Businesses vote to keep Paisley First for five more years

Businesses in Paisley town centre have voted to continue Paisley First for another five years.

The Business Improvement District (BID) was set up in January 2015 and under Scottish Government rules, had to ask its members to continue.

The ballot opened earlier this month with all businesses in the BID area – in this case, Paisley town centre – asked to have their say.

And the result was 199 votes for yes and 79 votes against the 2020-2025 business plan proposals.

Chair of Paisley First, Colette Cardosi, said: “The Paisley First team are busy working on all our projects planned for the festive season but the board has already approved plans to ensure the BID delivers even more value to the town and local businesses moving forward.

“Paisley First has delivered some fantastic projects in term one but there is so much more still to do.

“We are grateful to the local business community for putting their faith in the Paisley First board and team to deliver even more in the next five years.

“The Paisley First board and staff will be working harder than ever with, and on behalf of, our BID members to ensure Paisley is a great place to live, work and visit, a town centre we can all be proud of.”

A total of 278 votes were cast, and there were four spoilt ballot papers.

The rateable value of those who voted Yes was £6,014,450 compared to the £1,335,550 rateable value of those who voted No.

Turnout was 35.98 per cent, well above the 25 per cent needed.

Paisley First has been responsible for several summer Lego trails in the town as well as Paisley’s Winterfest, which runs throughout December. It has also worked with Renfrewshire Council for the Free for Three parking campaign and offered training courses for business owners in the town.

Looking ahead, it plans to continue looking at the issue of parking in the town centre, clean up derelict buildings, grow the Paisley First mural trail, bring more events to the town, engage with the local and international student community and launch the Paisley Town Centre Business Awards.

The new term will get underway on January 15, 2020, and run until January

2025.