Bath’s Business Improvement District (BID) is to put a new business plan in place to help the city recover from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic after receiving backing for another five-year term.
Based on four key strategic themes – a Welcoming City, a Smart City, a Connected City, and a Successful City – the plan aims to build on its success since it was formed 10 years ago.
Among the new initiatives will be seven-day-a-week security support for all businesses in the city, free staff training opportunities, a new independent business partnership, and a programme of campaigns, networking and social activities to build links between different sectors in the city.
The Bath BID is one of 328 across the UK and Ireland through which businesses in a specific area vote to pay a levy to fund a range of projects to help their businesses – and the surrounding area – be more successful.
In February Bath BID’s third ballot of businesses in the city eligible to vote resulted in 89% in favour of a further five-year term, on a 40% turnout. The BID covers an area stretching roughly from Walcot Street to Southgate and The Rec to the Royal Crescent.
It will now commence work on delivering the goals it set out in its new Business Plan, which builds on the success of schemes it has introduced in recent years such as the Rangers and volunteer Welcome Ambassadors.
Over the past year some 4,071 Ranger jobs were completed, up 28% on the previous year, while some 2,620 visitors were helped by Welcome Ambassadors.
In addition, Bath Gift Cards worth £41,000 were purchased and 33,698 sessions were viewed on the BID’s new Welcome to Bath website.
The BID also provides other direct business benefits including a trade waste discount, business intelligence and city promotion.
Bath BID chief executive Allison Herbert, pictured, said: “We are delighted to be moving into our third five-year term, having had such a positive mandate from the businesses of Bath.
“We are particularly pleased that despite the difficult circumstances, businesses have placed their trust in the BID to help secure a bright future for Bath.”
She said the challenges faced in the city centre were complex and the pace of the changes impacting the city had been accelerated by the pandemic.
“The Bath BID is well-placed to help deal with the challenges and support positive change, help tackle environmental issues, make the best of development opportunities, increase the profile of the city as a place to do business, and improve the quality of life for the people who use the place,” she added.
“Our key aim is to improve our area for the benefit of its users, making it more accessible to more of the communities surrounding Bath and to reflect the principles at the heart of place management – the process of making places better.”
