This document discusses Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) in Scotland. It provides background on BIDs, noting that the model originated in Canada 50 years ago and has since been implemented in over 1700 locations worldwide, including nearly 200 in the UK. It outlines the benefits of BIDs for businesses, such as collective working, investment, cost reductions, and having a voice. It also discusses the work of specific BIDs in Scotland, such as marketing initiatives, environmental projects, and efforts to support local communities. The document emphasizes that BIDs help deliver on government objectives by contributing to economic growth and priorities around safety, sustainability, and fairness.

2. Councillor Peter Argyle
Aberdeenshire Council

3. Gordon Bell
The Retailer

5. Colin Munro
miconex

6. Ian Davison Porter
Buisness Improvement
Districts Scotland

8. Business Improvement Districts Scotland
A 50 year history of BIDs, originally started in Canada.
Model successfully transferred and implemented across
the world with some 1700 now in operation.
Nearly 200 BIDs now in the UK.

9. Business Improvement Districts Scotland
A Distinctive Scottish Model
The use of BIDs should not be restricted to large towns/cities so as
to allow for innovative schemes to be developed where possible.
A BID could also focus on a particular sector or theme rather than a
district, for example;
 tourism
 agriculture
 rural areas
 single business sector
 a theme
‘Scottish approach seen to be innovative and good practice’

10. Business Improvement Districts Scotland
TOWN CENTRE - 38
TOURISM AND VISITOR - 1
BUSINESS PARKS - 5
THEMED EVENING ECONOMY - 1
RURAL - 1
PROMOTIONAL - 2
BIDs Scotland – punching well above its weight.
30 OPERATIONAL AND 18 IN DEVELOPMENT

11. Business Improvement Districts Scotland
Renewal Ballots
 Falkirk Delivers
 Essential Edinburgh
 Inverness City BID
 Enterprising Bathgate
 Clacksfirst Limited
 Alloa
 Dunfermline
 Kirkcaldy
BUSINESSES VALUE THE IMPACT AND DIFFERENCE THAT A BID CAN
BRING TO AN AREA

12. Business Improvement Districts Scotland
Myths and Misinformation
 An additional charge to the Non Domestic Rate
 An additional source of funding for the local authority
 A % of the Non Domestic Rate
 Its going to cost a lot of money
 It’s a con

13. Business Improvement Districts Scotland

14.  Key Partner
 Best Friend
 Main stakeholder involved
throughout the development
and operation of the BID
Business Improvement Districts Scotland
The Local Authority

15. Business Improvement Districts Scotland
THE BENEFITS OF A
BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT
 COLLECTIVE WORKING AND INVESTMENT
 SHARING RISKS AND PLATFORMS FOR GROWTH
 REDUCE COSTS
 A VOICE FOR BUSINESSES
 INFLUENCE AND DIRECTION OF TOWN
DEVELOPMENT
 IMPROVEMENT AND COMPETITIVE EDGE
 ON SITE MANAGEMENT
 A STRONG LOCAL PARTNERSHIP

16. Business Improvement Districts Scotland
Strong Local Partnership
By working together the businesses and local authorities
can provide a clarity of vision, leadership and strategic
focus for an area, encouraging private and public sector
investment.
A reduction of risk.

17. Business Improvement Districts Scotland
BIDs deliver on,
 Single Outcome Agreements and
 Scottish Governments National Objectives.
Contributing to - Sustainable Economic Growth

18. Business Improvement Districts Scotland
More Opportunities for
Business Improvement Districts
The Scottish Governments Town Centres Action Plan
The Community Empowerment Bill

19. Business Improvement Districts Scotland
The Leverage
 Over £17 Million of Private Sector
Investment
 Additional Levered Income of over
£16 Million
 A Total Investment of over £34 Million

20. Business Improvement Districts Scotland
The Leverage
Queensferry Ambition Levy £12,500
Leverage £256,000

21. Business Improvement Districts Scotland
The Leverage
Enterprising Bathgate and West Lothian
Council property improvement project
jointly funded to £132k.
Levered in over £1.3m of private sector
investment.

