A CAMPAIGN has been launched to give another five years’ backing to the partnerships working to improve trading in Bournemouth.

Bournemouth’s Town Centre Business Improvement District (BID) and Coastal BID are both going seeking a fresh mandate from traders in the town.

The Town Centre BID has been responsible for innovations such as the town ranger scheme and Christmas attractions of recent years. The Coastal BID has brought off-peak events and marketed the resort as a year-round destination.

BIDs are funded by a levy on local businesses, which is spent on the objectives laid down in a plan for their five-year terms.

Martin Davies, chairman of the Town Centre BID and a partner with Rawlins Davy Solicitors, urged traders to vote "yes" to a new five-year term.

“Although the business levy is calculated by rateable value and collected by the council, the BIDs aren’t council organisations. We are answerable only to the levy payers that contribute," he said.

“We’re not a council organisation and we’re not doing things that the council should be doing to avoid them doing it.”

He said the directors were unpaid for their work with the BIDs. “It’s a genuine labour of love on the part of all the directors of both BIDs,” he told a launch event at Beales.

Dr Julie Grail, an expert UK BIDs, listed many of the local BIDs’ successes, including engagement with businesses, improving the Christmas offering and creating a voice for the region.

“The regeneration of the town centre seems to be making a really good difference to the place,” she said.

“The strategic destination marketing that’s been done across the Coastral BID for the region is fabulous.

“This is really treading new ground. It really is at the forefront of the BIDs industry and to see these things go so strongly is fantastic.”

She said the BIDs combined strategic marketing with real improvements on the ground. “You can do so much more by working together than individually. We can make so much more out of the limited money we have,” she said.

Paul Clarke, chairman of the Coastal BID and cluster general manager for Hallmark Hotels, said: “The event was an excellent way to launch our ‘yes’ campaign. It was great to see so many businesses in attendance and ready to show their support. We have now laid down exciting plans to deliver more quality events, innovative marketing, and new business opportunities.’’

Ballot papers are being sent out to levy-paying businesses and must be returned by June 2.