Worcester BID Yes Vote
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| CELEBRATING: From left, Professor Michael Clarke, Stuart Bailey, Ian Quartermaine, Georgia Smith, Adrian Field, Mike Linton, Erica Burlace and Nicki Williams |
Businesses in Worcester have voted in favour of paying for a new scheme which will give a £1.6 million boost to trade in the city centre.
Taxi marshals, new Christmas lights and parking payable by mobile phone are among a raft of projects which will be introduced next year after the Business Improvement District (BID) was given the go-ahead.
In a month-long secret ballot, 263 out of 613 eligible businesses voted – a 43 per cent turnout – with 71 per cent voting in favour of the scheme.
All projects will be funded by a levy of 1.5 per cent of each business’s rateable value each year. Charity shops will be given an 80 per cent discount. It means more than £1.6 million will now be spent on city centre projects over the next five years.
Chairman of the Steering Group and Director of Thomas Guise Solicitors, Stuart Bailey said : “This is a massive boost for Worcester city centre. In these tough times, it is great to see businesses realise that the BID is an opportunity to reduce overheads and make their money go that much further.”
“It will provide our businesses with an opportunity to compete with rival towns and cities in order to attract more custom and make the city centre a vibrant and attractive place to work, visit and shop.”