Subscribe to trusted local news
In a time of both misinformation and too much information, quality journalism is more crucial than ever. By subscribing, you can help us get the story right.
- Subscription costs less than £1 a week with an annual plan.
Already a subscriber? Log in here.
12
Oct 2021
'Lack of engagement' saw Knaresborough BID fail, say businesses
A “lack of engagement” and “vague plans” led to a proposed Knaresborough Business Improvement District being rejected, say businesses.
Local traders voted down the plan this week by 80 votes to 73, with 153 votes cast overall.
BIDs, which already exist in many towns and cities, including Harrogate and Ripon, aim to improve footfall in towns and cities.
Businesses in areas that vote for creating them have to pay a levy to fund their activities.
But traders in Knaresborough said they felt the plans for the town were unclear.
Read more:
- Council backs Knaresborough BID plan with 28 votes
- Knaresborough firms raise concerns about proposed new BID
- Knaresborough businesses vote against setting up a BID
Annie Wilkinson-Gill, who owns The Crystal Buddha, said the organisation could have been good for the town had the BID task group engaged more.
She said:
'The town will continue to flourish'
Ashleigh Lambert, who owns Cenheard at Conyngham Hall in the town, said:
The Stray Ferret contacted Bill Taylor, secretary and treasurer of Knaresborough Chamber of Trade and Commerce and a member of the BID task group for a response to the ballot but he declined to comment.
More than 300 firms were eligible to take part in the vote, which started in September and ran until October 8.
For the BID to succeed, a simple majority of those who vote, representing more than half the total rateable value of all properties, must be in favour.
But although Harrogate Borough Council threw its 28-strong block vote behind the scheme, it was unable to muster enough support.
0