Francesca joined Cheltenham BID in May 2024. Having previously been Head of Projects for Bristol City Centre BID and Redcliffe & Temple BID, she has brought a wealth of experience with her, particularly in relation to safer streets and crime reduction. Francesca sits on the board of the National Association of Business Crime Partnerships Ltd. Locally she is on the Cheltenham Chamber of Commerce Board as well as the Cheltenham Safe Board.
Email: fran@cheltenhambid.co.uk
Caitlin (Cait) joined Cheltenham BID at the end of June 2025 with over a decade of marketing experience across sectors including B2B trade shows, the NHS, and the charity sector. She has a strong background in digital marketing and a passion for delivering results through data and performance. Cait loves bringing people together through events, thrives in collaborative environments, and is a dedicated team player.
Email: cait@cheltenhambid.co.uk
As a Head of Operations, I am dedicated to ensuring that local businesses have a voice and feel supported and represented. I have spent 30 years in the financial services industry, supporting customers and businesses across the commercial, retail, wealth, and international banking sectors. This extensive experience and breadth will help me support the unique requirements of Cheltenham and its businesses.
Email: martyn@cheltenhambid.co.uk
Kelly joined BID in August and she’s proud to be part of Cheltenham BID team. Kelly is excited about meeting and supporting businesses, the community and making a positive impact on our Spa town. She loves Cheltenham’s history, the Cotswold countryside, all the events happening, the food scene and the variety of shops. Kelly enjoys taking photos, spending time by the sea and exploring new places whilst walking, cycling, gardening and relaxing with a book or a movie.
Email: kelly@cheltenhambid.co.uk
Harry brings 3 years of retail experience across the department, fashion, grocery and charity sectors – beside 6 years of studying sociology. He’s driven by making an impact in the local community and loves being able to work with all kinds of people across the town.
Email: harry@cheltenhambid.co.uk
Chris started with Cheltenham BID in April 2022. He has vast experience of Town Centre Management, having previously been Head of Economic Development at Wychavon District Council, where he worked for more than 16 years. Chris is the first point of contact in the BID office and has been instrumental in initiating a number of cost savings for businesses whilst supporting the BID team.
Email: Chris@cheltenhambid.co.uk
Alex is the Managing Director at Beards the Jewellers and the sixth generation of his family to run the historic business. Raised in Cheltenham and educated at Cheltenham College, he began with Saturday work before gaining experience at Cartier in London and later completing his Graduate Gemologist training in New York.
He returned to the family business to take on a leadership role and has been running it independently with his team since around 2014. Beards marked its 220th anniversary in 2024, making it one of Gloucestershire’s oldest businesses.
Alex also serves as Chair of the Cheltenham BID Board, championing the town’s business community.
Philip is the Director of Cheltenham’s Under The Prom and Coco nightclubs, bringing many years of experience in the licensed trade and entertainment sector.
He studied Marketing at the University of Gloucestershire, and has since built a diverse career across nightlife, events and hospitality, including operational leadership at Coco and involvement in multiple related businesses. He has also adapted his ventures creatively through challenges, such as outdoor events and virtual cocktail masterclasses.
Philip currently serves as Deputy Chair of the Cheltenham BID Board, using his industry expertise to support the wider business community.
Claire is the Brand Experience Manager at John Lewis & Partners. As well as being responsible for the events and marketing team at the Cheltenham Store, Claire also oversees the many wider community projects that the Company gets involved with. Living locally, Claire’s contribution to the BID a board member ensures she can make a meaningful difference in the town centre.
Scott is the Centre Manager at Regent Arcade. He has more than 25 years of retail experience and has been managing shopping centres of different sizes accross the region for most of that time.
Scott was on the shadow BID board and formed part of the original BID board. During the recent planning for the development of Regent Arcade, Scott took a short break from the board. He rejoined the BID board in March 2020.
Bridget has been the Managing Partner of Willans since 2016. With three years of shared experience before that, she previously headed the firm’s residential property team. Bridget’s passion for community building has been a major focus for Willans during her leadership.
As a responsible and ethical firm, she recognises the importance of contributing to the local community’s prosperity. From collaborating with local business organisations, such as the Chamber of Commerce and universities, to sponsoring popular events such as Cheltenham Festivals and the Gloucestershire Business Awards, Bridget and Willans are committed to putting Gloucestershire on the map.
With her wealth of experience and dedication to community-building, Bridget is a valuable asset to Willans, Cheltenham BID and the local area.
Demelsa has been the Marketing and Communications Manager for The Brewery Quarter since 2008, leading its annual marketing strategy, events, PR, advertising, and digital channels, and contributing to the £30m Phase II redevelopment.
