START-ing off on the right foot
Spotlight on Jonathan Start – Start & Co – Weekly Column
Established businessman, Jonathan Start is a partner at Newquay’s longest-established estate agents, Start & Co, based on Cliff Road in a beautifully bright and spacious office overlooking Newquay Bay. Jonathan has been based here all his life and settled with his family which includes his faithful dog, Bert, who is also a very valuable (and reliable) member of the Start & Co office team. Since 2019, Jonathan has also been a voluntary Newquay Business Improvement District (BID) board director.
The ballot for Newquay Business Improvement District (BID) to continue for a third term happens next month and if the organisation achieves a majority of yes votes, Newquay BID will have a renewed mandate for another five years.
Throughout its lifetime thus far, Newquay BID has provided a significant boost to the Newquay local, regional and national profile and has been involved in, and supported a number of critical funding bids. It also provides behind-the-scenes valuable advocacy and financial support for businesses across the town, and for the destination at large.
It was Newquay BID who created and worked with local authorities on a complete rebrand for Newquay almost ten years ago, and the organisation continues to be the only PR and destination marketing body for the town on behalf of its businesses, given its ongoing, targeted PR campaign, and its highly popular social media channels: Love Newquay. Newquay BID also writes and produces everything in Seven Magazine and the Festive Events Guide.
Newquay BID has also provided vital sponsorship support for a number of new and evolving events such as Newquay Fish Festival, Cornwall Pride, Newquay Carnival, Lowender Peran amongst many others and also are the creators or organisers of the annual Zombie Crawl and joint organisers of Newquay at Christmas event.
The BID team is therefore urging members to read the business plan when it is available in late October and consider the options and vote for a solid ‘Yes’.
All 450 businesses in the Newquay BID geographical area that have a rateable value of £7,500 or more will receive a ballot paper. The ballot is being run independently by Cornwall Council, with the close of the ballot being at 5pm on Thursday 10th December and the result being available on Friday 11th December.
Jonathan Start says, “I think it’s really important that businesses back Newquay BID for a third term. Particularly during these turbulent times. As a business owner myself, I think it’s vital to ensure that somebody is looking out for businesses, and if people think back to ten years ago, and the reputation that Newquay had at the time, they will realise what a sterling job the BID team has done to turn that around and ensure quality business spend from hundreds of thousands of visitors each year – and awesome media coverage for lots of our brilliant businesses.”
Jonathan continues, “In some capacity, I have been involved with Newquay BID since the beginning and I am very proud to be fully supportive of the organisation and what it does. The board of directors all have businesses in the resort and this reinforces our positions as we want to improve the environment that we trade in. The investment put into the BID is only going to add value to the town, our home. I’m also aware that there is a lot of work, time and strategic thinking and activity that goes on ‘behind the scenes’ so really want to make my Newquay business colleagues aware of this – and aware of the massive hole that would be left if we didn’t have the BID going forward.”
“I am personally hoping that businesses will vote a resounding ‘Yes’ and the BID will continue for another 5 years as I believe without it we will lose out ultimately.”
Newquay BID is urging all businesses to vote as, whatever the outcome of the ballot, it is important that businesses have had their say and that the mandate for the decision is reflective of the town’s aspirations.
Businesses are also urged to take part in the consultation survey which is available here https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/NewquayBID/
For more information about Newquay BID’s renewed proposals and what it means for you, please visit www.newquaybid.co.uk/renewal or email info@newquaybid.co.uk
