Leicester’s Business Improvement District, BID Leicester, is delighted to launch a new business plan, which outlines an ambitious vision for Leicester’s city centre over the next five years.
Created after extensive consultation with more than 350 city centre businesses, the document sets out how the BID will address the priorities and key issues of these businesses, in order to help grow trade and the local economy.
The plan outlines details of themes and objectives that city-centre businesses saw as their most important issues to address, including raising Leicester’s profile through events and marketing, creating a cleaner, safer environment, and providing a strong business voice. The plan also includes a focus on greening and sustainability, as well as the new addition of The University of Leicester as a voluntary member, which will help to increase connectivity and opportunity for the city as a whole.
The plan includes projects and initiatives which will continue to raise the profile of Leicester as a vibrant cultural destination, including a new programme of high-profile events, building on the success of other BID sponsored activities such as Light Up Leicester, Bring The Paint and BrewBeat, which had taken place in the first BID term since 2018. Marketing campaigns will also help to raise the profile of the city, including the promotion of independent businesses and sector-specific support, such as showcasing the diversity of Leicester’s vibrant evening and the night-time economy.
Other initiatives will build upon the positive momentum achieved by the BID over the last five years to make the streets safer and cleaner, including a bespoke range of services such as additional street washing, chewing gum removal, St. Johns Ambulance medical provision on key nights throughout the year, and the uniformed street presence of BID Street Ambassadors.
The BID’s new plan also includes a renewed commitment to providing Leicester’s city centre businesses with a strong business voice, through regular press and media appearances and positive PR opportunities.
Formed after consultation and a ballot, in which businesses vote on the business plan, a BID is a business-led, business-funded body which is created in order to deliver improvements through additional services to a defined area. There are circa 330 UK BIDs, and every major city in the UK has a BID.
The BID Leicester ballot will be held between 10 June to 7 July, which will determine the continuation of BID Leicester for a second term. At the first ballot in 2017, 85% of businesses voted ‘Yes’ in support of BID Leicester. Securing another ‘yes’ vote at the BID Leicester ballot in July would guarantee a £4.5 budget for Leicester over the five year term, through a partnership of over 580 businesses.
