Enniskillen BID to Boost Business

Communities Minister, Paul Givan MLA, has today welcomed news that businesses in Enniskillen have voted to establish a Business Improvement District (BID) in the town.

 

In an announcement made on Friday evening, businesses in Enniskillen have given the green light to the proposals and voted ‘YES’  to a BID that will give them a greater say in how their town is managed.

 

Welcoming the move, Minister Givan said: “Congratulations to all the businesses and stakeholders who have worked together with the local council to achieve this result which is very positive news.  By voting in favour of a BID, businesses will now help to deliver over £1.2m of additional investment, over the next five years, on projects led and managed by the business community within the Enniskillen BID area.  I congratulate everyone involved for their hard work in achieving this.”



Enniskillen BID is the last of six BID Pilots that have been receiving extensive capacity-building support and training through the NI BID Academy to vote yes to establishing a BID in their area.  The Academy, established and funded by the Department for Communities provided a structured training and support system for the BID Pilots to help them develop their proposals. 



Minister Givan added: “Through working with the Northern Ireland BIDs Academy, established and funded by my Department, Enniskillen BID and the other BID Pilots locations have received invaluable support from experienced practitioners who have overseen the establishment of successful BIDs in many other towns and cities in the UK.  I wish them all every success as they work to develop their areas.”

 

 

Notes to editors:

 

1. Through participation in the Department for Communities Northern Ireland BIDs Academy, the Enniskillen BID has been working with local businesses and other organisations to develop ideas for moving forward. These ideas were presented in a BID proposal which was given the green light by BID participants in a ballot which closed on Thursday, 13th October.

 

2. The pilot areas were: Ballymena, Belfast Cathedral Quarter, Belfast City Centre, Enniskillen, Newry, and Strabane.

 

3. A BID is developed, managed and paid for by the non domestic sector by means of a compulsory BID levy which the businesses within the proposed BID area or sector must vote in favour of before the BID can be established.

 

4. A BID is not a substitute for central or local government services but is a way additional funding can be raised. The businesses then decide how the additional funds are spent to strengthen their trading and market sector.

 

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