INDIE BUSINESS
Bath BID’ s support for the Indies
CAMPAIGN FOR BATH INDIES PAYS OFF
By Ben Howlett, Conservative MP for Bath
I am pleased the Government has listened to calls from myself and others to support small Bath businesses in the Spring Budget. The Chancellor announced measures including £ 3.6 billion in transitional relief to support businesses during the business rate revaluation. I wrote a letter to the Chancellor ahead of the Budget to urge him to look at Bath as a special case due to the vital contribution independent shops give to the city.
Louise Prynne, Chair of Bath Business Improvement District( BID) says it’ s vital to support independents.
As retail guru Mary Portas recently said, the secret of retail is to create a destination in order to generate footfall. It’ s all about the‘ why’ as opposed to the‘ what’. This is particularly true for Bath and is the reason the city is such a respected and successful retail destination.
While we have a healthy community of nationally recognised stores and brands, Bath would not be the destination it is if it weren’ t for the community of independents that give the city’ s retail landscape character and all-important variety. Quite simply, Bath avoids the pitfalls of becoming a‘ clone town’ because of its independent retailers, so it is vital for the ongoing success of the city that we continue to appreciate and support our independents.
The Bath Business Improvement District( BID) is acutely aware of the role independents play in ensuring Bath remains a distinctive shopping destination. While many independent businesses in Bath fall below the threshold whereby they are obliged to pay the BID levy, we still ensure we have a focus on activity that supports all independents, such is their value to the overall picture and our larger levy paying businesses.
We regularly hold meetings with BID Board directors who represent the city’ s small business to discuss how BID activity can support this sector.
Within our levy paying community some 33 %( 209 of 647) are independent businesses generating 17 % of our income. Of these, 86 are retailers, 70 are leisure outlets, and 50 are office, professional and creative services. So within the BID independents represent a significant presence and an asset.
To support these the BID works closely with B & NES Council and commercial landlords in the city to benchmark Bath against comparator locations. The BID also works to support focused promotions to drive footfall throughout the city and lobbies for enhanced and affordable transportation in and out of Bath. Businesses whose rateable value is below the £ 25,000 levy threshold have the opportunity to join the BID as voluntary levy payers and take advantage of the BID’ s services, especially it’ s award winning trade waste scheme, as well as the free BID Ranger cleansing, fast response and handyman services.
The BID is committed to supporting all BID businesses large and small, including our community of independents to ensure Bath continues to thrive and be enriched by the individuality of their offer.
Alongside the £ 3.6 billion transitional relief, there will be a £ 435 million package meaning that businesses coming out of Small Business Relief will have their increases capped at £ 50 per month in 2017-18. Local Authorities will also receive a further £ 300 million to target individual hard cases in the area. I hope the transitional arrangements will make the changes easier for Bath businesses. I will be sitting down with the Council to encourage them to use the funding to help those businesses in Bath that need extra help with the transition.
In other positive news for Bath businesses, in early March I welcomed a variety of Bath food and drink producers to Parliament to show off their wares in a‘ Taste of Bath’ event. It was a great success with people in Parliament enjoying Bath products which included pistachios, chocolate, local cheese, tea and wine. We were joined by fellow Somerset MP Jacob Rees Mogg, as well as the Secretary of State for Environment Food and Rural Affairs.
This was a great opportunity to show off what Bath & North East Somerset has to offer for those who want to support British produce as well as encouraging everyone to take a trip to the region. The area is a fantastic place to visit, with the unique spa town as well as an excellent independent business
From left to right: Ben Howlett MP, Andrea Leadsom, Secretary of State for Environment Food and Rural Affairs, Jo Johnson, Minister for Universities and Helen Rich, Taste of Bath
sector. I know the Secretary of State for Environment Food and Rural Affairs was very impressed with the wide variety of independent businesses in Bath & North East Somerset. For more info: www. benhowlett. co. uk
01225 311422 @ ben4bath
For more info: www. bathbid. co. uk
From left to right: Jane Hope-Johnstone, Pistachio Provenance, Richard Graham MP, Jess, Bath Cheese, Jacob Rees Mogg MO, Teahuggers and Ben Howlett MP
24 THE BUSINESS EXCHANGE 2017