‘We haven’t seen any benefit to the small traders’

One of those against the BID when it was first introduced was Debbie Barwick, who owns a vintage clothing shop in St Peter’s Street.

She was not convinced the extra cost to small, already hard-pressed shopkeepers would offer value for money.

It resulted in a court summons when she refused to pay the demand for the levy in one lump sum. The bosses eventually backed down and agreed to monthly instalments.

Almost four years later and her view has not changed.

“It’s a joke,” she said. “What we need is cheaper parking and more buses. If I have Sedat Ozdogan, of Westgate Dry Cleaners, and Debbie Barwick and Rose Neil from Elite Beauty

to pay extra for things like Christmas lights and extra street cleaning, it would be easier if it went straight to the council who could do it cheaper. I will certainly be campaigning against

another term.” Another original objector is Sedat Ozdogan, who runs Westgate Dry Cleaners. He remains adamant it’s a “waste of money”.

“I haven’t seen any benefit to the small traders and certainly nothing down here. They just seem to help the big boys. I’ll go to the annual meeting but can’t see me voting in favour of it.”

Rose Neil, who runs Elite Beauty, in Orange Street, also found herself summoned to court. She remains unconvinced the BID levy is value for money.

“I don’t see much evidence, except the Christmas lights. I can’t put my prices up to pay for it,” she said. “I worry that it is just creating jobs for the people who run it. But I will go to the meeting to see what they have to offer before deciding how I will vote.”