Vicinity and Beyond!

Vicinity

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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!

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.

31 min
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.

36 min
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

31 min
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

54 min
11/05/2025

12. Season Finale (part 2): It's Question Time

It’s Question Time - live from Podcast in Person! Dr Julie Grail and Henry Jinman face real questions from BID leaders across the UK on everything from business rates reform and local authority cuts to collaboration, “bad BIDs,” and the future of the industry. 💡 Featuring insights from: Stephen Manion • Nicola Grant • Sophie Alexander • Fran Inman • Steve Bluff • Allison Herbert and more. If you’re in place management or local policy, this is 100% unmissable. #BIDs #PlaceManagement #LocalGovernment #PrideInPlace #HighStreets #VicinityAndBeyond

45 min
10/21/2025

11. Season Finale — “Spaceships, Statutory Duties & the BID Bingo Year”

🚀 “Every episode is basically Henry trying to build a spaceship out of BID levies… and Julie gently reminding him he needs planning permission first.” Season One of Vicinity and Beyond! has been quite a ride. From self-billing and service creep to evidence-based decision-making and whether our podcast needs a CPD code (!), we’ve laughed, debated and reflected on the evolving role of Business Improvement Districts. In this special live-recorded episode, we take stock of the season, the sector — and ourselves. 🎙️ Recorded at Podcast in Person, hosted by The Fitzrovia Partnership and ARUP. #BIDs #PlaceManagement #Governance #PublicPolicy #VicinityAndBeyond

22 min
08/04/2025

10. ABIDs - victims of their own success?

In this episode of Vicinity and Beyond, Henry Jinman and Dr. Julie Grail dive into a fast-evolving issue: Are Accommodation BIDs (ABIDs) becoming victims of their own success? We explore: ✅ Comments and updates since our last episode—especially Liverpool’s shift in model ✅ Practical advice for placemakers and BIDs considering ABID models ✅ The tricky question: could ABIDs pave the way for city-wide tourist taxes that ultimately make them obsolete? 📌 Key questions we tackle: – What’s happened in Liverpool and why it matters – Do tourist taxes threaten the future of ABIDs? – What if ABIDs prove tourist taxes don’t hurt tourism? – And what should BIDs and placemakers do now to prepare? Plus: We share practical tips for BIDs looking to creating an ABID and engaging hotels. __________ CHAPTERS: 0:00 Introduction 1:30 Comments 4:30 Hotel Ts&Cs 12:40 Liverpool ABID 20:00 Supplementing BID revenue 22:40 ABIDs - our predictions 26:20 Engaging hotels 28:00 Ring-fencing revenue 35:00 Conclusion ___________

40 min
07/01/2025

09. UK BIDs - is it time for electronic voting?

📢 In this episode of Vicinity and Beyond!, Dr Julie Grail and Henry Jinman tackle one of the most talked-about issues in the BID world today: electronic voting. Is it time to move beyond paper ballots? Join us as we explore what digital transformation could mean for Business Improvement Districts — and what’s standing in the way. 🎙️ In this episode: - Why the current postal BID ballot system is seen as outdated - What UK law allows (and doesn’t) when it comes to e-voting - Real-world lessons from Trade Unions, Estonia, Canada, and Europe - How data privacy, security, and auditability can be safeguarded - What a future UK BID e-ballot could actually look like - The risks, opportunities, and policy changes needed for reform Whether you're a BID manager, local authority, or policymaker, this episode is essential listening for anyone shaping the future of UK town and city centres. 👍 Like, comment, and subscribe for more insights on BIDs, place management, and digital innovation. #BusinessImprovementDistrict #BIDs #ElectronicVoting #DigitalDemocracy #PlaceManagement #LocalGovernment #CivicTech #VicinityAndBeyond

55 min

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!

Creator

Vicinity
Years Active

2025 - 2026
Episodes

15
Rating

Clean
Copyright

© 2026 Vicinity and Beyond!
Show Website

Vicinity and Beyond!