Vicinity and Beyond!

Vicinity

Vicinity and Beyond is your gateway to the latest trends in place management, innovative technologies, and insider insights. Whether you're a place manager looking to enhance your community engagement or simply curious about the future of places, our podcast brings you expert interviews, cutting-edge solutions, and industry news that will keep you ahead of the curve. Join us as we explore the dynamic world of place-making and beyond!

  1. 3d ago

    S2.06 UK Government Policy: What's Changing for BIDs, Business Rates & Visitor Levies?

    Big changes are on the horizon for UK Business Improvement Districts (BIDs), but what will they mean for our high streets, town centres and the future of place management? In this episode of Vicinity and Beyond!, Henry Jinman turns interviewer as Dr Julie Grail brings us up to speed on the latest developments in UK government policy, from devolution and business rates reform to the proposed overnight visitor levy. In this episode, we discuss: Devolution: What shifting power from Westminster to regional and local government could mean for BIDs.Overnight Visitor Levy: Who should pay, where should the money go, and what role could BIDs play in managing the funds?Business Rates Reform: The case for a fairer system for high street businesses and what potential changes mean for BID levy models.Local Authorities: How changing council finances and political priorities are affecting BID partnerships.The Voice of BIDs: Why the industry needs to influence policy decisions rather than simply respond to them.Practical Next Steps: What BID managers should be doing over the next six months to prepare.With the Autumn Budget approaching and significant policy decisions ahead, Julie and Henry explore both the opportunities and risks for the BID industry, and how BIDs can position themselves as influential partners in shaping the future of our places. Vicinity and Beyond! is hosted by Dr Julie Grail of The BIDs Business and Henry Jinman of Vicinity, exploring the ideas, challenges and opportunities shaping Business Improvement Districts and place management. Enjoyed the episode? Follow the podcast to stay up to date with future conversations, and share it with colleagues working in BIDs, local government and place management.

  2. Sep 21

    S2.05 Working Smarter: How AI Is Helping BIDs Get More Done

    Henry gets comfortable in the hot spot again for an in-depth look at how AI assistants are already helping BIDs run more smoothly, and where they're headed next. We start with the essential first step for any BID, getting your CRM, property and business rates records in order, ready for AI to work from at scale. From there, we cover real examples already happening in the sector. Splitting a year's worth of invoices and matching them to CRM records, drafting outreach that reads differently depending on who it's for, and moving away from fixed dashboards towards answers you can get on the spot. 🔍 Topics covered: ➡️ Getting your CRM and records ready for AI to work with ➡️ Moving from fixed dashboards to answers on demand ➡️ Automating invoices, CRM updates and admin tasks ➡️ Personalised outreach at scale, and where the human touch still matters ➡️ How people are finding places and information differently ➡️ Getting started: low-risk tasks, staff experimentation and a clear AI policy 👉 To find out more about how AI can help support your business, visit Vicinity at getvicinity.com/contact

  3. Jul 30

    S2.04 The Tables Have Turned: How AI Is Becoming Your New Virtual Assistant

    Julie and Henry swap seats! Henry takes the lead to explore how AI is currently evolving, and how it’s working in favour of BIDs and small businesses. We move beyond, “just ask ChatGPT”, and explore how AI is shifting from a personalised google search bar, and into a hand held working assistant. From familiar and simple AI tasks such as note-taking, to exploring AI agents managing our days and emails, and CRM systems, we look at where the real time-savings are, and where human oversight still matters. 🔍 Topics covered:  ➡️ How Henry has seen AI evolve  ➡️ Moving from transactional AI to AI assistants and agents  ➡️ The next steps with AI, structuring your business  ➡️ The fight between time saving and  authenticity   ➡️ Where and why human oversight still matters  ➡️ Building an AI policy your whole team can work from 👉 To find out more about how AI can help support your business, visit Vicinity at getvicinity.com/contact

  4. May 7

    S2.03 Visitor Levy UK: What the Tourist Tax Means for Hotels & Business Costs

    Julie and Henry unpack the proposed Visitor Levy (Tourist Tax UK) and what it could really mean for businesses, hotels, and local economies. Often framed as “just £2 a night,” we go beyond the headlines to explore the true cost of the visitor levy, from administrative burden and compliance risks to its wider impact on pricing, demand, and competitiveness. Is this a smart way to fund local areas, or a policy that could unintentionally hit the very businesses it relies on? We also examine how the levy is being rolled out across the UK, with Scotland already moving ahead and England now consulting on its own model. What can we learn from international examples, and how might this reshape the visitor economy? Plus: the growing pressure on hotels, the risk of reduced international demand, and why some cities are pushing forward, while others hesitate. 🔍 Topics covered: What is the Visitor Levy (Tourist Tax UK)?The real cost to hotels and businessesAdmin burden: who actually pays?Impact on tourism demand and pricingLessons from Scotland, Europe, and beyondWhat this means for BIDs and local economies📣 Featuring: practical insights, real industry data, and honest discussion for BID leaders, councils, hospitality operators, and placemakers navigating change. 👉 For more insights and support on local economies, BIDs and placemaking, visit: https://getvicinity.com/

