Voting now open for Exeter BID

Voting has opened for the Exeter Business Improvement District (BID).

640 businesses from across Exeter City Centre are eligible to vote on the scheme, which if voted in will raise £2.4 million over the next five years.

As the vote opens, three businesses within the BID area have their say:

Graham Austin, Corporate Director for Devon & Cornwall at Barclays 

I think voting on the BID is vital if Exeter is to reach its potential. There is plenty of competition out there with other cities and towns raising their game and other competition coming in from online or other developments on the outskirts of Exeter and I think we need to be proactive investing in the city and make our own luck moving forward.
For my particular business, I firmly believe that for a bank to be successful the economy that it operates in needs to be successful and the BID can only make Exeter more successful.
It’s difficult to know what would fill the void if the BID wasn’t successful. I can see further cuts coming in general funding which could mean a downward spiral of services. I think that we need to be proactive. This can bring additional revenues over the BID period of £2.4 million which can be used to promote the city. I am not sure there is a plan B that will give the same impact to Exeter that the BID would.

Ed Moorman, Trugs the Florist, Exeter:

I think the BID is vital. I think it’s going to help invigorate the city at a time when money is financially stretched, improving the general aesthetics and vigour of Exeter as a trading retail site.
I see the BID as a mechanism that will allow the city’s businesses leaders to focus on improving certain areas and services and have a say in how the money is spent.
In the long term where you can build on particular projects and even generate additional monies for the BID fund as has happened in other cities, it’s just going to be a huge boost for all aspects of the city.

Helen Scholes, Marketing Manager for Stagecoach Southwest:

I think for Stagecoach we see ourselves as the glue that binds the whole city centre together. We actually have the ability to get people from A to B and any opportunity to help promote the city centre is an opportunity for us to grow our business and do so in partnership with businesses here. 
I think the BID business plan is extremely clear that we will only be looking at providing services that are not already provided by the local authority. I think in terms of business climate, we really do have to help ourselves and we cannot rely on local authorities to provide everything which they could do and I think it is right that we step up to the plate and actually actively contribute.
Unfortunately there is no plan B if the vote doesn’t go through. This is again why I see the BID as so important; this really is a crucial opportunity for us to drive the city centre forward.

With just a one month voting period businesses are encouraged to post their ballot paper as soon as possible.

For further information visit www.exeterbid.co.uk or email info@exeterbid.co.uk

Follow @Exeter_BID on Twitter.