Businesses in Plymouth city centre have overwhelmingly voted to continue a Business Improvement District scheme for another five years despite the turmoil in the retail industry.
In fact, more businesses backed the Plymouth City Centre Business Improvement District (BID) than voted for it at the 2015 ballot.
The City Centre BID was one of the first BIDs in the 海角视频 when it was set up in 2005 and has now been voted in for a fourth term.
In the 2020 ballot, 84% of businesses in the Plymouth city centre BID area voted “yes” - up from 70% five years earlier.
The “yes” vote by rateable value was 78%. For the BID to be approved two tests had to be met: more than 50% of those who voted had to vote “yes” and they must represent more than 50% of the total rateable value of all votes cast.
The 2020 turnout was 54%, which was 13% higher than in 2015 and above the national average turnout for a BID election.
The BID business plan will now be put into action, and aims to fight back against the decline of bricks-and-mortar retail by turning the city centre into a community hub with new uses found for empty shops and a regular programme of outdoor events.
The Plymouth City Centre Company said the main shopping area, like many around the country now blighted by empty shops and closed businesses, must be reinvented as “the heart and soul of the community”.
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What is a BID?
A business improvement district (BID) is a defined area within which businesses are required to pay an additional tax, or levy, in order to fund projects within the district's boundaries.
The BID is often funded primarily through the levy but can also draw on other public and private funding streams. They can pay for such activities as cleaning streets, providing security, making capital improvements, construction of pedestrian and streetscape enhancements, and marketing the area.
The new five-year business plan also vows to find new uses for empty shops, or at least encourage landlords to have them done up, by force if necessary.
It pledges a commitment to work with Plymouth City Council and other partners to find new uses, including residential and leisure, for empty retail premises.
It also vows to maintain place management services such as cleaning and security and work closely with Destination Plymouth on events and marketing to boost the visitor economy.
Steve Hughes, chief executive of the Plymouth City Centre Company, which runs the BID, said: “This is a huge vote of confidence in the BID from the businesses we represent. We can’t wait to get started on our new vision and help the business community deal with the challenges ahead.
“It’s been a tough few years on the high street but we are well-placed in Plymouth to adapt with an improving leisure and tourism offer and a wide range of spectacular events giving people more reasons to visit.”
The new five-year term will begin on April 1, 2020, with more than £700,000 to spend on delivering projects and services in the city centre across the following themes: the Plymouth “welcome” (including safety and cleaning); events; marketing; business support and place making.
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Nigel Godefroy, chairman of the Plymouth City Centre Company, said: “This vote endorses all that we have achieved but there is much more to be done in a challenging climate.
“We now look forward to working with businesses and partners on our strategic vision to create a city centre of which we can all be justly proud.”
How to contact William Telford and Business Live
Business Live's South West Business Reporter is William Telford. William has more than a decade's experience reporting on the business scene in Plymouth and the South West. He is based in Plymouth but covers the entire region.
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Cllr Tudor Evans (Labour), Leader of Plymouth City Council, said: “I have championed Plymouth city centre my whole career, so I am delighted the BID has been voted back in for a fourth term.
“The BID provides a single-minded organisation dedicated to the city centre’s improvement and success. The council will now work tirelessly with the Plymouth City Centre Company to ensure the city has the future we all want.”
Andrew Scowcroft, managing director of Foot Solutions and City Centre Chiropody, said: “I am delighted the BID has been voted back in. We have directly benefited from the BID’s work but its main strength is in working with all businesses to create a great city centre for everyone.”
Ray Robins, from Robins Brothers jewellers and chairman of the Plymouth Market Traders Association, said: “The BID is essential for the independent traders in the West End. We were delighted with the BID’s work in creating a new brand and identity and we are pleased so many businesses in the West End voted yes to see this important work continue.”