Crewe Town Council is to progress feasibility work relating to considering if a Business Improvement District (BID) is a viable option for Crewe Town Centre. A BID is a means of focussing projects on an area that reflects the priorities of the businesses in that space. The town council is commissioning this work from Groundwork, a charity with significant past experience in BIDs and in particular BIDs in the Cheshire, Lancashire and Merseyside area.
BIDs often provide local enhancements in terms of events, information, activities and public realm improvements. They are funded by the businesses in that area and therefore would reflect the priorities of the businesses who work and provide services in the town centre.
Cllr Jamie Messent, Chair of Crewe Town Council’s Operations and Improvements Committee, commented, “the work they [Groundwork] have been commissioned to do is initial research to provide the necessary information to evidence if a BID is viable in Crewe Town Centre, which is not definite and the council has not made a decision on this and has no fixed view or plan – we want to find out if there is any value in considering a BID for Crewe or not.
“We are also working with the Chamber of Commerce at this early stage as a BID is very much a reflection of local businesses and we want to ensure that we stay closely connected to them through this process. It’s important that we remember that this is just the feasibility work as we don’t know if a BID is viable at this point and no decision has been made, but this is the right time to look in to all possibilities for the town centre, just prior the regeneration work coming forward. If a BID is viable for Crewe Town Centre, it will add significant value to the experience of residents and visitors to the town centre and will also be led by the businesses serving the town centre.”
Groundwork will be contacting town centre businesses, stakeholders and partners in the coming weeks as well as carrying out the statistical research required prior to drawing conclusions.