22. Business Improvement Districts Scotland
A Better Place to Do Business
BIDs Scotland is working with a number of organisations to
develop a National Procurement Framework and with the
BIDs to encourage collective working across the country,
Savings on Utilities

23. Business Improvement Districts Scotland
Objective – A Safer and Stronger Scotland
 Dunfermline Delivers in partnership with Fife
Council and other local organisations has
delivered a Safe Zone including Pub
Watch, Taxi Marshalls and Street
Ambassadors.
 A 60% reduction in anti-social behaviour
and criminal activities in Dunfermline town
centre
Preventative Spending

24. Business Improvement Districts Scotland
Objective – A Greener Scotland
 Essential Edinburgh has delivered a waste
reduction programme that has generated £205k of
cost savings for 170 BID area businesses.
 A further eight BID Companies are working with
Zero Waste Scotland to reduce waste generated
by businesses and improve local recycling.
 Contributing to Scotland’s Zero Waste Strategy and
the Scottish Government's Climate Change Agenda
by reducing CO2 emissions.

25. Business Improvement Districts Scotland
Objective – A Wealthier and Fairer Scotland
Creating employment and working with the local
community is a consistent theme of the work of
BIDs in Scotland with,
 Enterprising Bathgate
 Embrace Elgin and
 Queensferry Ambition
being particularly active in the employment
agenda, working with their local communities and
their schools estate.

26. Business Improvement Districts Scotland
Enterprising Bathgate
A partnership project with,
 Bathgate Thistle Community Football Club
 West Lothian Council
 Active Schools
 Balbardie and St Mary’s Primary School
Plan is to develop an initiative that will encourage pupils to
take part in after school activities involving the football club.
CSR – Health – Working in the Community

27. Business Improvement Districts Scotland
Objective – Wealthier and Fairer, Greener and Safe and
Stronger Scotland
SPICE (Strategic Partnership for Investment in the
City of Elgin).
SPICE is a partnership of Elgin BID (Lead), Police
Scotland, Moray Council, Elgin Community
Council, Elgin Academy, Elgin Benevolent Trust,
the Elgin Fund, Moray College, Area Forums and
Community Warden

28. Business Improvement Districts Scotland
Objective - Healthier
I Clarkston
Developed out of a Health and Open
Space and Smarter Choices Smarter
Places Projects.
Linking a package of measures to the key
objective of,
‘Promoting a Healthy Lifestyle’.

29. Business Improvement Districts Scotland
Width of Projects
Heritage Trail, Litter and Gum Reduction, Taxi Code of
Conduct, Anti Social Behaviour Reduction, Retail Crime
and Pub Partnership, Best Bar None, Youth Drink Aware
Project, Dealing with Conflict, Employment and Work
Agenda, Education and Schools Projects. Digital
Connectivity.

30. Legislation and Good Practice

31. Legislation and Good Practice

32. Business Improvement Districts Scotland
Helping to Build Stronger
Communities across Scotland

33. Business Improvement Districts Scotland
Ian Davison Porter
Director
Business Improvement Districts Scotland
8 Melville Street
Edinburgh
EH3 7NS
Mobile 0780 106 4733
email ian.davisonporter@bids-scotland.co
Website www.bids-scotland.com
LinkedIn BIDs Scotland

34. Gill Neill
Embrace Elgin

35. Gill Neill
Manager – City of Elgin BID
Ltd

36. City of Elgin BID Ltd
 Began in February 2010, following a successful first ballot
 Went through the Renewal Ballot process in Autumn 2014
 Gained approval from the BID members in December 2014,
to undertake a second five year delivery term
36

37. What we wanted to achieve
 A strong and well marketed reputation as a destination with a joined up
and diverse retail and tourism offer, reflecting the strengths, heritage and
diversity of the area;
 A well maintained and attractive appearance with accessible and
affordable parking, well managed traffic and clear signage for all;
 A diverse programme of cultural, community events and markets, well
publicised and making optimum use of new technology
37

38. What we have achieved
A selection of the initiatives we have implemented include:-
 Shop Frontage Improvement Scheme
 Reduction in Car Parking Charges (£1 for 2 Hours)
 Shrubbery Removal from Rooftops
 Visitor Information Points within City Centre Businesses
 Online Retail Crime and Pub Partnership – free to BID members
 Staff Training & Business Development Opportunities
 Increased funding for the City e.g. Conservation Area project (below)
 Greater & more productive collaboration
 Castle to Cathedral to Cashmere Heritage Trail
 Conservation Area Regeneration Scheme
38

