About BIDs

What is a BID?

A Business Improvement District (BID) is a defined geographical area which the local businesses have voted to invest collectively and work together with the wider community to improve. A BID organisation is then established to administer and achieve this, answering to a Board of local business people.

BIDs provide additional or improved services as identified and requested by local businesses which is funded by an annual levy on local businesses. Services are specific to the needs of the area and range from public realm improvements, extra safety and cleaning or environmental measures, to area promotion, member benefits and services.

Our Ballot & BID Term

Every five years a Business Improvement District is legally required to ask its members to vote again so that its services and projects can continue and future priorities identified. For a BID ballot to be successful, it must be won on two counts:

• A straight majority of the number of those voting
• By a majority in the rateable value of those voting

Our mandate was renewed for the second time in November 2022, with an 80% turnout and 99% approval of businesses by both number and value. Our next ballot will be held in October-November 2027.

Full BID levy rules

The formation of a BID is enabled by Government legislation and regulation.

You can view a full version of our BID levy rules here.  This includes how the BID levy is calculated.

If you have any questions please do get in touch. You can view all of our organisational documents including our annual reports, business plans and annual invoice leaflets on our What We Do page.