the feedback from the public was very positive. This year, we held the two events separately in order to spread out Christmas activity and reasons to come into Oxted and to give both sides of the town a fair shout at footfall.
The daytime Christmas market was very well attended and feedback from shoppers and the stallholders was very positive. The Victorian Carollers and other musical entertainment was also very popular.
The only negative comments were really regarding road closures and Station Road East not being closed, which was trialled this year due to issues with taxis (which we had again anyway this year!) and also due to some businesses inevitably being outside of the closure zone. NB. the closure area is largely determined by Highways and with Oxted being a town divided by the train line and with no obvious "centre", it's tricky to get the area right and working for all.
While some members of the public did not like the road being open, some businesses reported footfall into their premises was increased with people having to keep to the pavements.
There is obviously always positive and negative feedback and it's very hard to please everyone, but as always, we'd like to hear your opinion...
PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR A SUPER QUICK FEEDBACK SURVEY The more input we have from you, the more we can try to make it work for everyone next time.
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CCTV, SHOP CRIME AND ASB
The CCTV cameras are now up on Station Road West and Master Park. The Station Road East ones will be installed this month.
The local police have committed to tackling retail crime and working with local retailers, including more visible policing. You can read the response from the Police Commissioner HERE.
DISC ONLINE MEETING
The DISC system is up and running, but still in its infancy. We need to work together to give this a really good go and see if we can make it work. If used properly, it has been proven to have a significant and positive impact.
Due to everyone’s hectic diaries it was not possible to get an online meeting / training session in before Christmas, but we hope to hold one at the end of January. This will be for BID Member business managers / owners only, together with local police, Tandridge DC representatives and our DISC manager (Tracey Shrimpton, Oxted BID Manager).
We hope to hold the (online) meeting w/c 22/1/24 - 5.30 PM - Please could you let us know if you can be available by filling in the form HERE
The areas we intend to cover are:
- Police update – advice, intelligence regarding known offenders / gangs currently active in Oxted / potential for increasing police patrols etc
- The DISC system and how it works
- Examples of Police successes recently and interventions that can be made (including what would be required to implement a banning system in Oxted)
- Update on how it has worked well elsewhere
- CCTV update for Oxted and how it will work
- Frequency of future meetings
If you haven’t yet signed up to DISC please contact Tracey, or for any help accessing the system.
Please remember that as far as the police is concerned in terms of being able to build cases for prosecution and also for banning orders, the importance of reporting all incidents as far as possible, with supporting evidence (CCTV, photos etc) cannot be understated.
Please continue to report incidents direct to the police via 999 if it's an emergency, 101 or via NICE. And please continue to blow those whistles!
If you haven't received any Love Oxted Lanyards or need more/more Green Shoplifter Alert Whistles, Robert Leech at 34 Station Road East also has a box full. Please drop in and collect if you need some!
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Here's a selection of diary dates and suggestions for this JANUARY to help you encourage people to Shop LOCAL, Eat LOCAL, Drink LOCAL, #LOVEOXTED
- JANUARY SALES! Got some Christmas money to spend? #shoplocal
- DRY JANUARY - time to try out some mocktails and alcohol-free drinks
- GINUARY - OR for those with no intention of taking part in Dry January, how about some gin cocktails!
- VEGANUARY - highlight your veggie/ vegan options
- 4th January - Global Braille Day - do you offer a braille menu or help for visually impaired?
- 6th January 2024 – National Shortbread Day
- 12th January and every Friday - Oxted Country Market at The Woodhouse Centre. Could other Oxted businesses set up stalls on Fridays?
- 15th January 2024 – Blue Monday
- 18th January - Winnie the Pooh Day! Do you sell local honey or honey related products?!
- 20th January 2024 – National Cheese Lovers Day
- 24th January - National Compliment Day - Time to ask for those reviews! Create a QR code linked to your Google listing and display it on your counter. 25th January - Burns Night - do you have something special in store/on the menu for this Scottish Feast?
- 25th January 2024 – Burns Night
- 26th January 2024 – Australia Day
- 26th-28th January - RSPB's Big Garden Birdwatch - everything bird related! Encourage interest in wildlife and biodiversity.
- 27th January 2024 – Chocolate Cake Day
- 31st January - Hot Chocolate Day - who serves the best hot chocolate in Oxted?
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Robert Leech at 34 Station Road East also has some copies of posters for collection.
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Coming up in February and March
Marketing Calendar Dates for February:
3rd February 2024 – Ice cream for breakfast day
4th February 2024 – British Yorkshire pudding day
9th February 2024 – Chinese New Year’s Eve
10th February 2024 – Chinese New Year (Year of the Dragon)
13th February 2024 – Pancake Day / Shrove Tuesday
14th February 2024 – Valentine’s Day
14th February 2024 – Ash Wednesday
20th February 2024 – Love Your Pet Day
Marketing Calendar Dates for March:
1st March 2024 – St. David’s Day
4-10th March 2024 – British Pie Week
7th March 2024 – World Book Day
8th March 2024 – International Women’s Day
17th March 2024 – St Patrick’s Day (Northern Ireland) / Red Nose Day
18th March 2024 – Global Recycling Day
20th March 2024 – First Day of Spring
29th March 2024 – Good Friday
31st March 2024 – Easter Sunday / BST starts
NEXT BID SOCIAL
Scheduled for Tuesday 13th February. 5.30-7.30pm at Pan y Vino. Pop it in your diaries. Come and meet other BID member business managers/owners.
TELL US WHAT YOU'RE UP TO!
We would really like to know what you're doing to promote your business.
Please don't forget to let us know your plans, events, promotions, vacancies etc. We are very happy to help spread the word. Please email Sophie on marketing@loveoxted.co.uk or WhatsApp +44 7514 011355.
Don't forget to TAG @loveoxted into your posts and stories on social media.
If you would be happy to join the "Helpful BID Peeps" WhatsApp Group, please let Sophie know! This is a group just for swapping general info, feedback and suggestions for activity, requests for social media photos etc.
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Please don't hesitate to email Tracey - tracey@loveoxted.co.uk with any regulatory or general BID management enquiry, or to Sophie on marketing@loveoxted.co.uk for any Marketing/Events or Attractive Town enquiries.
WISHING YOU A PROSPEROUS 2024!
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