Should bridport be a business improvement district (BID)? The Bridport Chamber of Trade and Commerce is holding a public meeting to discuss the possibility of making a BID application for Bridport on Tuesday 13th October 2009 at 6pm at Balaclava House, South Street Bridport above A. G. Down Funeral Directors (please go through the archway and follow the signs.)
When a BID is set up in a particular area, the District Council takes a small extra Business Rate levy from all businesses in that area (except for very small businesses) and from the proceeds pays a grant to the BID committee to enable it to undertake projects for the benefit of the businesses in the BID area.
The guest speaker will be Alistair Chisholm, the President of the Dorchester Chamber of Trade and Dorchester Town Crier, who has been instrumental in pushing through the Dorchester BID. He tells us that BID funding has been used for the following:
Should Businesses Pay to Promote Bridport?
To promote the town using the web and producing "Welcome Packs" for local accommodation providers; has been used to offset advertising costs in "Resort" magazine, the "View from Dorchester" free weekly paper and the "Echo"; has contributed to the cost of providing and erecting cigarette butt bins outside appropriate businesses; has conducted deep cleaning of "grot-spots"; has negotiated with WDDC over the system of car parks and is about to announce an innovative pilot project; has provided subsidised training for retailers and other businesses in the BID area; has contributed to the weekly music and performance which takes place in South Street on Saturdays and has picked up the costs associated with providing Christmas lights.
The meeting will describe the process of creating a BID, how it would work, and how it might come to an end.
There must be a ballot of the local businesses by the District Council once the application has been made and for it to go ahead at least 50% of businesses must be in favour. It is therefore very important that businesses in Bridport know what it is all about and how they will be affected.
IF YOU PAY BUSINESS RATES YOU NEED TO COME TO THIS MEETING!
