A SUNDERLAND initiative has turned matchmaker – boosting business by bringing companies together.
Sunderland BID’s affiliate scheme gives non-levy paying companies the opportunity to enjoy some of the services it provides for its city centre and Seafront businesses and, most importantly, encourages collaboration.
These include unique networking opportunities and invitations to a range of events, meetings and training sessions.
And it was through the scheme that owners at city centre restaurant Rumour Has It met the team at digital marketing agency Phonetic Digital.
Now, not only has Phonetic Digital provided a new website for the restaurant at Green Terrace, but it is about to start work on a second, for the venue’s upstairs bar, The Terrace.
“Being a member of the affiliate scheme has absolutely made sense for us,” said Steven Parker, managing director of Phonetic Digital, which is based at the Collective at Mackie’s Corner.
“We’re actually too small to be a levy payer, but, as a city centre business, we clearly benefit from everything Sunderland BID does for the city.
“So, the affiliate scheme – which we pay a fee to join – enables us to still support the BID and contribute to what they’re doing.
“Since we became an affiliate in August 2024, we have enjoyed numerous benefits and been invited to networking lunches and so forth that we might not have been part of before.
“It’s enabled us to feel plugged in to the city centre – and that’s been a real benefit to us.”
Lynsay Foster, who owns Rumour Has It with husband David, said: “We’d been needing a website for a while.
“And now, not only do we have an absolutely fantastic site in place – and another on the way – but we’ve built an ongoing relationship with the team at Phonetic Digital.
“We support many of the BID’s initiatives such as Restaurant Week and Cocktail Week and through this scheme we have been able to meet even more people, which has been hugely helpful to us.”
More than 30 businesses from a diverse range of industries have already joined the BID’s affiliate scheme and numbers are steadily rising.
Sharon Appleby, Chief Executive of Sunderland BID, said the collaboration between Phonetic Digital and Rumour Has It is “a perfect example of how businesses should and can work together.”
Anyone wanting to find out more or who wants to join the scheme – which has a small annual fee – should contact roberta@sunderlandbid.co.uk or visit https://sunderlandbid.co.uk/about-us/become-an-affiliate-member/