Businesses have agreed to fund a £1.8 million improvement plan in the heart of Brighton over the next five years.
They voted to renew the Business Improvement District (BID) – also known as Brilliant Brighton – which is made up of more than 500 firms.
In doing so they back the BID’s £1.8 million business plan. It will fund extra security in the evening, Christmas lights, the City Centre Ambassador service, and banners, bunting and hanging baskets to city centre streets from July to September.
Voting took place throughout most of March, with the result counted and verified by the independent Electoral Reform Services (ERS).
ERS found that 74 per cent of businesses supported continuing with the BID after the current set up expires at the end of June. Turnout was 39 per cent.
And 68 per cent of businesses by rateable value were also in favour of a new five-year term which will run until Wednesday 30 June 2021.
Companies trading from premises with the biggest rateable values will pay more under the new business plan which is intended to create a thriving, safe, clean and vibrant city centre.
BID manager Gavin Stewart said that there were additional benefits designed to support the 517 retailers, bars, cafés, restaurants and clubs in the city centre.
Mr Stewart said: “This is a great vote of confidence from the BID business community in Brighton city centre.
“For the last five years we have been working hard to deliver a range of projects that help support the trading environment for our businesses.
“In turn, we’ve proposed a new business plan that reduces the amount more than 50 per cent of the businesses in the area are asked to contribute, while simultaneously delivering more projects than we have in the past.
“We are all looking forward to the next five years in helping to create a vibrant city centre that everyone can enjoy.”
For more information on Brilliant Brighton visit www.brilliantbrighton.com.
To see Mr Stewart interviewed about the BID on The Vote on Latest TV, see below.
It is too bad that Hove traders voted against something similar. And then there will be moans about “why doesn’t somebody do something?”