About BIDs

A successful Falmouth BID could:

Increase sales for your business
Make Falmouth a more vibrant and attractive place to trade
Reduce your costs through collaborative marketing
Provide a more welcoming, cohesive and fun experience for visitors
Position Falmouth as the destination for a great day out
Deliver services or facilities that you want but that the statutory bodies are not obliged to provide
Give you greater involvement in Falmouth with a 'voice' and a stake in the BID programme
A BID scheme could bring more visitors to Falmouth in winter

What is a Business Improvement District (BID)?
BIDs is government legislation which gives local businesses the power to 'raise funds locally to be spent locally' on improving their trading environment.

BID schemes operate in defined geographical areas, often town centres. Businesses within the boundary are consulted on what improvements they would be prepared to pay for. A ballot is then held where businesses vote for or against the proposed programme.

For the BID to go ahead, two conditions must be met; firstly, a majority of those voting have to vote yes and secondly those 'yes' votes have to represent more than 50% of the total rateable value of all votes cast. If these conditions are fulfilled, payment of the levy becomes mandatory for all businesses regardless of how they voted.

So, a BID will only proceed if the majority of businesses want it. BIDs are viewed by many businesses as a fair and affordable way of creating a ring fenced fund for 5 years that is managed by business for business.

What could the BID deliver in Falmouth?
That's up to you. What do you feel are the priorities for Falmouth? Over the coming months, there will be plenty of opportunities for you to put forward your views.

Here's a few ideas to get you thinking:

co-ordination and promotion of conventions, festivals and other events for the town particularly during November to March
single 'welcome to Falmouth' website
tourist trails using the opeways and joining up all parts of Falmouth
signage and interpretation points at key gateways
new environmentally friendly Christmas lights
'green' transport such as rickshaws operating around the town, harbour and beaches
marketing campaigns
better accessibility to the water front
sponsored covered busking points
targeted promotion to cruise ship customers
new street furniture
more hanging baskets

Who's behind the Falmouth BID?
A private sector focused steering group of 25 people from all types of business and areas of Falmouth, have been meeting since October 2007 to explore the possibility of establishing a BID for Falmouth.

Carrick District Council and Falmouth Town Council are supporting the development of the BID through staff time and a budget to cover costs, like the production of this leaflet and the running of the ballot.

If the BID is successful, a new company with a board of directors will be set up to manage the agreed programme ensuring that it is delivered effectively, on time and within budget.

How much would I pay?
The BID fee is a percentage of the rateable value of your business premises. Although the percentage can be set higher, most BID schemes operate at 1% and exempt very small ratepayers. For Falmouth, it is proposed to apply a 1% levy and exempt those businesses under a rateable value of £5,000. Only those liable to pay the levy will be entitled to vote, just over 400 Falmouth businesses. A 1% levy, within the boundary shown, would raise £94,000 each year for 5 years. This levy income would be used to lever in more funding; for example from public sector agencies, grant bodies, sponsorship, landowners and trading income during the 5 year scheme, maximising the potential funding stream and the benefits that the BID can achieve.

79% of all businesses will pay less than £5 per week. 91% of all businesses will pay less than £10 per week.

How do I know it works?
There are now over 70 UK BID schemes and many more being developed. The Truro BID, the only one in Cornwall so far, started operating its 5 year scheme in October 2007. There is clear evidence that nationally, BIDs have been
successful leading to increased footfall, higher spending, more attractive, cleaner, safer and vibrant towns. Several of the early BID schemes have recently conducted re-ballots and started a second term.

What happens next?
The Falmouth BID will be business driven with an indicative timetable that looks like this:

Find out more about BIDs and tell us what you think
Survey to identify priorities - June 2008
Tell us how the money should be spent
Draft Proposal published - September 2008
Tell us if we are on the right track
Final Proposal published - November 2008
The BID programme in printready for your vote
Ballot - February 2009
You will have 28 days in whichto cast your vote

Please view the BID boundary map above right.
Those within the purple boundary are included in the BID

Are you on the map?
Yes? Then you are included in the BID boundary and we would like to talk to you
No? That doesn't mean you have to miss out. Businesses outside the boundary can also be involved.

Have your say - BID supporters
I am very supportive of any initiative which gets us all working together to make Falmouth even better and more successful in the future. The BID initiative looks to me like a great opportunity to help galvanise us forward.
Nigel Carpenter, St Michael's Hotel, Stracey Road

Understandably, some Falmouth traders will question the viability of making this additional contribution. However, with BIDs, businesses control how the additional revenue is spent ensuring that the approved projects attract more visitors to our shops, restaurants, bars, hotels and leisure businesses.
Ludvic Laskowski, Laskowski & Co, High Street

I am looking forward to what a Falmouth BID could achieve for the retail trade. By working together, we can unite the town from both ends creating a unique destination to shop, work, relax and enjoy
Jane Thomas, Just Like This, High Street

To find out more, click on the links on the right hand side of this page.