The businesses of Ilkley voted overwhelmingly recently to join the growing ranks of towns and cities creating Business Improvement Districts (BIDs).
“This is fantastic news for Ilkley which now becomes the third Business Improvement District within Bradford district.”
Joanne Hyde, strategic director, Corporate Resources for Bradford Council
A total of 81 per cent of businesses who voted in the ballot which closed at the end of March voted yes.
Within the Bradford district, Ilkley BID joins Keighley and Bradford with a BID unit, which formed after a Yes vote last year. There are also BIDs in many other towns and cities in the region, including Skipton, Otley, Halifax, and Leeds.
The five-year term for Ilkley BID will unlock £130,000 worth of funding to be used to benefit all businesses in the town in accordance with the BID Business Plan, with the money collected from all eligible businesses in the town, who pay a levy towards the BID.
Helen Rhodes, Ilkley BID co-ordinator, explained why it was so important for Ilkley to set up its BID.
“Businesses in Ilkley are doing generally quite well; however we are very aware of the increased pressure, particularly on retail, and the amount of competition in the hospitality industry, and also just generally the rising costs of running a business in any sector.
“The Ilkley Bid is something that will be able to mitigate those influences, and that’s why it was important we promoted the set up of the BID in Ilkley.”
Joanne Hyde, strategic director, Corporate Resources for Bradford Council said: “This is fantastic news for Ilkley which now becomes the third Business Improvement District within Bradford district.
“I’d like to congratulate all the businesses involved in making this another BID success. Ilkley already has lots to offer businesses, residents and visitors alike, but the success of the BID can now help ensure it goes from strength to strength.
“It’s fantastic news for businesses because it means that they can spend the money on what they know will improve Ilkley and make it an ever more attractive place to visit.”
The chair of the Ilkley BID Development Board, Mark Heppinstall said: “The BID does now have the means to galvanise business in the town to work together for our general benefit. I’d like to thank everyone who has helped to put the proposal together and all those who have given the BID a fair hearing and support.”
Helen said the BID was now in the process of recruiting its board of directors, and until they were appointed, no firm decisions would be made about specific projects.
“We had have more than 70 projects suggested both from the development board and those consulted during development period, so we have lots of options out there to look at,” she said.
“But the key areas from the business plan involve marketing the town and businesses in it, being one voice for Ilkley, so representing Ilkley businesses with the district council and other parties, and keeping Ilkley as a clean and attractive place.
“We are starting from quite a high point with the last one, but we want to keep that high standard.
“We’ll also general cost-cutting and business support type initiatives.
There will be something from each element I’m sure in the first year, but the board will be making these decisions shortly.”
She said she felt the result gave a clear sign that it wasn’t just the large chains backing the BID, but smaller operations as well.
“The result in Ilkley was good, and we had a good turnout, but what I was particularly pleased about was that the large majority of those who voted were the smaller businesses, so it wasn’t a BID that was pushed through because all the chains and the banks voted in favour, it was very much a local vote that got this through in Ilkley,” she said.
Asked whether she thought the increasing number of BIDs in other nearby areas had played its part in the vote, she agreed it was likely.
“I think the fact that there are so many BIDs in other areas was certainly a point that helped to convince a lot of our business owners it this was a good idea, particularly with so many locally, like in our neighbouring towns of Otley and Skipton.
“I think the fact that other areas have seen the benefit and particularly that lots of them do renew was something that made our businesses understand that this really must be a good thing,” said Helen.
She said despite the strong positive vote, there would always be those who don’t see the benefit and who had voted no. The BID would aim to have something for every business, but it was down to individual businesses to decide whether they wanted to reap the benefits or not.
“With any initiative there will also be people who don’t see the benefit to them.
A lot of this will be down to those business owners to actually engage with the BID and see what opportunities there are for increased marketing opportunities and indeed for cost-cutting exercises,” she said.
“We are really conscious that we need to be able to appeal to everybody so there will be something that will be useful to all the businesses. If they choose not to engage that is a real shame and a loss for them, and hopefully the majority will see the benefit and get involved.”
The news was welcomed elsewhere, with Jonny Noble, manager of the Bradford BID, saying: “We’re delighted Ilkley businesses have voted yes to the BID. It shows businesses across the region are recognising how much a BID can help take a town or city forward.
“We’ve only been up and running in Bradford for a few months but I think we’re already doing some great work and starting to make a really positive impact, as our colleagues in Keighley have been doing for some time. We’re sure it won’t be long before similar results are seen in Ilkley.
“And with three BIDs now in the Bradford District, we have begun the process of setting up meetings to share ideas and best practice.”
Work done already by the Bradford BID includes plans for a new food and drink festival in the city this summer, a programme to remove unsightly chewing gum from pavements, and work to improve the appearance of shops left empty.
