Berkshire: It's a double anniversary for Reading BID

Reading BID was the first Business Improvement District (BID) to be established outside London in 2005. Now in its third incarnation (BID 2014-19), the BID is this month celebrating the first year of the current BID and its tenth year of investment in Reading town centre to support the local economy.

Since businesses voted to renew the BID for the third time in 2014, the BID has been working to deliver a six-tiered business plan aimed to deliver more business; more security; more support for the night-time economy; to make Reading town centre more attractive; more ambitious; and to help businesses get more connected.

Highlights of the programme in the first 12 months have included funding of over 9,000 man hours of extra PCSO presence and over 1,700 hours of additional manned CCTV operation in the town centre; 500 floral displays adorning the town centre May - October 2014; 35,000 sq m of paths and streets deep cleaned; free recycling collection of 150 tons of cardboard from over 100 businesses in the BID area; one of the biggest festive lighting schemes in the South East outside London; an exciting programme of street events; a weekend taxi marshal scheme; support for the First Stop Bus; and street pastors who offer medical and pastoral help to the public late at night in the town centre.

Graham Mountford, vice-chair of Reading BID, said: “When Reading town centre businesses voted to create a BID in 2005 little did they know the world’s worst recession was on its way. Neither did they realise that the BID would help steer Reading through those troubled times. Undoubtedly, Reading town centre has weathered the recession better than most and is now a more attractive, more secure and more successful place in which to work, trade, live and visit as a result of the BID.”

The BID has operated under a simple remit. BID businesses within the delineated area voted to put an amount of money into a shared pot that is then spent on jointly beneficial services decided by a representative BID committee. These services provide additional resources to those provided by Reading Borough Council and Thames Valley Police.

Bobby Lonergan, BID manager, said: “Reading businesses have recognised the value in a joined-up approach to managing and funding our town centre. Over the past 10 years, the BID has invested around £5 million in initiatives such as the town centre Christmas lights and increased security and we have exciting plans for the next four years, including new events, improving best practice in the night time economy and broadening the recycling schemes available to BID businesses.”

BID businesses will be able to hear more about the plans for the next four years at the BID AGM on May 14 or here.