Wimbledon. businesses Archives - Business Improvement District

Love Wimbledon Wins Funding to Green Wimbledon’s Commercial Buildings

1 September 2022

Are you up for going greener?

Amidst rising energy prices, it is even more important to operate workplaces efficiently to save money. We are one of only nine London-based business engagement partners who will be delivering the Mayor of London’s Business Climate Challenge (BCC). Following a successful trial, the programme was proven to reduce energy consumption for businesses, often saving money, and deliver targets towards net zero.

The BCC programme provides free support for businesses to:

Reduce emissions from heating and powering
Make buildings more energy efficient
Reduce energy costs
Support businesses on their pathway to zero carbon

Did you know?

London’s commercial and industrial buildings currently make up 36% of the capital’s carbon footprint. Decarbonising the city’s building stock is pivotal to reach a net zero target by 2030, and ensure a green and clean recovery  from the pandemic which supports green jobs for the new economy. By participating in this pioneering initiative, Love Wimbledon BID businesses can receive direct support from leading sustainability consultants to enable them to rethink and reframe how they use energy in their workplace.

 How to get involved

We have the opportunity for twenty businesses or property owners to participate in our BCC programme. While we will ensure the learnings are captured for all our businesses, for their own operational efficiency, BCC’s consultants who will work with Love Wimbledon and participating businesses require the following criteria:

You have a place of work that would have hosted 50 – 250 employees pre-pandemic (including theatres / cinemas / cultural venues)
You are a business within the Love Wimbledon BID area
You can be a tenant or a landowner (you do not need to own the building to participate)
You are committed to improving your sustainability credentials whilst saving money

This service is free.

We are now looking for around 20 office-based businesses to participate in this pilot. If you would like to get involved contact Craig Hurring, CEO, Love Wimbledon BID:

020 8619 2012 or email info@lovewimbledon.org

More about the Business Climate Challenge Programme

Piloted in 2021, The Mayor partnered with the Better Bankside BID in Southwark, working with its members to create a commitment to reduce energy consumption. 19 businesses joined the BCC committing to reduce their building’s energy consumption by 10 per cent within a year. The businesses received tailored technical advice from Turner & Townsend, who supported them to decarbonise their buildings and reduce their energy consumption.

Findings from the pilot indicate that in the first 9 months of the programme BCC participants reduced their energy  consumption on average by 16%, surpassing their target and saving £8,300 in energy costs.

Achieving energy savings comes at a low cost to businesses since more than half of the participants can meet or exceed their target by implementing energy-efficiency measures with an average cost of £3,800. So far the cohort has reduced 213 tonnes of carbon and accrued total cost savings of £116,300.

For 2022-3 the Challenge has been scaled up, with the Mayor announcing that BCC will now support a further 250 businesses to decarbonise their buildings. Meeting their efficiency targets could result in total energy cost reductions of up to £2 million. Love Wimbledon has been awarded this programme so let’s make the most of it.

Businesses will receive bespoke technical support to operate their workplaces more efficiently with access to training opportunities and learning materials. Participants will commit to reducing their energy consumption by 10% in one year with support from BCC’s technical consultants. Businesses that reach their energy reduction target will be recognised in a Mayoral event at the end of the programme and receive a certificate.

The BCC has been developed with pro bono support from Bloomberg Associates and builds on learnings from other global cities.

Love Wimbledon Wins Funding to Deliver Business Resilience Masterclass

22 July 2022

New Masterclass Series to Launch this Autumn

Love Wimbledon has been awarded funding from Central Government, administered by Merton Council, to deliver a series of masterclasses in partnership with Merton Chamber of Commerce. These masterclasses will bring together engaging guest speakers who, as well as being experts in their fields, will offer you local perspectives and facilitate new business connections.

The aim is to provide practical and immediate interventions on various issues affecting businesses across Merton.

We have several themes in mind but would like your help with shaping the final content. So we would be grateful if you could share your thoughts by completing this short questionnaire before 5 September.

Your feedback will help us refine the final selection of topics and we will publish the full list in September along with details on how to reserve tickets.

If you would like to sponsor any of our masterclasses, please contact info@lovewimbledon.org.

