'We want to bring more great events to Banbury' - business group's plans for 2023

We’ve only just begun – that’s the message from the team who brought the hugely successful Victorian Christmas Market to Banbury and are bursting with ideas of how to build on that in 2023 and beyond.

Banbury Business Improvement District – the BID - has been around since 2017 but the last nine months have seen a fresh approach to its mission of bringing more people into town.

A host of new activities culminated in the big one – the Victorian market which ran for three days at the end of November and led into the town council’s Christmas lights switch-on for a grand finale to the weekend.

At the heart of the team behind this new era is Jasmine Gilhooly - well known in the area for her J D’Cruz handbag brand – who took on the top role as Banbury BID strategist in February.

She had just spent several months as marketing manager for the BID in Stratford-upon-Avon that proved invaluable in setting a new course for Banbury’s BID.

It was there she established contact with LSD Promotions who she linked up with to put on Banbury’s Victorian market – and with Terry John Jones, who joined her in Banbury in March, bringing with him years of experience as a town host in Stratford.

BIDs have different characters around the country but with their funding coming from a levy on town centre businesses in a defined area, their continuation is subject to a vote every few years - and Banbury’s vote is on February 16 next year.

That meant when Jasmine and Terry joined forces they knew they would have their work cut out to help people see why the BID could be an important part of a successful future for the town, alongside other key players such as the councils and the police.

Jasmine said: “We all want the best for the town and we’ve set out to build trust and be honest about what we can achieve.

“I think the Victorian market has been a benchmark, something we’ve been able to do in this short space of time. We can now say if we have been able to put on something so positive for the town in nine months, imagine what we can do with a full five years.

Terry added: “We told people we were going to bring this into town and hope it’s good for you - and afterwards we had people saying they didn’t think it was going to be so good.”

But their work has not just been about one big event. Terry has been round the businesses to find our what people want and build up the sense of community and working together.

They have liaised closely with police and retailers on improving liaison post-covid to make the town centre safer for shoppers and visitors, they’ve played a part in getting grot spots tidied up - and are part of key meetings with the town and district councils.

More visibly, Terry came up with the idea of the Summer of Sport at Spiceball Leisure Centre after chatting to the team there; they were part of the Diamond Jubilee celebrations with the Big Lunch - and they have also pioneered other activities such as the Advent Windows, which have created extra interest in the all-important run-up to Christmas.

Jasmine said: “There was a time when we had first come in, when people wondered what we were going to do - but now they want to be involved.

“The success of the Victorian market has also allowed us to work on smaller, short-term projects that cost practically zero but create interest. The 24 Advent Windows were signed up in one day because people want to be part of it.

“We are all part-timers on the team and we are very mindful of making sure businesses get value for their money.”

If anyone is unaware of the buzz created by the Victorian event, there were many positive comments on social media, certainly showing clear support for the BID to be around for another five years - and beyond.

In the words of one visitor: ‘What a fantastic weekend for the town, I haven’t seen it so busy and full of life for years. Hopefully the first of many Christmas markets to come. Very well done all involved and thank you’.