A Business Improvement District (BID) proposal for Billericay.

What is a BID?

Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) are run by local businesses for the benefit of local businesses, giving commercial operators the chance to influence improved outcomes and progress in the town.

Funded by a small levy contributed by businesses within a defined boundary, BIDs are decided via a ballot amongst participating businesses.

The National Landscape of BIDS

All town and city centres in the country are undergoing a period of substantial change following the disruption of the Covid pandemic and changes to the economy. Whether using centres for shopping, work, or leisure patterns of usage and local habits are changing. Elsewhere, many urban centres have created Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) and they tend to perform better than those without any such sustainable funding model.

There are now over 270 BIDs in the UK, the majority in town and city centres in England.  Close to Billericay, places such as Brentwood, Shenfield, Ingatestone, Chelmsford, Colchester, Southend-On-Sea and Romford have adopted the model and it is proven to be making a real difference.

Billericay is a lively town centre serving an immediate population of circa 31,000 people. It has a town council and is part of the area served by Basildon Borough Council. But, until now, it has not had a locally elected business voice.

Not only do BIDs provide a collective vehicle for commerce and develop strong working partnerships with public bodies, they are privately managed and provide a dedicated, ring-fenced budget spent only on the priorities for local businesses.

A BID can only be created through a ballot of the businesses who will be involved. If their agreement is given, no BID can last for longer than 5-years before it must seek extension through a further ballot. During each term, decisions are made by a private sector-led group, meaning that it is businesses in the area that always remain in control.

Why should Billericay have a BID?

Billericay is a lively town centre serving an immediate population of circa 31,000 people. It has a town council and is part of the area served by Basildon Borough Council. But, until now, it has not had a locally elected business voice.

Research and Consultation

On-street field research was conducted in 2 phases during 2023 and consisted of surveys and questionnairs with a response rate of more than 50% which helped to develop the initial BID themes. Two workshops followed in which the BID projects were further worked up.

Here’s what high street businesses identified as improvements for the future:

  • ›  Encourage more businesses to the town to support employment, economic and social goals for all

  • ›  Work with local council to implement parking promotions at key times which support businesses

  • ›  Business collaboration to bring improved economic outcomes for all

  • ›  Highlight cycling and walking routes to demonstrate accessibility

  • ›  New events and promotions to prompt visits from range of audiences and bring vibrancy to the High Street

  • ›  Increased variety of retail, leisure and service businesses

  • ›  Enhanced planting schemes to bring nature and colour to the space

  • ›  More markets through the year to drive footfall from the immediate community and encourage visits from wider population

  • ›  Improve aesthetics of unoccupied units

Kick starting 5-years of improvement

If successful at ballot the BID will endeavour to deliver upon the following:

B FOR ‘BILLERICAY’

Focus on the diversity of businesses in the area

Promoting the area

Website and social media to showcase the area

Staff loyalty schemes to encourage ‘shop local’ 

A FOR ‘ACTIVITY’

Community events

Promotions

Family focused activities

Street markets

N FOR ‘NAVIGATION’

Parking, and transport promotions

Mapping and signage

Green travel options

Promote walking and cycling routes

G FOR ‘GROWTH’

Covering vacant units, creating pop-up/small businesses opportunities etc

Improving the trading environment through cleaning, greening and streetscape improvements

Business networking, promote business collaboration and winning new businesses

400 plus business premises

£130,000 potential BID fund

Billericay BID Area

£680,000 raised over 5 years

£7,000,000 rateable value

BILLERICAY TIMELINE

Consultation Phase

August 2023

Workshops

October 2023

Business Plan Launch

9th September 2024

Q&A Session

1st October 2024

Notice of Ballot

24th September 2024

First Day of Ballot

11th October 2024

Final Day of Ballot

7th November 2024

Declaration of Result

8th November 2024

BIDS IN PROXIMITY

SOUTHEND BID

Now in its third term, Southend BID generates approximately £380k per year through its levy. Every year, the BID delivers large community events that attract over 150k visitors, employs Street Rangers who assist over 6k visitors and help reduce shoplifting by £30k, supports an employee discounted travel scheme and hosts over 45 business networking and training events.

BRENTWOOD CONNECTED

A very new BID Brentwood Connected has an annual levy of £400k and is the first BID to be spread across three distinct high streets, Brentwood, Shenfield and Ingatestone via three separate boundaries. The BID supports initiatives such as events and festivals, marketing and promotions that increase dwell time and attract new visitors as well as providing grants of up to £2,500.

COLCHESTER BID

Set up in 2018, the Colchester BID generates a BID levy over £450k per year. The BID runs a successful series of Christmas events that are promoted regionally on ITV, has introduced shop front grants and has doubled BID income through external funding to reinvest in city centre improvements.

SAFFRON WALDEN BID

Now in its third term, the BID includes over 250 businesses and works to encourage engagement, improve the trading environment, and encourage more people to visit and stay longer.

THE TOWN TEAM

The Town Team are a group of local volunteers. Having driven the development of the BID proposals to date, will operate as a shadow board (new members are welcome) if the ballot is successful:

  • RICHARD WILLIS (CHAIR)

    Co-Founder, Attract & Engage.

    Marketing & PR Agency

  • JIM BREWIN

    Partner & Branch Manager, Waitrose

  • KAREN BROOKS

    Director, Key Lime PR & Marketing

  • MARC SANSOM

    Managing Director, SALUS Global Knowledge Exchange

  • CLAIRE BRADLEY

    Partner, Paul Robinson Solicitors LLP

  • JESSICA ROCHE

    Branch Manager, Beresfords Group

  • ZOE PRIOR

    Red Lion

  • RICHARD BUSBY

    Partner, Fisher Jones Greenwood

  • CLLR JIM DEVLIN

    Vice Chairman, Billericay Town Council

  • CLLR ANTHONY HEDLEY

    Basildon Borough Council and Essex County Council

  • CLLR JESSICA POWER

    Councillor and Cabinet Member for Jobs, Skills and Local Economy

  • JIM SIMS

    Head of Economic Development, Basildon Borough Council

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