Businesses Vote in Favour of a Renewed and Expanded BID!
Holborn, St Giles and Bloomsbury businesses vote to unite under five year regeneration plan.
The results of our ballot were announced today, giving the seal of approval to an ambitious renaissance plan to regenerate one of London’s most historic business districts. Businesses in Holborn, St Giles and Bloomsbury voted to back a proposal put forward by inholborn to redefine what has often been seen as merely a gateway between the West End and the City, as a business destination in its own right.
The announcement was duly made at Camden Town Hall by Richard Lefley, Elections Manager. Angela McKeever, the Head of Economic Development, attended the event, as well as Sandi Phillips, Senior Business Initiatives Manager and Jeremy Shapiro from Town Centre Management.
The voter turnout was 46%. 268 businesses voted in favour of a renewed and expanded Business Improvement District, representing 90% of the rateable value and 86% of the number of businesses that voted.
Having represented 370 businesses in Holborn since 2005, inholborn will now expand its member base to 560 as St Giles and Bloomsbury join the partnership. The newly formed, united district becomes the second largest BID in the UK.
Local issues and champion measures will include:
• the development of a vibrant retail quarter with extended shopping hours,
• improvements to the public realm and green spaces,
• traffic reduction in one of London’s most notorious bottlenecks,
• a series of green business solutions to make the area the most sustainable business district in Europe.
On April 1st 2010, inholborn’s new five year mandate begins. Within the first year of its term, the BID will roll-out the series of sustainable cost-saving business solutions across the area, dubbed Midtown by the local property and business community. Pilot schemes over the last 12 months suggest the initiative could save businesses £2 million during the first financial year, while contributing to reducing the district’s carbon footprint.
The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said:
"Inholborn has been delivering great changes to this historic part of London since 2005 and today's green light for St Giles and Bloomsbury to join the group opens the next successful chapter. I look forward to seeing this district go from strength to strength and secure a vibrant and prosperous future for the area".
