Dear Waterfront BID member,
As we celebrate this festive season in whatever way you choose, it’s also a time to pause and rest and reflect on a busy year.
This past 12 months have seen our Waterfront community forge new connections and partnerships, strengthen alliances and collaborations to shape business in the area. Together as a community and with our city partners we’ve succeeded in attracting the largest number of cruise ships in years, we’ve transported and entertained many hundreds of thousands of locals and visitors through numerous events and overnight stays.
We’ve welcomed major new investment including at the Cattewater, Millbay, Mount Batten and Tinside, and we’ve advanced Plymouth’s positioning as Britain’s Ocean City and home of the UK’s first National Marine Park with refreshed branding, extensive marketing and engagement.
All of this is no mean feat in such tough times of the current cost of living, the cost increases in every area of business operations, the increases in rainfall and higher winds to name just a few of the challenges.
It can feel lonely in business with these challenges, yet we constantly hear encouragement for each other and observe the support given from across the Waterfront community.
You only need to reach out to a neighbouring business or to your Waterfront BID team and you’ll have a friendly ear or help to find a solution. Use the survey we’re currently running to let us know if you need us to visit, you’ll find the link in the recent e-newsletter.
2026 promises a strong line up of city events through a collaborative effort from city partners which includes fireworks, pirates, seafood, in, on or over the water activity and so much more.
Two new trails celebrating Beryl Cook and St Luke’s Guiding Lights will keep our streets busy between January and September, whilst the Armada Way public realm scheme connecting railway station with Hoe will see further completion.
With the recent exciting announcements from Team Plymouth and the investment from business, government and local authority, it genuinely feels like Plymouth is starting to achieve its potential with high ambition for the next ten years. Plymouth is the place to do business, to invest, to make life an adventure!
So thank you very much for all you’ve done through your business to animate, improve and support the Waterfront area yet again.
Nature has gifted us the incredible landscape and seascape we make the most of, generations of people before us have given us the heritage and history we celebrate.
Today it’s all down to you to shape the place. You bring the animation, the vibrancy, the job creation, the skills development and training opportunity to the Waterfront area.
I really hope you will enjoy some fun, laughter and relaxation over this festive period.
As time races toward the end of 2025, on behalf of the entire PWP team and our partner organisations, I wish you a peaceful Christmas and a very happy, healthy and successful New Year.
Sarah Gibson, Plymouth Waterfront Partnership
