How Chichester BID supported the city centre this festive season
December is one of the most important trading months for city centre businesses which makes Christmas in Chichester a key focus for Chichester BID.
More than festive moments, the BID’s role is about keeping the city centre visible, vibrant and front of mind during a highly competitive period, creating reasons to visit, stay longer and return throughout the season. It’s been especially encouraging to hear so many businesses reporting strong year-on-year sales over the Christmas period.
Setting the scene: investing in festive first impressions
Christmas starts with how the city looks and feels.
Each year, Chichester BID invests significantly in the festive presentation of the city centre – recognising that atmosphere, warmth and visual impact play a vital role in encouraging footfall and dwell time.
- 102 Christmas trees were installed across key streets and gateways
- Around 800,000 festive lights illuminated the city streets
Together, these elements helped create a welcoming city centre that clearly signalled that Chichester is open for business this Christmas.
Creating reasons to visit – day and night
Alongside the city’s festive look and feel, the BID delivered a coordinated programme of activity across November and December, designed to appeal to different audiences, at different times of day.
Key moments included:
- Light Up Chichester & After Party
A high-profile moment to launch the festive season - Festive Family Day (free)
Encouraging daytime visits and longer dwell time - Let It Glow on Cathedral Green
A distinctive, interactive evening experience for all ages - 12 Days of Chichester Indies
Championing independent businesses and local choice
By offering a mix of moments, the BID supported businesses throughout the day and into the evening helping to create a busy, welcoming city centre throughout December.
Making sure people knew it was happening
Delivering activity is only part of the picture. Making sure people see it, understand it and engage with it is just as important.
The BID brought everything together through a joined-up festive marketing campaign:
- A dedicated Christmas hub on the Chichester BID website
- Festive editorial and online guides
- Proactive press and media coverage
- Sustained social media and digital promotion
- A printed Christmas brochure delivered to 17,000 local homes
The result?
One of the BID’s most visible festive seasons to date, with strong year-on-year growth in website traffic and record digital reach throughout December.
Let It Glow: free, inclusive and intentionally so
A standout highlight of this year’s programme was Let It Glow: a free, interactive light experience on the Cathedral Green.
Children and families were invited to create artwork that was projected live onto the Cathedral’s Bell Tower, turning imagination into something magical in real time.
Crucially, Let It Glow was free by design.
The BID is committed to ensuring festive experiences are high quality and accessible, allowing families to enjoy special moments in the city centre while still having the freedom to support local shops, cafés, restaurants and bars.
The event was delivered through:
- Support from Chichester District Council (via the UK Shared Prosperity Fund)
- Investment from Chichester City Council
- Significant sponsorship secured by the BID
This collaborative approach ensured investment went further, creating an experience people went out of their way to see:
- Approx. 2,500 visitors, with many returning more than once
Creating moments that matter
Feedback from Let It Glow highlighted the power of free, creative and inclusive experiences:
“I really loved being able to just have fun as it’s quite hard as a teenager.”
“Brilliant entertainment and so rare to find something so lovely for free.”
“As a parent carer of a disabled child it was so nice to have something interactive in town that my daughter could get involved with.”
“In a hard cost of living crisis, this is a wonderful thing to do with children for free.”
Parents described calm, joyful moments. Children loved seeing their creations come to life. Teenagers valued the freedom to simply have fun.
These moments matter, helping to build positive emotional connections with Chichester city centre.
A collective benefit for levy-paying businesses
By investing in:
- City-wide presentation
- Coordinated festive events
- Sustained promotion and visibility
Chichester BID helps create the conditions in which businesses can thrive: a busy, attractive city centre that people choose to spend time in.
Each year, the BID listens, learns and builds on what works. Looking ahead to 2026, ambitions are high with plans for even more impactful campaigns delivered in partnership with businesses, stakeholders and the wider city.
