ROYAL TUNBRIDGE WELLS TOGETHER - BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT
ENHANCING
We work closely with town CCTV, the police and other partners to improve town safety
We work closely with local authorities to enhance the care of our town and enhance the area for businesses, residents and visitors
We invest in a range of initiatives including Christmas lights to enhance the look of our town
We will work in partnership with relevant groups and authorities to improve signage and support increased accessibility
We lead projects to enhance the public realm and attractiveness of the town
We will work with and support town partnerships like Amplifi and Creative TW so they can maximise their impact on the town
Town Safety & Crime Prevention
Town CCTV
RTW is fortunate to have a town wide monitored CCTV system that supports the community to remain a safe environment to live, work and play.
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RTW Together is proud to have contributed to enhancing this system with a new camera for Calverley Grounds by matching half the cost and will explore further opportunities for the future.
Town Safety Initiatives
Safety for everyone in the town is important and relevant for businesses either for employees or customers.
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We will continue to engage with local partners to support specific (e.g. lighting for dark paths) and wider town safety initiatives. We will spearhead the creation of a Women's Safety Charter for RTW, emulating a successful recent initiative in Chelmsford.
Town Safety Equipment
RTW Together has previously distributued over 10,000 anti spiking kits to local venues to improve customer safety. These will continue to be made available.
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New defibrillator provision will be developed in the coming term to ensure more people have quick and easy access to a defibrillator across the town.
Lighting, Planting & Street Art
Royal Tunbridge Wells is a town known for its beauty and RTW Together is committed to playing its part in continuing to enhance the town to make it an attractive place to live, work and visit.
Christmas Lights
Christmas lights help brighten up the town and its mood, encouraging people and potential customers to get in the festive spirit.
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With a small contribution from TWBC, we pay for the Christmas lights across the town and also make contributions to the RVP frontage and the Pantiles lighting.
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We are exploring how we might further improve the lighting in future years and plan to repeat our light switch on event tied to a town Christmas launch.
In-Bloom Partnership
The local in-bloom team that works very closely with Tunbridge Wells Borough Council is very successful with greening the town and its parks, winning many awards in the process.
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We sponsored the business category last year offering small prizes for every participant and will continue to work with In-Bloom to enhance the town and make it an ever stronger destination for visitors and residents.
Planters
To enable the in-bloom work to be more productive and impactful we have and will continue to invest in planters across the town and work with local authorities to find approporiate placements for them.
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Last year saw us invest in 6 large circular wooden planters for the area by 5-Ways to uprade from the previous black plastic units.
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We are also working on smaller units for Monson and Camden Road.
Festoon Lighting
Our enhancement works include investing in year round festoon lighting for the town. This has been done in Chapel Place, Monson Road, Pantiles Collonade and should be installed shortly in Castle Street.
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By working collaboratively with local partners investing part of the cost, it allows this investment to stretch further and impact more of the town.
Street Art
Where appropriate, RTW Together is investing in collaborative projects to enhance the street scene through the use of pubic street art.
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The example shown adjacant is of the toilets in key local attraction - TW Commons where they had fallen victim to graffiti. The project has improved the space and removed graffiti.
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We are investigating multiple options for art work across the town to instill further creativity and animation.
Camden Road Art Trail
Camden Road is an area known for its comparatively more bohemiam, creative and diverse atmosphere.
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RTW Together has begun conversations to help develop a masterplan and then through match funding help kickstart and maintain and growing and sustainable art trail.
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The art trail which is intended to be created through local artists will include a wide range of type of work and help bring people and energy to this energetic quarter of the town.
Public Realm Projects
High Street
Over the 1st term of the BID, RTW Together helped invest in the planter units for the High Street as part of a project to enhance the pedestrian environment and encourage more cafe culture during Covid and since.
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We are now leading an effort to take this project to a new phase including a decking structure running throughout the street to create a more permanently upgraded presence.