39. BID Business Plan 2015 - 2020
The new Business Plan was developed following consultation with
businesses, shoppers, young people and stakeholders including The
Moray Council.
The plan outlines:-
 The Key Themes which will form the basis of the next 5 years work
 A summary of the consultation process and outcomes
 How the funding will be used
 Management and operation
 How the renewal ballot works
39

40. What the businesses said they
wanted from the Phase 2 business
plan:-
The priority order given to “themed activities” which are
incorporated within the business plan:-
(1 being highest – 6 being lowest)
1. Building a reputation & marketing Elgin as a vibrant
destination
2. Tourism & entertainment
3. Cleanliness, safety and appearance
4. Community Involvement
5. Parking and traffic issues
6. Business Engagement
40

41. Monitoring Performance
 Elgin BID currently use Working Groups to drive forward project
activity from the Business Plan
 Marketing Group & Environmental Group
 We will use the Annual Report to ensure transparency, good
governance and provide annual updates for our business
members
 The Annual Report provides an update on each of the Themes
and Projects within the Business Plan
 In addition we use electronic business bulletins to provide
ongoing updates
 In 2015 we will be introducing “focused” business meetings as
an additional support tool for our members

42. Marketing Group Activities:–
The examples below provide an illustration of some of the activities carried
out:-
 Festival of Events, including Easter, Christmas, Food & Drink, Scottish
Theme Day
 Business Features & City Promotion in regional press
 Heritage Experience – Castle to Cathedral to Cashmere
 WorldHost Customer Service Training - Regional Destination Status
 Business Maps, Food and Drink Maps
 South Street the Wedding Street – business collaboration
 Healthy High Streets Project – one of 30 towns selected within UK
42

43. Environmental Group Activities:–
The examples below provide an illustration of some of the activities carried out:-
 Online Retail Crime & Pub Partnership – free to all BID members
 Street Sweeping Machine
 Street Planters
 Hanging baskets
 Retail Crime Meetings in partnership with Police Scotland
 Christmas Lights – extensive project underway to renew the city lighting scheme
in 2015
 Signage – around city centre
 Conservation Area Regeneration Scheme
 Shop frontage Improvement Scheme
43

44. Opportunities for success
Elgin BID has been able to act as a conduit for activity
including:-
• South Street the Wedding Street – 60% of businesses, their funding &
BID’s support
• “Free after 3.00” – Parking proposal – going to committee on the 7th
April to pilot free parking in multi storey car park
• Zero Waste Scotland – Single Use Carrier Bags
• Collaboration – Boots & Ditsy Teacup
• Retention of Street Planters – more attractive view of the city
• There is strength in numbers and collaboration can provide opportunities
for all businesses to benefit
44

45. Elgin BID ltd
"Over the last five years, Elgin BID has brought focus to Elgin Town Centre as a
retail and leisure destination. Locals and visitors have benefited from a greatly
improved town centre appearance, frequent diverse markets and events, and
the success of BID campaigns such as on car parking charges. For the past
five years, and I hope for the next five, businesses in the town have a voice
achieving results for their shared interests." - Paul Rollo, Director, Speyside
Whisky Ltd.
“Elgin BID have supported me from the day I started my new business
venture. Personally they have assisted my business in developing marketing
strategies and giving me the opportunity to network with other successful
business men and women. I believe Elgin Bid is essential to the success of
Elgin's business future.​” – Anna Rogers, Owner, Angharad Bridal.
45

46. Conclusion
 The BID model offers sustainable regeneration
 It is open, time bound and accountable
 It relies on a strong, committed & solution orientated
partnership with a strong vision
 Its aims and objectives are dictated by business needs and
aspirations
46

47. Thank You for your time
47

48. Daniel McKendry
East Renfrewshire
Council

49. A Local Government perspective on BIDs
Daniel McKendry
Principal Regeneration Officer
Economic Development and Regeneration
Environment Department
East Renfrewshire Council

