BID have been asked by Highland Council to circulate the letter below which explains the urgent works which will start in Church Street at 8pm on Monday 29th November.
Hopefully the works will go well but as explained below, if they encounter problems, the potential is that the works will be required to continue for a further 2 to 3 days with the closure of Church Street necessitating exit from the area via Bank Lane.
A route plan showing the alternative routes, supplied by Highland Council, is shown.
Dear Sir/Madam
The Highland Council is advising motorists, residents and businesses that BT Openreach have instructed their contractor to carry out work on Church Street, Inverness (next to the former Asher’s Bakery premises), as a matter of urgency.
Work is programmed to be carried out overnight and will commence at 8pm Monday 29 November 2021 with an anticipated completion time of 6am the next morning – pending excavations. Noisy elements of the work will be carried out before 10:30pm with hand digging overnight.
The works location has been affected by subsidence and, as a result, the excavation works could result in complications arising. If the works are not completed (due to potential unforeseen causes of the subsidence) this may result in the road remaining closed for 2 to 3 days, which could have implications for buses and delivery vehicles.
In the event of the road remaining closed after 6am on Tuesday 30th November, the Council will arrange for Bank Lane to be opened to vehicles. Delivery vehicles will be able to access Union Street and Baron Taylor Street as normal, but will require to exit using Bank Lane. Delivery vehicles requiring to access premises around the Union Street/Church Street junction area will be allowed to turn left onto Church Street (at Coffee Affair – currently no entry to vehicles) before turning right into Bank Lane. Banksman assistance will be provided for those businesses located on Church Street (between Union Street and the road closure area).
Adjacent is a location plan showing the alternative routes. The road closure area is shown highlighted in orange. The alternative route for vehicles using Baron Taylor Street is shown highlighted in red. An alternative route for vehicles accessing premises on Union Street (between Academy Street and Lombard Street) is shown highlighted in green. The alternative route for vehicles accessing premises on Union Street (between Lombard Street and Church Street) and on Church Street is shown highlighted in blue.
If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact me on (01463) 644189, or at the email address provided above, or alternatively Andy McMann of KN Networks Services on 07870 513526.
INVERNESS BID – OPERATION RESPECT FESTIVE 2021 TASK TEAM
Inverness BID are pleased to announce that the BID Security Task Team will once again commence operations as part of Operation Respect Festive 2021 on Friday 26th November 2021 and will operate throughout the run up to Christmas and over the Festive Season until Friday 31st December 2021.
The BID Task Team will be on duty from Thursday 26th November 2021 from 1130hrs – 1730hrs and thereafter during the same times every weekday, Monday to Saturday to Friday 31st December 2021. They will also operate on the busy retail Sundays on 28th November, and 19th December 2021.
Hopefully, this worthwhile initiative, being part of Operation Respect Festive 2021 and funded jointly by Inverness BID and the Inverness Common Good Fund, which have been so successful in previous years, will continue to provide assistance and reassurance to all businesses and residents within Inverness BID City Centre Area, and will enhance the safety and enjoyment for all local people and visitors alike who come into the city for the shopping or daytime and night-time experience .
Inverness BID Task Team contact details are either via:
Shop Safe Radio Call Sign – “Task Team” or
Mobile No 07807286403
Come along and have some fun at our annual Elf on the Shelf Hunt searching for the cheeky elves hiding in the shop windows in and around the Inverness Victorian Market. Keep an eye on BID’s facebook page for updates
This year’s event will take place over 2 weekends (Fridays & Saturdays not Sundays) 26th, 27th November and 3rd, 4th December from 10am-5pm
The elves will be on the shelves of shops in the Victorian Market and in the streets surrounding the Market – easy to follow and clear on our event map flyer.
Find all the elves and write their names on the event flyer then post in our special post box in the Victorian Market – all entries go into the prize draw to win one of 2 x £50 cash prizes!
The event map/flyer will be available on each day of the Hunt from the BID Elf Helpers in the Victorian Market or if you would like any maps sent to your school or kiddies group please email us at margaret@inverness.uk.com and we will arrange to get them to you.
From the centre of the city to the shores of the Loch, it’s just a quick hop, step and a jump! Discover city life with fabulous local, independent shops, bars and restaurants, to history and nature! Loch Ness is just a heartbeat away from the cities doorstep where you can take in the sights and sounds to relax and rejuvenate your mind, body and soul! Come and visit! We’ll see you soon!
Join Inverness BID for a super free family day out this summer!
Take part in a globe-trotting voyage, solve a mystery and find the lost treasure!
Hidden around Inverness City Centre are 20 steamtabulous vehicles to find. Simply scan the QR codes to collect digital stamps, learn the story and take selfies.
To take part simply:
1. Visit the website www.bepuzzledtrail.com to see the trail map
2. Hunt down the vehicles located on the windows of 20 city centre businesses
3. Scan each of their unique QR codes with your smartphone, learn more of the story, solve the riddles and take hilarious selfies!
