Manor Royal Matters Celebrates 75 Years of Innovation

The Manor Royal Business Improvement District (BID) hosted its annual Manor Royal Matters Conference on November 4, 2025, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, drawing over 130 attendees from the Manor Royal community and BID partners. The event focused on the area's evolving landscape, the BID's performance, and future priorities, while commemorating Manor Royal's 75th anniversary with a special retrospective video.

The conference provided a platform for interactive discussions on key developments shaping Manor Royal. Attendees participated in live polling to share ideas on the area's needs, fostering collaborative insights into its ongoing transformation. A highlight was the premiere of a new video tracing Manor Royal's history over the past seven and a half decades, dating back to its naming by Princess Elizabeth, who later became Queen Elizabeth II.

Break-out sessions delved into critical topics for the area's future:

• In "Gatwick Matters," Richard Lennard and Gareth Sear from London Gatwick explored the Northern Runway project, the Airport Economic Zone, and initiatives to bolster the local economy.
• "Sustainability Matters" featured Marc Tomes of Allen Scott Landscape Architecture launching the Manor Royal BID Green Infrastructure Framework, outlining a vision for a greener, more biodiverse Manor Royal through enhanced environmental practices.
• "Devolution Matters" brought together Ian Duke, Chief Executive of Crawley Borough Council, and Leigh Whitehouse, Chief Executive of West Sussex County Council, to discuss impending changes in local government and the delivery of public services.

The event culminated in a dynamic, business-focused Question Time panel debate, featuring prominent business owners and leaders from across the Manor Royal BID area, addressing pressing issues and opportunities.

The Manor Royal BID also held its Annual General Meeting (AGM), where new board members were elected to guide the organisation's strategic direction. Hannah Wilson of Virgin Atlantic, Nick Jackets of Transvalair UK Ltd, and Marc Butterworth of Creative Technology joined the board for the first time. Trevor Williams of Thales UK, Tim Rose of Elekta, and Markus Wood of Avensys were re-elected to continue their vital contributions.

Steve Sawyer, Executive Director of Manor Royal BID, reflected on the event: " My thanks to everyone that came along and supported the event. Despite uncertain political and economic headwinds, it was heartening to see how positive businesses feel about the future with 70% predicting growth in the year ahead. It was also important for us to share the progress the BID is making and to understand that 98% of respondents reported being satisfied with Manor Royal and that the BID is focussed on delivering the right things for the area."

The Question Time style panel debate reflected on the feedback from the audience who reported feeling a good deal of confidence about the future, with 70% predicting growing in the next year. This despite concerns about the pressure from rising costs and an unpredictable political landscape. Strong support for the BID and feedback suggesting the area is improving was underlined by an encouragement to continue to invest in improving the facilities and appearance of the area and to get on top of parking and transport issues.

Overall, the value of a being part of a connected and progressive community came through with a clear message for the Manor Royal BID to continue its work to improve and lobby on behalf of the area.

The Manor Royal BID’s Annual Report and the presentations from the event are available on the BID’s website, with the results of the polling and the 75^th anniversary film to follow.

www.manorroyal.org/events