Partner Article

Towns should bid for a BID

The brains behind Hull’s Business Improvement District (BID) is encouraging businesses in other parts of the country to get behind the scheme, which can help to rejuvenate ailing town centres.

Businesses in Hull backed a BID in 2006, and in 2011 vited to continue the scheme for another five years.

According to Hull City Centre Manager Kathryn Shilito, the introduction of a BID in Hull has resulted in greater security, cleaner streets and high profile events drawing in an extra 40,000 visitors annually.

Kathryn said: “The benefits of BIDs are really about lots of business contributing a relatively small amount of funds into a pot that gets spent improving the city centre.

“It’s about giving the businesses a voice. It’s their money so it will be invested how businesses see fit.”

The Hull BID is a not for profit company which helps to improve the city centre in a number of ways including improvements in street cleansing, events, safety and security, signage and access and enhancing the evening economy.

It has also helped to realise a number of business initiatives, including new radio systems allowing businesses and the police to keep abreast of any shoplifters and security issues in the area.

Kathryn continued: “The Mary Portas review has talked about super BIDs giving them greater powers that’s because
people are realising that as an independent body they can make a real difference.

“The BID is a powerful lobbying agent representing businesses to the local authority, giving
businesses a representative voice.”

Middlesbrough is one of the towns considering the introduction of a BID, and several major retailers, banks and restaurants have already offered their support to the scheme, including Marks and Spencer, HSBC, Next and Boots. More than 480 businesses in Middlesbrough town centre are to decide in the next few weeks if they want a BID.

The BID would see an additional investment of at least £2.3 million being made over the next five
years in projects designed to increase town centre footfall and improve business performance.

It is estimated a BID could help lever an additional £25 million into Middlesbrough’s town centre
economy.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .