BID Group boosts West End by giving a voice to city centre businesses
Traders, residents and visitors alike all reap the benefit, says Gail Niven
It’s autumn and post-festival, the locals of Edinburgh breathe a sigh of relief, roll up their sleeves and get on with their work. It’s a huge honour having the world’s biggest arts festival on our doorstep but, of course it’s just one of the attractions that makes Edinburgh such a phenomenally successful tourism destination.
However, as we stroll around the capital, it’s worth having a think about the businesses in the heart of the city that work together and strive to play their part in the local economy, contributing to its vibrancy.
Edinburgh’s West End is a real case in point. In 2015, business- es here grouped together as a Business Improvement District (BID) group. This was a reaction to the significant changes in the years prior to this. The lengthy tram works on Shandwick Place, financial crash of the late noughties and the recession that followed, resulted in a noticeable decline in footfall with several renowned businesses ceasing to trade in the area.
Other issues that have affected the West End over the years have included road works, traffic management, parking restrictions, waste management, cleanliness and a lack of investment and maintenance of properties.
Coming together as a BID group has given the businesses of the West End a voice and resources to meet such challenging trading conditions headon. This has resulted in real improvements and great feedback from traders, residents and visitors alike.
The West End BID group is funded by levy payers in the district, and comprises 155 local businesses ranging from five star hotels to hostels; beauticians and barbers to jeweler and independent fashion boutiques; bars and restaurants to dentists and nurseries.
It’s an incredibly diverse group of businesses but working together to deliver a clear business plan, the group’s activities have enhanced the area, developed real community
spirit and improved the visitor experience.
Activities have included a prosaic but really impactful clean of the area’s busiest streets. This deep clean has fostered pride in the area and is a fresh canvas on which to invest in further activity and make wandering the West End more pleasant.
In addition to the significant investmentmadeinthetwophasesofcleaning, the group has also paid grants to 13 local businesses, allowing them to refurbish and refresh their business frontages.
These improvement grants aim to encourage businesses to invest in their property, brightening the area and showing the West End is open for business for visitors and businesses alike.
The area’s traders are well aware of the importance of raising footfall in the area and the BID group has this summer worked with students from Edinburgh College of Art’s Sound Design course to create three sound walks. The walks can be downloaded free and take visitors on unique journeysaroundthearea,uncoveringhidden gems, history and even a mystery inspired by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
With the business plan and activities both practical and creative under way, the area looks set to benefit from a collaborative approach.
It’s only when businesses come together in this way that their voices are truly heard and real results are felt, not just by individual traders but by residents and visitors to the area. Gail Niven is chair of Edinburgh’s West End BID Group. http://www. edinburgh-westend.co.uk