BUSINESSES VOTE YES TO A £2.5M FUND FOR PRESTON CITY CENTRE
We’re at the start of an exciting time for Preston following a YES vote by city centre Businesses to elect the Business Improvement District for a third-term.
Businesses voted by a massive 78.4% (individual vote) and 92% ratable value vote for the organisation that has succeeded in delivering improvements to the city centre to continue for a further five-years.
Babs Murphy, the Chief Executive of the North & Western Lancashire Chamber of Commerce the accountable body for Preston BID said: “This result sends out a very clear message to businesses and investors that things are now starting to happen in our city.
‘This five year term represents a very real opportunity for businesses in Preston to invest together, to work together, and to influence together to deliver improvements that make a difference to the city centre.
‘Businesses told us that they wanted the Preston BID to deliver a range of activities that increases footfall, dwell time, and spend per head in the city centre. They also told us that they wanted the city centre to be a clean, welcoming, and safe place to be. We have delivered on that promise but there is much more to be done. This mandate gives us the opportunity to add to what has already been achieved.
‘It’s a testament to the business community that they once again supported a Business Improvement District have many of them have worked hard with the BID team to deliver real change in the City in the most challenging economic conditions’.
Chair of the Business Improvement District Committee, John Boydell said: ‘We are very pleased to have received support from the businesses we represent which will see the BID continue until at last 2022.
‘We have achieved much since the project first began, but we are acutely aware that there is still a lot to do. Businesses who contribute to the project can be assured that we will continue to support and promote them and the city centre’s business offer through all our work. We look forward to working very closely with them over next BID term’.