Three business consultations have taken place and a contractor is lined up for delivery. The project is planned to be delivered in the next 3 months.​
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Future Street Projects
Following on from the High Street project, it is RTW Together's aim to make one lager scale investment of £25k each year in a targeted area (hopefully with match funding) to make a more substantial impact to the public realm.
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The areas currently planned are:-
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Calverley Road / 5 Ways
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Monson / Camden Road
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Mount Pleasant Road
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Grosvenor Road
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Pantiles
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These projects will vary from area to area and we will seek local feedback as part of the process.
Celebrating Heritage
Royal Tunbridge Wells is a historic town that recently celebrated its 400 year anniversary. A town closesly associated with Royalty has changed significanly over its history. The town has great town venues and rich architecture that is a draw for residents and visitors.
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RTW Together wishes to build on this strength and work collaboratively with culture venues like the Amelia, local interest groups like the Civic Society and key landowners like the Pantiles to invest funds and time to promore and celebrate our heritage further.
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Water Fountains
The local authority Tunbridge Wells Borough Council recently invested resources installing water bottle filling stations in the town parks.
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We would like to emulate this with key strategic installations across the town centre spine. Our intention is to work with local partners to install one a year thereby providing a useful facility for employees, residents and visitors and support our sustainability aims through less plastic consumption.
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Street Cleaning & Maintenance
Street Furniture Repainting
The local authorities will remain responsible for building and maintaining street furniture signs, lamposts, benches, bins etc however RTW Together will work in partnership to improve the standard of how they look by initiating a re-painting program across the town centre.
Street Deep Cleaning
Tunbridge Wells Borough Council invests substantial resources in cleaning the town and collecting refuse.
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We will work in partnership to enhance the standard through investing in dedicated machines and focussing on deep cleans of specific areas.
Reporting Faults
RTW Together wants to make it easier for BID Members to have areas of concern addressed.
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We will put together a comprehensive set of links and information to make it easier to report any issues in the town be it a pot hole or broken light.
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Accessibility
Accessibility Training & Support
Every person is different and many have different needs and requirements. It is important for businesses to be as accessible as possible both for its staff and customers.
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RTW Together will look to explore ways in which we can help firms and venues remain as accessible as possible and will start with new guides and training to increase awareness and understanding e.g. of the Sunflower lanyard scheme.
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Public Travel
Many employees and customers come into RTW via public transport. RTW Together will invest time into trying to ensure this is the best possible experience and look into direct benefits for businesses.
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A partnership has been made with bus operator Arriva to offer up to 20% discounts for employees travelling to work.
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Car Transport & Parking Information
RTW Together will aim to support business interests with private transport.
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We will lobby on behalf of business interests and seek to ensure car parking systems are upgraded to make the user experience more positive.
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We will seek to expand the co-wheels club to include a van facility.
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We will aim to share information and generally respond to BID Member feedback.
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Town Signage
Whilst many visitors will use smart phones to help direct them around, RTW Together will work in partnership with local authorities to invest and upgrade directional signage.
This is to provide as helpful an experience as possible for visitors and ensure our street furniture is updated, accurate and well maintained.
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Collaborations
At RTW Together we believe we can have the most impact by working in collaboration with our partners and by supporting others we can help deliver our objectives.
Amplifi is a recent business led initiative to support improvements in the local area and helping businesses to achieve sustainability improvements and support community aims and initiatives.
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RTW Together is a founding member and will invest in supporting this partnership help businesses across the town reduce their carbon footprint in economically viable and sustainable means.
Creative Tunbridge Wells is an emerging partnership of key local parties that wish to develop the Creative economy and employment of Royal Tunbridge Wells.
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Initially funded by the Arts Council, the partnership recently attracted additional government funds and recruited a staff member.
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RTW Together as one of the steering group members, offered to host the resource and will actively work collaboratively to support its aims.
The TN Card is a local established and successful loyalty card scheme that works across the area to support local spending.
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As a project which fits well with our aims of supporting local and encouraging residents to come into the town we have and will continue to offer support for the TN Card to continue and further develop.