Businesses balloted over changes to city’s BID zones

Sep 15 2008 by Tony McDonough, Liverpool Daily Post

BALLOT papers are being sent out to hundreds of Liverpool city centre businesses asking them to approve a new Business Improvement District (BID).

The current BID, which has been in operation for three years, includes more than 500 businesses in the retail heart of the city.

They pay a levy on their business rates to fund extra services from street cleaning to marketing.

Now there is a proposal to renew the bid for another five years and, for the first time, traders in the Bold Street area will be included.

Papers are being posted to eligible businesses today, and tall have until October 16 to respond.

BID is looking to continue providing enhanced environmental services, additional street cleaning, business crime reduction initiatives as well as marketing Liverpool city centre as a shopping and leisure destination.

The BID company is also holding an event tomorrow for businesses to attend and ask questions of the company’s management about how the organisation will benefit their business.

Rita Waters, BID’s chief executive, told the Daily Post: “It is more important than ever before that the BID continues to build and strengthen the enhanced services for business it has been offering for the last three years.

“The city is committed to the BID and the excellent value-for-money services it provides for its businesses.”