She previously managed marketing, PR, events and commercial activity at Eastgate Shopping Centre in Gloucester and has also held marketing roles with Savills and Endsleigh Insurance, giving her extensive experience in retail and leisure marketing.
Councillor Hay is the council leader for Cheltenham Borough Council. She was accepted onto the BID board in August 2021, following a successful renewal for a the BID’s second term.
Rowena has dedicated her life to Cheltenham. Having been in politics since her days at Cheltenham Technical College, she has been a councillor since 2002. She has also been a local magistrate for 35 years.
Nigel has been the Chief Operating Officer at Cheltenham Ladies’ College since 2016 and brings wide-ranging leadership experience from senior roles in the UK and Australia, including over a decade in multi‑channel retailing.
His earlier career includes positions at Brora, figleaves.com, iForce and Frank Daniels Pty Ltd, along with directorships at CLC Services Ltd and Friends of Cheltenham Ladies’ College in Hong Kong, plus eight years as a Non‑Executive Board Member for the National Gallery Company Ltd.
He holds a Chemistry degree from the University of Nottingham and is a strong advocate for sustainability initiatives at the College. In his spare time, he enjoys kayaking on the Severn and mountain biking in the Malvern Hills.
Richard King brings over 30 years of extensive experience, having worked with a variety of companies at both regional and national levels. He is currently the Head of Construction at Cheltenham Borough Council, where he is helping to deliver the Golden Valley Development, along with several other projects within the town.
His previous roles include senior positions at a property consultancy, social housing organisations, and a major national energy supplier, where he led a team delivering projects across the company’s UK corporate property portfolio. Additionally, Richard spent over 13 years working for a regional commercial property developer, where he led the construction of numerous new developments across Gloucestershire and the South West.
Being a local, Richard is excited to join Cheltenham BID and is looking forward to complementing his work at Cheltenham Borough Council and contributing to making Cheltenham an even better place to live and work.
Richard Barber is the Store Manager for Marks & Spencers on Cheltenham High Street.
He has worked for M&S for over 20 years, and although he has spent most of the past decade running stores in the West Midlands, he actually began his career as a Customer Assistant right here in Cheltenham.
With a passion for good governance and being a constructive critical friend when needed, he aims to remain available and accessible to represent the views and needs of BID members while helping ensure the BID’s key messages are heard and understood.
As the General Manager of Clockwise Offices Cheltenham, he is an results-oriented leader dedicated to driving business operations and strategic growth. Since taking the helm, the team has led a complete operational turnaround, successfully growing their occupancy from 67% to 98% in just over a year through robust financial governance and community-focused planning. Clinton’s professional background is rooted in high-performance environments, having transitioned from a career in Fitness & rugby to leadership in sales and business development. Outside of the office, he remains a keen sportsman and will take any excuse to train or get out on the field.
He is most excited about collaborating with civic leaders to ensure Cheltenham remains a premier destination to live, work, and do business.
Chris is one of the founders of Dodo Pubs, an independent pub company with a strong presence in Cheltenham and a real stake in the town’s success.
He joined the board to contribute an operator’s perspective on what helps Cheltenham function as a vibrant, commercially successful town centre. Chris is particularly interested in how the BID can help local businesses engage more effectively with the town’s events, footfall and wider economic opportunities.
He is excited to support a mission that helps Cheltenham thrive not only as a place to visit, but as a place where independent businesses can genuinely prosper.
Will is a Director of Patents at Albright IP, where he specialises in guiding innovative businesses through the full lifecycle of intellectual property protection.
With a technical background in chemistry and chemical physics from the University of Oxford and years of experience advising SMEs, start‑ups, and global companies, Will is known for his ability to translate complex inventions into clear, commercially focused patent strategies. Since joining Albright IP in 2013, Will has built a reputation for practical, business‑oriented advice across a wide range of technologies.
Based in Cheltenham, where he both lives and works, Will plays a key role in supporting the region’s thriving innovation community. He is keen to assist with the BID in steering Cheltenham to being as good a town as it can be.
Caroline is the Operations Director and Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) at CoreTech Security, and a founding member of the executive team that has scaled the business from 8 to 80 staff.
After starting her career as a software engineer, she moved to Gloucestershire 15 years ago and became part of the Cheltenham technical community. With a background in mathematics and software development, she brings a strong understanding of engineering teams and practical insight to problem‑solving and leadership.
She is excited to be working alongside her new colleagues to champion Cheltenham as a great place to live and work, and to ensure value-for-money for levy-paying businesses and the local community.