Free Business Sustainability Support via The Mayor Of London

6 December 2021

Supported by the Mayor of London, the new Better Futures+ programme provides qualifying London SMEs with a business support package worth £1000’s to help them plan to get to Net Zero.

Take advantage of business acumen, peer advice and information to help your business grow, cut costs and save the planet. Build resilience, innovation and success into your business and help create a better future. Places are limited and will be awarded on a first-come-first-served basis.

Support includes:

An eight-part webinar series designed to help you navigate your way to Zero Carbon or Net Zero.
Free dynamic carbon footprint measuring tool to track your carbon and cost reductions, with adaptable downloadable graphs to use however you like.
Collaborative workshops with specialist consultants and like-minded peers.
Peer learning groups happening bi-weekly
Half a day with a specialist consultant to review your net zero transition plans (only eligible for some businesses)

This support is only available to London-based businesses with at least two full time employees and a turnover between £100K – £43 million.

Pre-registration closes on 10th December. Click here to sign up.

Love Wimbledon launches London’s First Town Centre Gift Card

25 November 2021

Love Wimbledon launches London’s First Town Centre Gift Card

Wimbledon has become the first town centre in London to have its own physical and digital dedicated gift card. Led by Love Wimbledon Business Improvement District (BID), the new Wimbledon Gift Card is designed to encourage local spend in Wimbledon and provide essential support to a range of high street businesses within the community.

Since re-opening, Wimbledon has seen the return of shoppers, dining out and office workers and footfall is increasing. The Wimbledon Gift Card enables a positive addition to the town centre by promoting the depth and range of businesses to the strong community, keeping spending local and providing a very attractive gift for businesses in the region to give to their staff this Christmas and throughout the year. It is a way for businesses to invest in our area while giving their staff a breadth of choice in where and how to spend their gift card.

Many well-known brands and independents have signed up to accept the physical and digital gift cards, including independent department store Elys, clothing and gift shops, health and beauty, restaurants, pubs and theatres. It is the perfect gift that supports Wimbledon town centre.

When it comes to buying gifts, convenience is a huge factor with 1 in 3 adults said to purchase gifts based on how soon they can get them. With The Wimbledon Gift Card, the convenience is there (a click away!) and the recipient of this gift can choose the option that suits them best – with cards delivered right to their doorstep.

Helen Clark Bell, Chief Executive of Love Wimbledon Business Improvement District, said it was the perfect time to introduce the Wimbledon Gift Card:

“After such a difficult time for businesses, and as part of our longer-term strategy to ReDiscover Wimbledon, we introduced the gift card as a positive initiative for both our businesses and our community. The Wimbledon Gift Card is a gift for all – it encompasses a wide variety of businesses, including theatres, restaurants and retailers. A gift card for all ages and all interests, it supports our high street, strengthening relationships between businesses and the amazing community we are lucky enough to have in the area.”

Sarah Mackie, General Manager of participating business – the Prince of Wales pub:

“We signed up to the new card as the last 18 months have been tough and the card reflects how the business community works together here to support the town centre. It really showcases the range and best of High Street businesses in Wimbledon. I wouldn’t mind being given one myself!”

Colin Munro, Managing Director of Miconex:

“As one of the first places in the UK to launch a physical and digital gift card, Wimbledon is leading the way in the digital high street revolution. GCVA (Gift Card & Voucher Association) data shows that whilst using gift cards in-store is still the most popular way to spend a gift card for over 54.8% of people, the pandemic has accelerated the adoption of digital gift cards too with 38.4% making the switch. 21.6% of people redeemed their gift card via mobile in 2020, almost doubling 2019 figures. The interest in shopping local isn’t waning either, with 34.3% of consumers supporting local businesses through gift cards – the highest level since May 2020.”

The Wimbledon Gift Card is available to buy online as either a physical or digital gift card, from £5 to £500. Physical gift cards are sent to the recipient by post with an optional gift message. Gift cards are 100% compostable and arrive in an envelope printed on FSC paper. Digital gift cards are sent to the recipient as a text or email, with the balance being available to add to their digital wallet, so that purchases can be made in-store directly via phone.

