Business leaders in Bristol have voted overwhelmingly to keep running the business improvement district (BID) scheme in the city centre for another five years.
Of the votes cast by eligible firms, 79% voted to renew the BID, which outlined its proposals earlier in July. Plans include how it will attract business, inward investment and people to Bristol - and make it a more welcoming and safe place.
A BID is a defined area in which a levy is charged on all business rate payers, with the money used to develop projects which will benefit companies in the local area.
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The Bristol City Centre BID - first voted in by businesses in 2017 - said more than £5.5m had been spent on projects in the city centre over the last five years, including a cleaning service and several safety and crime reduction initiatives.
For its second term, the BID has promised to build on its successes. The proposals cover four themes - "enhancing, protecting, promoting and supporting".
Vicky Lee, head of Bristol City Centre BID, said: “We are absolutely thrilled with the result of the ballot and confirmation of a second five-year term of Bristol City Centre BID. A huge thank you to all our levy payers for your support and for voting for the continuation of the BID.
“We have a fantastic opportunity to build on our successes and continue to support city centre businesses, we will do even more to connect and represent the business community across the next five years."
John Savage, chief executive of Visit West, said the BID had become one of the city’s "key organisations" in the delivery of services and initiatives to Bristol.
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"Without the BID, Bristol would be a very different place, he said. “The new five-year term is a great opportunity for the city, allowing the dedicated BID team to continue many of the services and projects now well established alongside new ones planned across the next five years."
James Woolam, chair of the Bristol City Centre board, said the renewal of the scheme for a second term was "hugely positive" for the future of the city - and would benefit businesses as they continued to navigate the road to recovery.
He added: “The BID team constantly looks for new ways to support their levy payers and I have been particularly impressed by projects over the last five years that have seen ‘look and feel’ improvements in the city centre, making it a more welcoming and encouraging visitors, as well as the continued outreach work with homelessness charities through TAP for Bristol. I look forward to seeing what the BID delivers across the next five years.”
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