The not-for-profit, which has the right to levy extra rates on businesses in return for extra services to boost the city centre, explained why businesses should ‘vote yes’ to retain York Bid when it comes to a vote this autumn.
And at its Annual General Meeting at Malmaison, the organisation also outlined its business plan for the next years, which has been published in a glossy 36-page report.
York BID business manager Chris Bush says the document is the vision created by the feedback of its business levy payers.
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Businesses in the city centre will face a postal ballot from September 25 to October 23, with the result known the day after. If approved, York BID can continue for a third five-year term until March 31 2031.
York BID, Chris told the AGM, has over ten years spent £7.6million on cleaning, safety, attractions and other initiatives, to promote and support city businesses, also gaining £1.5million of extra funding for them.
Urging a ‘yes vote’ he added this would “sustain vibrancy and profitability in the city centre.”
At the Wednesday AGM, executive chairman Andrew Lowson explained to the 120 or so businesspeople and other partners present that cleaning and safety initiatives were the ‘bedrock’ of the organisation.
Chris Bush at the AGM (Image: Darren Greenwood)
York BID launched its street rangers in 2016, as businesses wanted an added visible presence to that of the police. There were cleaning teams and volunteers also taking part on ‘rejuvenation days’ repainting and repairing street furniture like seating.
York BID was improving public safety through its Snickleways lighting project and by boosting the Christmas lighting, was winning national awards and boosting city centre footfall.
“That golden quarter is so important,” he said of Christmas.
York Bid had created extra seating on College Green, it works with Aesthetica on events, and obtains sales data to help current and future York businesses.
Andrew said: “We have been able to tempt people in with the good story we have about York.”
As a consequence, he told the AGM, 90 per cent of those responding to a BID survey said the organisation added value to the city. The cleanliness services, the street rangers and the winter lights were particularly popular.
York BID had delivered ’90-per cent’ of its earlier promises, but not initiatives like ‘last mile’ deliveries to city businesses using electric vehicles or e-bikes.
In the years to come, York BID aims to increase it ‘core programme’ of safety initiatives, improving the public realm, being a voice for business, working with partners and securing external funding.
However, the organisation has been ‘squeezed’ due to high inflation, forcing it to make ‘efficiency savings’ and ‘cuts’ to some services like street rangers.
Businesses agreeing to a higher rate of funding, Andrew explained, would “futureproof the BID”.
He concluded: “We think the BID is in a great place to continue to help the city to evolve.”
