Bold Street retailers ready to join BID

Jul 30 2008 by Alistair Houghton, Liverpool Daily Post

INDEPENDENT retailers on Bold Street will be included in Liverpool’s city centre Business Improvement District (BID) if the scheme is approved in an October referendum.

The scheme, which already has 500 members, sees retailers pay a levy on their business rates to fund extra services from street cleaning to marketing.

BID staff canvassed traders in Bold Street, known for its independent retailers and nightlife, to see if they wanted to become part of the BID.

BID chief executive Rita Waters says the reaction from traders was positive – so the street now forms part of her new five-year business plan which goes before Liverpool City Council’s executive board tomorrow.

If the plan is given the green light, it will be put to traders in a ballot on October 16.

BID also wants stores in the city to extend their opening hours to compete with Liverpool One and take advantage of the thousands of people still in the city centre after 5.30pm.

Ms Waters said: “We’re really happy to include Bold Street in our plans for the next five years.

“After extensive consultation with traders, we received a lot of positive feedback.

“Bold Street offers a characteristic and different atmosphere which is unique in Liverpool’s retail and leisure offer. BID will be able to strengthen Bold Street’s unique brand and reputation by giving the businesses the benefit of our collective marketing and promotional experience.

“The city centre will benefit by ensuring cleaner, safer streets over a larger area, making the city centre a welcoming attraction from all directions.”

Dick Mawdsley, co-owner of the two Utility furniture and gift stores in Bold Street, said: “It’s good news as far as we’re concerned. Most people think it’s a good thing.

“The big thing is enhanced cleaning to improve the look of the area. There’s a cleaning SWAT team that will go to clean things if there’s a mess, in line with what Liverpool One has.

“The whole BID process has been good because it’s got everybody in Bold Street to start talking to each other and see what we can do as one. It’s given us a bigger voice. .”

Bold Street traders have also formed their own traders’ association to promote the area as an alternative shopping destination and to organise cultural events to attract more visitors.

Mandy Vere of independent bookshop News from Nowhere said she was sceptical about the BID – but said she was confident that the new association would give the street a much-needed boost.

She said: “It remains to be seen whether the BID is going to be useful for us.

“Bold Street is about more than just trading. It’s a vital cultural part of the city.

‘‘If you want to improve the culture of Bold Street, or the publicity about the culture on Bold Street, then I don’t think the BID is going to be what will do it.

“Bold Street is about the multicultural life of Liverpool. It’s always been the way into the city from the south end, and Toxteth.

“Bold Street will survive whatever Liverpool One does. It’s interesting, quirky and vital.”

All stores in Liverpool One are open until 8pm from Monday to Friday and 7pm on Saturday.

BID hopes it can help shops in other parts of the city centre to stay open later so they do not miss out.

Ms Waters said some shops might even want to open earlier to catch shoppers on their way into work. She said consultation with retailers was ongoing and said any change would happen gradually to give store managers time to prepare and adjust.

She said: “It’s not a quick fix. It’s not something that will happen overnight, because there’s concerns some retailers will have to employ more staff, there are health and safety regulations to be taken into account, and we would need to see whether shops would be able to make a return on the investment.”

alistairhoughton