£750,000 to be ploughed into suburb after BID triumph
MORE than £750,000 of fresh investment into a Birmingham
suburb has been promised after a business improvement district won backing for a second term.
Companies have voted in favour of another five-year tenure for Harborne Village BID (business improvement district), with 60 per cent of returned ballots saying yes.
The BID said the vote result meant more than £750,000 worth of investment could be ploughed into the district which has around 23,000 residents and 260 businesses, a third of which are independent.
The second term will commence on January 1.
A business improvement district is a precisely defined geographic area in which companies pay an extra levy on
top of their business rates to fund additional services such as events and initiatives.
Among those funded during Harborne Village BID’s first term were the annual Christmas lights and a ‘Green Village Fete’ which aimed to shine a light on the businesses of the district as part of a post-pandemic recovery strategy.
The BID also employed a new street warden, provided an immediate graffiti removal service and launched a radio system enabling retailers and pubs to communicate with other on issues such as security and theft.
Chairman Matt Rose said: “We are delighted that our fellow businesses have decided to reinvest in Harborne Village by voting yes to another five years.
“This convincing result and turnout has shown what working together can achieve for our area and we look forward to continuing the legacy of the first BID term while also thinking of more ways to improve our village for businesses, residents and visitors to Harborne.”