Ask for Angela
Do you and your staff know of the Ask for Angela campaign?
It is the idea that customers can 'Ask for Angela' as a discreet codeword for when they feel unsafe or threatened.
The staff member will then take appropriate action to ensure the customers safety. For instance, these actions could be escorting the customer safely out of the premises or calling a taxi.
While Freshers week the students making their return is fantastic for the city, there is a higher risk of someone becoming vulnerable in your venue. Whether you’re a nightclub, bar, retailer, hotel or an office, you never know when someone might need your help!
Please inform all staff members of this campaign, and feel free to request a poster to put in your venue to help spread the word and inform your customers they have your support.
If you have any queries or would like further information and guidance, please don't hesitate to get in contact.
The Kiln: New Co-working Space in Worcester City
The Kiln, a collaborative community to help entrepreneurs and lone workers, is a friendly and imaginative space to work and provides hot-desking for over 60 people. It has undergone extensive building and renovation work, creating a modern, fresh and practical space for professionals to use as their base, share ideas and network with like-minded people.
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CityNet event welcomes DISC training and more!
This month saw the inaugural CityNet event for both the day and night-time economies and it was fantastic to see it so well received amongst CityNet members and partners. The meeting covered a variety of hot topics, including a demonstration on DISC, free training courses and workshops and an update on the work we are doing on licensed premises.
DISC is CityNet’s new website and mobile app and the event welcomed Charlie Newman, the app developer, who gave a demonstration on how to use the software and how it can be used to benefit our members. It’s our members one-stop shop for reporting incidents of crime to the scheme, browsing prolific offenders, receiving news and alerts, instant messaging each other and submitting public realm reports. DISC also allows members to report crime directly to the Crime Bureau. With reports ranging from theft, violence to begging and street drinking, this app lets users identify problem areas and authorities to combat these issues.
On top of this exciting app, we are now running weekly Safer Business workshops. The workshops are free for Worcester BID and CityNet members and will go through everything needed to help keep customers, staff and businesses safe. Topics covered will include managing conflict, radio operation, DISC, loss prevention and spotting the signs of suspicious behaviour. The training is perfect for any kind of business, whether you are a retailer, bar, restaurant, salon or office, the workshops will give you and your staff the confidence and tools to effectively handle potential situations.
As well as this, Worcester BID is working alongside the West Midlands Counter Terrorism unit to organise ACT Counter Terrorism training. This one-hour session is free for Worcester BID and CityNet members and comes with an online course which gives attendees a nationally recognised accreditation.
Worcester BID also organises free Customer Service and Social Media courses. The customer service courses cover a range of topics, including ‘Customers with Disabilities’ and ‘Principles of Customer Service’ whilst the social media courses can cater for basic and advanced abilities covering any social media platform out there!
As well as training courses, Worcester BID has been working alongside licensees to improve customer experience and safety through Best Bar None. This accreditation looks to reduce alcohol-related crime and disorder by assessing licensed premises on their responsible management. The assessment period has now begun and, since the CityNet meeting, both Slug & Lettuce and Cote Brasserie have achieved accreditation! Several other businesses will now be looking to follow their lead over the next few weeks, and these venues successes will then be celebrated with a high-profile awards night towards the end of the year!
Thank you to everyone who attended the meeting, to Charlie Newman from DISC for the wonderful training on the system and to the Guildhall for providing such a beautiful venue. We hope that everyone who attended found the event both informative and useful and we will be looking forward to the next one!
If you would like more information on the topics discussed, please contact James Bell on 01905 731 612 or james.bell@worcesterbid.com.
Future High Streets Fund Application Progressing
Worcester's application is amongst 50 additional towns and cities that have been selected to go through to the second round of the Future High Streets Fund
The city was shortlisted for a share of a £1billion government fund to transform high streets and shopping areas. The money could be used in various ways, such as converting empty shops into homes or offices, or improving transport links. As a successful FHS Fund candidate, Worcester's application team will now receive up to £150,000 to develop detailed project proposals that can be submitted for capital funding of up to £25million. The news follows the announcement earlier this year that the city was successful with another bid from the government's Cultural Development Fund, to turn Worcester's railway arches into a business and arts hub.
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