Wimbledon Town Centre has around 250 shops, eateries, services and cultural venues. Situated in South West London, with the internationally renowned postcode SW19, it is the economic heart of the London Borough of Merton, with some quarter of a million residents. Around 15,000 people work in the town centre, creating a thriving and popular place to visit and work.

To find out more about the Wimbledon Gift Card, please visit www.wimbledongiftcard.com

To register your business for the programme and FAQs click here.

Businesses Assist the Community Through Covid

25 January 2021

Despite the challenges presented by Covid-19, Wimbledon businesses recognised the importance of their role in the community.

2020 saw a tremendous effort from Wimbledon businesses to support local and wider initiatives during the Coronavirus pandemic, from local foodbanks to the NHS, and our key workers.

Many businesses and organisations have made heroic efforts and done incredible work, to assist those who are vulnerable or in need within our town. Such responses could be seen from as early on as April 2020, with support from businesses continuing through lockdowns, Christmas and other periods of particular difficulty. With there being an ongoing need for assistance due to the pandemic, there is no sign of support from our businesses dwindling, as 2021 begins.

Here are just a few examples:

Christmas Donations

Students and their families from Wimbledon High generously donated Christmas presents for Wimbledon Guild’s Give a Gift at Christmas campaign, to support children across Merton who would otherwise receive no gift at all.

Supermarkets Support

To make up for their annual Christmas party being cancelled, the staff of Tesco Metro in Centre Court Shopping Centre, donated toys and food to the Dons Local Action Group, who deliver such items to those in need in the local community. Local Sainsburys and Waitrose stores also donated various items to Wimbledon Guild over the Christmas period.

Office-based Businesses Chip In

We have also seen many of our office-based businesses in Wimbledon supporting local causes such as Domestic and General, who donated money to Wimbledon Guild that would have otherwise been spent on Secret Santa gift exchanges between colleagues and raised over £200. The headquarters of CIPD donated 50 devices to the Keep Kids Connected scheme run by the Dons Local Action Group, to assist children and schools who need such equipment to support remote learning.

Local businesses supporting local charities, in-turn supports the community, and strengthens the bonds in our area, meaning that despite these ongoing challenges, Wimbledon will return from Covid-19 as a stronger and more resilient town for all.

If your business can help the community throughout Covid-19 by donating food, drink, clothing, technology or financial support please get in touch with Kevin Gallagher at KevinG@lovewimbledon.org. For a list of local charitable organisations click here.

Businesses Asking the Questions

20 November 2019

Ahead of the General Election, Labour and Conservative politicians wanted to engage with businesses and provide a platform for local businesses to get their voices heard. We were pleased to be able to provide this opportunity for local businesses to meet the Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer, John McDonnell, and the current Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sajid Javid.

In an effort to get the business voices of Wimbledon heard, Rt Hon Sajid Javid recently visited the town, providing a platform for local businesses to question the current Chancellor of the Exchequer. Topics covered included infrastructure projects, employment and business tax. Naturally, mention of Brexit was also raised on several occasions. A range of businesses attended from retail to accountancy, the built environment to tech, enabling a discussion of the challenges that face different businesses in the area, both now and in the future.

In order to ensure a bright future for Wimbledon, Love Wimbledon lobby on a range of policies that could influence Wimbledon Town Centre, including Crossrail2 and Business Rates. This gave us the opportunity to wave the Wimbledon flag and that of our business community.

With the help of Love Wimbledon, Labour politician and Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer, John McDonnell, also met with Wimbledon businesses.

A variety of small to medium businesses attended from different sectors and discussed issues around the broadband strategy, the future for the construction industry, employment issues, access to finance and land value tax to replace business rates.

Love Wimbledon BID is very keen to help our businesses to have their voice heard at strategic forums on the key issues affecting them, whilst also keeping Wimbledon town centre highlighted as a strong and attractive business base.

Festive Giving by Wimbledon Businesses

31 December 2018

Tis the season for festive giving and our Wimbledon businesses have done so very generously this Christmas, with a particular focus of supporting local charities. We’re always proud of the partnerships between BID businesses and their joined up efforts to support great causes close to home.

Cargostore Worldwide, Ashworths Solicitors and American Tax Returns Ltd who share an office building on Compton Road collected food and other useful supplies in their reception throughout the festive season and will be donating to local food banks in January.