What we do

BIDs

We are a long-standing supporter of business improvement districts (BIDs). We believe that creating first class shopping areas, office districts and industrial estates requires a strategic approach to financing, co-operation and co-ordination between landlords, occupiers and the public sector.

Such an idea is not new. Many of the great London estates have carefully managed their environs for years and there has been a thriving town centre management (TCM) movement in the UK for several decades.

BIDs have a longer track record in other countries, such as the USA. They go beyond the voluntarism of TCMs, addressing the problem of free-riding on the back of others' contributions. BIDs also provide a more sustainable form of funding, which is subject to a vote amongst business ratepayers, and provide an excellent forum for strategic thinking and co-ordination of efforts.

We supported the introduction of BIDs in the UK through the Local Government Act 2003. However, the Act was flawed as it did not require landlords to contribute towards a BID, or give them a vote in approving it. As a result, landlords that do voluntarily contribute suffer the same free-rider problem that used to be experienced by occupiers.

In the 2009 Business Rate Supplements Act, the BPF with support from British BIDs, the GLA, the New West End Company, and London First, and Parliamentary backing from Rt Hon Nick Raynsford MP and Baroness Jo Valentine and Lord Jenkin, succeeded in persuading the government to amend the Bill to provide BIDs the option to levy property owners.

Regulations on the BID property owner levy are expected in late 2009 or early 2010.

For further information, please contact Kurt Mueller, public affairs manager, 0207 802 0128 or kmueller@bpf.org.uk.