Spring 2008

Over the past year the York City Centre Partnership has been canvassing business opinion and working with a wide range of City Centre partners to look at the viability of setting up a Business Improvement District or BID. BIDs have been successful in cities across the UK and rest of the world in forging close relationships between local businesses, councils and City Centre management and have meant local businesses having a significant say in what projects and services are developed. In York’s case, however, our extensive consultation has shown that, whilst there was much interest in the BID concept, this was not the right time to propose a York BID.

Many City Centre businesses felt that York is essentially a successful City Centre, which meant it was difficult to find a BID ‘headline’ project that would excite the business community. There was also the sense that the YCCP was still perceived as a ‘young’ organisation and needed more time to become established before running a York BID.

Finally, it was felt that the possible introduction of Supplementary Business Rates in 2010/11, (see National Business News article, page 3), would produce a conflict of interest for BIDs – naturally, businesses would not want to pay twice!

It is the role of the YCCP to be investigating possibilities such as the York BID on behalf of the City Centre business community and, although the project has not moved ahead, the consultations and partnership work that have taken place have been of enormous value. I’d like to personally thank all of the businesses who took time to respond with suggestions and views on this subject.

If you have any comments about this or other aspects of the YCCP’s work please contact me;


Carolyn Dunn, Chief Executive
Tel: 01904 552277
Email: carolyn.dunn@yccp.co.uk

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