CityCo 2023 Highlights: Delivering a vibrant, successful, and exciting city centre.

It’s been another incredibly busy year for the team:

Operational Support

CityCo delivers directly on the ground; working with partners to continually improve the city streetscape, tackle anti-social behaviour and address personal safety.

• 24/7 additional Street Cleaning Programme expanded on behalf of Manchester City Centre BID and Accommodation BID. The clean teams cover 9 miles per day litter picking and patrolling routes. Annually more than 1 tonne of additional waste is being removed from Manchester streets.
• Work done in the public realm to improve the street scene, including bollards, lampposts, and bus stops. City centre hanging baskets adopted and maintenance commissioned.
• Cleaning EV (Electric Vehicle) commissioned and deployed to help uplift the cleaning scheme.
• Full security radio upgrade delivered across the Business Crime Reduction Partnership (BCRP) network.
• Major corporate sponsorship secured from Legal & General for the city’s Street Engagement Hub to go towards refurbishment. Longer-term support conversations initiated.
• Continued partnership management of Real Change MCR, the city’s homelessness charity fund. Weekly micro-grants issued to help get people off the streets and into long-term accommodation.
• PAcT (Public Access Trauma) First Aid Kits rolled-out to businesses in partnership with Steroplast.
• Regular Local Area Network meetings delivered across ten city centre districts; bringing businesses together with local authorities and key speakers.

Updates & Briefings

CityCo delivers regular briefings and updates for members; supporting businesses every day of the year and helping to ensure the resilience of the city centre.

• City Centre ‘Urban Resilience’ tabletop sessions deliverd for members, providing expertise in dealing with large protests, recognising hostile activities and how to prepare for emergency lockdowns. 8 sessions delivered.
• ACT Awareness (Action Counters Terrorism) training rolled-out in partnership with North-West Counter-Terrorism Unit, Manchester City Council and Figen Murray OBE. 10 sessions delivered, c.1200 people in attendance.
• Martyn’s Law business workshop hosted in partnership with Manchester City Council and city centre Night Time Economy venues, to train around legislation.
• Women’s Night-Time Safety Charter launched and training delivered, working with Manchester City Council. 8 sessions delivered, c.480 people in attendance.
• BCRP business training delivered covering issues such as Conflict Resolution and Credit Card Fraud. 65 sessions delivered.
• BCRP security briefings rolled-out for retail and commercial sectors. 24 sesssions delivered.
• New Hotel Security Group set-up as part of the Accommodation BID, meeting monthly.
• CityCo’s other training and briefings continued including Water Safety, Rough-Sleeping, Street Engagement Hub.

City Intel

CityCo delivers the crucial information and data businesses need to operate in the city centre.

• Real-time protest alerts shared alongside major event and road closure notices, and other impact communications in partnership with Manchester City Council, Greater Manchester Police and Transport for Greater Manchester. All supporting business preparedness and effective response.
• Monthly online City Centre Performance Briefings delivered to report on footfall, sales, hotel occupancy and transport use in the city centre.
• Regular business consultation sessions delivered for Manchester City Council and Transport for Greater Manchester, including A34 expansion works.
• Sourcing of new data services continued, to expand in-house intel on customer demographics, spend and movement of people in the city centre.

Membership & Networks

CityCo’s membership continues to grow: retention rate stands above 97%.

• Membership growth testament to the company’s ability to respond quickly and effectively to member issues and challenges.
• Management of Manchester Pub & Club Network transferred to CityCo on behalf of its Board. Launch events attracted 300 people to hear from city and industry leaders.

Business Improvement Districts

CityCo manages the City Centre Business Improvement District and is a delivery partner of the city’s new Accommodation BID, along with Marketing Manchester.

• The third term of Manchester City Centre BID started on 1st April, run by CityCo. The city’s new Accommodation BID began operation.
• A new City Centre BID Council inaugurated, bringing together a cross-sector mix of businesses along with representatives from Manchester City Council, Greater Manchester Police and Transport for Greater Manchester.
• Public events all successfully delivered for the City Centre BID including Chinese New Year, Manchester Flower Festival, MCR Student Social, Halloween in the City and Festive Sundays.
• The City Hosts team and additional cleaning programme expanded via the Accommodation BID, to support Piccadilly and Victoria and key city routes.
• Public events expanded via the Accommodation BID, to support events such as Manchester Pride, Beyond the Music and Halloween in the City, with Chinese New Year to come.

BID Event Delivery Highlights

The Manchester Flower Festival: 26-29 May 2023

• Manchester Flower Festival Floral Trail delivered with 10 professional gardens.
• £502,000 AVE of press coverage across 121 titles.
• Footfall +44% v the same weekend in May 2022.
• Footfall +24% v the 2022 Flower Festival event.

Halloween in the City: 25-31 October 2023

• Largest ever MCR Monster invasion with 16 rooftop and street installations.
• £873,000 AVE of press coverage across 104 titles.
• Footfall +24% v 2022 Halloween event on Market Street.
• Footfall +20% v 2022 Halloween event on New Cathedral Street.