Apply To Become NI’s First Business Improvement Districts

Areas throughout Northern Ireland can now apply to take part in a Business Improvement District (BID) pilot scheme

The consortium, appointed by the Department for Social Development to provide support and capacity building for the BID scheme, has now launched a process for areas to make expressions of interest in becoming a BID.

What is the BID scheme?

The Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) scheme allows traders and business owners across Northern Ireland to work with their local council to look at improvements their area may need. They then draw up a plan which is costed and put to a vote. If the vote is successful each business involved in the BID area will be required to pay a BID levy for the period of the plan, usually five years.

Read further details about the BID scheme on the Northern Ireland BIDs Academy website.

BIDs in the UK

There are around 140 BIDs in the UK in towns and cities of all sizes, from small towns with one BID such as Clarkston or Giffnock in Scotland, right up to cities like Birmingham or London, both of which boast a number of BIDs.

BIDs in Northern Ireland

Areas considering establishing a BID can now register their interest in becoming one of the pilots in Northern Ireland. These pilots will receive extensive support from experienced practitioners who have overseen the establishment of successful BIDs in many other towns and cities in the UK.

You can read full details of the BID scheme on the Northern Ireland BIDs Academy website. The closing date for applications is Friday 13 December 2013.

Additional further detail on UK BIDs can be found on the UK BIDs Advisory website.

Source: nibusinessinfo.co.uk