What is a BID?
Bristol BID is a business-led partnership investing in a safer, greener, cleaner and more vibrant city centre, giving local businesses a powerful collective voice and delivering high-impact projects that make Bristol better for everyone.
A Business Improvement District (BID) is a defined area in which business
rate payers vote to agree to pay a levy into a fund for a fixed period. This levy
is used to develop projects under themes laid out in a business plan which
will benefit businesses and the community in the local area over and above
those delivered by a local authority.
Our Story
We have been successfully operating BIDs in Bristol city centre for 20 years. Broadmead BID was voted in by businesses in 2005 and has since delivered multiple
projects and initiatives, helping to make it a better place to shop and work. In 2017, a
new Bristol City Centre BID was formed to complement Broadmead BID, covering a
large area from Queens Road and Park Street to the Old City and Harbourside, offering
wide ranging support to a broad mix of over 700 businesses across all sectors. Finally,
in 2021, the trio of BIDs was completed, when Redcliffe & Temple BID joined the
family, operating predominantly in the thriving commercial business district of the city.
The new Bristol BID will streamline operations, ensuring businesses get maximum
value from their contributions. This strategic unification will generate over £500,000 in savings across the next five years, including removing the need for multiple BID ballots and the associated resources expended, investing in just one BID brand and website, streamlining our digital presence and reducing overall administration costs. These savings mean we can reinvest in high-impact projects that enhance the BID areas’ public spaces, visitor experience and business support, while significantly reducing duplication of efforts.
Meet the Team
The BID objectives are delivered by an experienced and passionate team, each working on behalf of our business community. Success is achieved. through effective leadership and communication, strong project and event management, and impactful support for businesses.
We are a founder member of High Streets UK, members of three representative bodies for our industry; Association of Town Management, The BID Foundation and British BIDs, benefitting from the shared expertise that they provide through platforms, events and resources. The BID delivery team will ensure that the projects and commitments in the Bristol City Centre and Broadmead BID business plans continue to be delivered until the end of their respective terms.
The BID area
Operating across Bristol City Centre, an important part of our plan in uniting and growing the Bristol BID is to realise efficiencies and deliver economies of scale for everyone that pays a levy charge. By uniting, we are able to maximise our resources and deliver projects to a wider business community in the city centre.