Brilliant Brighton, the city centre Business Improvement District, has invested over £2 million in projects over the past five years to help make Brighton a great place to work, visit and live in.
Next March, the 517 business that make up the BID members will be asked to vote on whether they want to continue to invest in the city centre for another five years.
That might sound like a long way off, but we are already consulting with the retail and leisure sector to get their views on what sort of projects they want to see on the streets in the future.
The rule book has been thrown out of the window and businesses are being asked for their big ideas.
We’ll know by December what sorts of projects you might be seeing on the city streets come next summer.
Covid-19 and the impact of Brexit will of course play a big role in whether businesses are feeling robust enough to dig deep and support the city centre.
It’s no secret that retail vacancy rates have nudged up and, with the furlough scheme coming to an end, many businesses are struggling.
That’s why it’s so important for city centre businesses to get involved with the consultation process and take control over how the city will be managed over the coming years.
For the first time, we also want to hear from the professional services in the city centre.
Those office-based businesses that are also great champions for Brighton and Hove but don’t usually get an opportunity to have a say in how the city is run.
The Brilliant Brighton team will be out on the streets, talking to businesses during October and November.
If you are a Brighton city centre business and are interested in the Brilliant Brighton BID, please get in touch with us at info@brightonbid.com.
Gavin Stewart is the chief executive of Brilliant Brighton Business Improvement District.