  5. Mar 26

    S2.02 Business Rates Cliff Edge and the Role of BIDs (Part 2)

    In this second and final part of our deep dive, Julie and Henry move from explanation to reality, unpacking what the 2026 business rates revaluation actually means on the ground for BIDs, councils and local economies. With many areas expecting value increases of 10–15%, the headline might suggest growth, but the real story is more complex. As costs rise across the board, we explore the growing gap between potential income on paper and income you can actually collect, and why business survival is quickly becoming a genuine risk. From missed levy income and data accuracy to the impact of new businesses entering the rating list, this episode highlights the operational pressures BIDs are facing. We also look at how the role of BIDs may be shifting: as well as pure delivery, necessary advocacy, collective voice, and supporting businesses through an increasingly fragile trading environment. Looking ahead, we ask whether this revaluation moment could reshape how BIDs position themselves, and what leaders should be prioritising right now as April 2026 approaches.  🔎 Topics covered: -Why levy increases don’t necessarily mean financial security  -Data accuracy, missing businesses, and hidden income risks  -Business survival, and changing risk registers  -The shift towards a greater role in advocacy and collective voice  -What BID leaders should prioritise as April approaches.   📣 Featuring: practical insights, real-world examples, and candid reflections for BID leaders, councils and placemakers navigating a more volatile landscape.

  6. Feb 25

    S2.01 Business Rates & the 2026 Revaluation: Who’s Feeling the Pain? (Part 1)

    In this first of a two-part deep dive, Julie and Henry explore what the 2026 business rates revaluation really means for high street businesses. From rateable value hikes hitting pubs, shops and hotels - to transitional reliefs and tiered multipliers - we unpack the shifting tax burden and ask: is this the start of a fairer system, or just pain deferred? We also look at the early impacts for Business Improvement Districts (BIDs): are levies going up or down, and what happens when previously exempt small businesses are pulled into scope? Plus: HOLBA’s formal challenge to the government, the hospitality sector’s #TaxedOut campaign, and why some argue Labour’s promised reform has turned into fine-tuning. 🔍 Topics covered: RV changes by sector and who’s hit hardestNew multipliers and reliefs explainedHow BID income is being affectedPolitical pushback: HOLBA, fairness, and transitional optics 📣 Featuring: practical prompts, sector data, and straight-talking insights for BID leaders, councils and placemakers.

  7. 12/11/2025

    13. Season finale (Part 3): The Future of BIDs – Who Speaks for the Industry?

    We end Podcast in Person with the big one: Who is the voice of the BID industry? In this thought-provoking finale, Julie and Henry tackle the question of leadership, representation, and what’s next for the UK’s BID movement. From AI and e-voting to levy fatigue and the future of governance, it’s a fast-paced, and a hopeful close to Season One. 🎯 Includes quickfire predictions, open-mic reflections, and a glimpse at what Season Two could bring. #BIDs #Leadership #FutureOfWork #PlaceManagement #DigitalDemocracy #VicinityAndBeyond

  8. 11/24/2025

    07. ABIDs – Mission Drift or Natural Evolution?

    With talk of tourist taxes heating up in the UK, Vicinity and Beyond dives into one of the most important debates in the place management and visitor economy world: Are Accommodation BIDs (ABIDs) a natural step forward—or a step too far? In this episode, we explore: 🏨 Where ABIDs came from – how Manchester pioneered the UK model  💰 How ABIDs differ from traditional BIDs – rateable value levies vs. per-night visitor charges 🗳 Why some ABID ballots fail (or fail to get started) – lessons from Bournemouth, Cambridge, and Chester ⚖️ Tourist taxes vs. ABIDs – a deep dive into the pros, cons, and international comparisons 📈 What the evidence says – do tourist levies really harm tourism? 🔮 What’s next – will ABIDs expand, fade, or coexist with national tourist taxes? With new models emerging and tourist tax legislation on the horizon, this episode is packed with insights to help you make sense of a fast-changing landscape. 🗣 BID Managers, DMO leaders, local authorities: Share this episode with colleagues and board members to spark strategic discussions about the future of tourism funding. 🎧 Listen now on Vicinity and Beyond via YouTube or your favourite podcast platform. #BIDs #ABIDs #TouristTax #Placemaking #TourismFunding #VicinityAndBeyond #DestinationMarketing #UKBIDs #LocalGovernment #VisitorEconomy

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About

Vicinity and Beyond is your gateway to the latest trends in place management, innovative technologies, and insider insights. Whether you're a place manager looking to enhance your community engagement or simply curious about the future of places, our podcast brings you expert interviews, cutting-edge solutions, and industry news that will keep you ahead of the curve. Join us as we explore the dynamic world of place-making and beyond!

Information

  • Creator
    Vicinity
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    19
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Vicinity and Beyond!
  • Show Website
    Vicinity and Beyond!