4. When you’ve found them all download your free e-book to learn the conclusion of Ollie & Izzy’s adventure!
5. Share your photos with us! We’d love to see your photos – share them on our Facebook page
Inverness BID Security Task Team will once again be available in Inverness City Centre for the summer 2021 holiday period from Friday 25th June until Saturday 28th August 2021 to respond to enquiries from the General Public and to calls for service and assistance from Retail, Hospitality and other Businesses, and will also be available to assist Police Scotland and other relevant partnership members during that period. Their hours of operation will be Monday to Saturday, 1130am to 5.30pm.
The Security Task Team will consist of two experienced SIA Trained Stewards, who can be contacted direct via ShopSafe Radios or by Mobile (available to businesses) and will be visible in their distinctive blue uniforms on our streets during the above times. As normal they will liaise with Police Scotland City Centre Beat Officers and other partners regularly throughout their duty hours.
Outwith these times should you require assistance in response to incidents please contact Police Scotland via Shop Safe Radio, direct on 101 or in an emergency 999, or other relevant.
For other matters please contact Inverness BID during Office Hours on 01463 714550.
As High Streets open once more this April, Inverness BID have teamed up QR code trail experts High Street Safari to create a free, interactive Easter themed story-trail that is designed to encourage children to walk, get engaged and most importantly, have a lot of fun!
Mr Finniebaker’s Easter Factory Trail is positioned around the Inverness centre with 10 woodland Easter factory characters, like Mr Badger who paints the egg wrappings or Mr Frog who drives the egg lorries. The trail takes about 45 minutes to complete but can be completed in more than one visit. It’s completely free for families and groups to take part in and they win a personalised, digital ‘selfie storybook’ at the end.
To create their ‘selfie storybooks’ families need to practice their acting chops as they take funny ‘scene’ selfies along the trail, with directions like ‘look amazed’ or ‘look curious’. Then, once they complete the trail, their selfies are then embedded directly into the book pages as part of the story. The book tells readers about the day their family went on a video tour of the factory – so they become stars of the story and get a wonderful keepsake.
The trail works by utilising contactless QR codes, without the need for families to download or sign up to anything. With safety in mind, it has been designed so that there is no need to go inside the venues, but some participating businesses are offering extra incentives to come in while you visit.
When families scan each Easter character’s unique QR code they’ll learn their names and what their job is in the factory. Younger children will enjoy spotting the colourful characters in shop windows and older kids, and grown-up ones, will engage by hearing the stories.
TIER 4 LOCKDOWN FROM 26TH DECEMBER – GRANT APPLICATION UPDATES
With Highland going into Tier 4 on 26th December a wide range of businesses should be able to apply to the Scottish Government’s Business Temporary Closure Fund for grant aid which will be delivered by the Highland Council.
Having spoken with the Highland Council they are looking to publish information on eligibility and grant arrangements in the week commencing 4th January 2021.
Highland Council is keen to stress that as these grants are paid 4 weeks in arrears, no business which had to temporarily close will lose out on the grant as the payments will be backdated to the 26thDecember when payment is made at the end of January.
As you may be aware the Temporary Closure Grant is a grant scheme for businesses required to close or modify their operations and is paid every 4 weeks in arrears:
– £2,000 if your business premises has a rateable value of up to and including £51,000
– £3,000 if your business premises has a rateable value of £51,001 or above
– An upper limit of £15,000 in total in any four-week period will apply to any eligible business operating multiple premises.
Below is a schedule of the businesses that we are informed should be eligible to apply for the Temporary Closure Grant:
Accommodation Hotels, B&Bs, Self-catering, Caravan and Camp Sites
Hospitality Restaurants, cafes, pubs, bars, social clubs
Retail Non-essential retail (which specifically excludes food retailers, including food markets, supermarkets, convenience stores and corner shops; off licenses and licensed shops selling alcohol (including breweries); pharmacies (including non-dispensing pharmacies) and chemists; newsagents; homeware, building supplies and hardware stores; petrol stations, car repair and MOT services, bicycle shops, taxi or vehicle hire businesses, banks, building societies, credit unions, short-term loan providers, savings clubs, cash points and undertakings which by way of business operate a currency exchange office, transmit money (or any representation of money) by any means or cash cheques which are made payable to customers; post offices; funeral directors; laundrettes and dry cleaners; dental services, opticians, audiology services, chiropody services, chiropractors, osteopaths and other medical or health services, including services relating to mental health; veterinary surgeons and pet shops; agricultural supplies shops and agricultural markets; storage and distribution facilities, including delivery drop off or collection points, where the facilities are in the premises of a business included in this sub-paragraph; )car parks; public toilets, livestock markets or auctions; garden centres, plant nurseries, outdoor markets, and outdoor car lots)
Close contact servicesHairdressers, Barbers, Beauticians, Tailors