50. Talking About towns
Governance Approaches
East Renfrewshire Case
Studies

51. Can we have some more, Sir?
Dependent or fighting back?

53. Common Messages – Perfect Storm
Problems
● Too many shops
● Recession, Welfare Reform, disposal income
● Online and Digital – channel shift
● Out of Town and Leisure competition
● Rates, Parking, Planning, cost, choice
● No Leadership or vision – Town Teams etc
……… Time for Action !
● Options
● Nothing
● Town Centre Manager
● Traders Group – formal or informal
● Town Centre Partnership – formal or informal
● Trust
● BID
● Council Led

54. East Renfrewshire
Population of 89,000
Barrhead pop 20,000

55. Horses for courses?
Scale and Leadership
• Barrhead. Master plan approach –
investment led
• Neilston Renaissance. A community led
Charter for Change
• Clarkston BID. By businesses for a
better town centre that the whole
community can be proud of.
• Giffnock BID
• Barrhead BID?

56. BARRHEAD - Why Regenerate?
• Loss of Industry
• Unemployment
• Relative Decline re ERC
• Dated town centre
• A combination of
opportunities
• Delivery via
Regeneration Board

57. Context
Framework Plan

58. Town Centre Masterplan &
Urban Design Framework

59. Delivery
• Barrhead
Regeneration Board
• Business Community
• Community Council
• Community
Engagement
• Stakeholder
Involvement

60. Key Developments
Health Hub,
Housing,
Superstore
Business Parks,
Integrated Community Hub
Public Realm

61. Community & Economic Benefit
● £29m of Public Investment has so
far delivered £120m Private
● Positive Benchmark Evaluation

62. •Glasgow Road Corridor Job Creation
•£920,000 – 2015/16
•Foundry Links
•£1,380,000 – 2017
•Auchenback Rail Station
•£11,500,000 – 2020
•Dams to Darnley Country Park
•£5,612,000 – 2016/18
•Visitors Centre
•Services & Infrastructure
•Junction 5 to Barrhead
•£21,826,000 – 2017/20
•Business Incubation & Innovation Centre
•£2,762,000 - 2016

63. What is Community Empowerment?
Supporting communities to do things for themselves
Empowers and involves individuals and communities / localities around decisions that
affect them
Why?
Gives people control over their lives and the services they can influence
Empowers and create confidence and participation
Encourages confidence and builds skills and capacity
Better tailored outcomes – eg jobs, services, health, crime, equality
How?
Right to buy – private or public land and buildings – including compulsion
Flexibility with Rates, Right to run services
Community Engagement
More transparent common good
Allotments etc

77. M77 Corridor SDO - Development
M77 Corridor SDO - Development

79. Clarkston – compared
to others
• East Renfrewshire BID
• Clarkston BID
• Smallest in Scotland, possibly in
the UK
• As a result: high levy (private
individual contribution) and
budget significantly smaller:
£60,000 compared to £2,000,000
in many other BIDs i.e.Edinburgh,
Inverness
• highly reliant on eagerness of
businesses and
people contributing to it part time
and voluntarily

80. Early lessons from Clarkston BID
• Setting up the Board (although Clarkston is a bit different) and
having a good chair as champion
• Quick hit project after the ballot
• Communications
• Working with the businesses
• Partnerships
• Partnership with the council
• Levering in additional funding

81. Local leadership

82. Quick hit project after the ballot

83. Past initiatives...

84. Partnerships

85. Levering in additional funding

89. National Stage

90. • Marketing and Events
• 64 businesses
• Now Smallest in
Scotland, possibly in
the UK

92. Classic Vintage Car rally

97. Common Threads
• Encouraging communities to take charge
of the their future
• Locally designed solutions
• Investing in Place and Pride
• Feeding confidence and imagination
• Making and taking Chances
• Mixing and matching
• Learning from mistakes
• Writing your own future

98. Time for some Artful Dodging!

99. Questions

100. Table 1 Business Improvement Districts
Ian Davison Porter, Director of BIDs Scotland
Table 2 The North East of Scotland College (NESCOL)
Linda Hope and Lindsey Hatherley
Table 3 Business Gateway
Karen Gibson and Elaine Reid
Table 4 Creating a vision for the town centre
Gill Neill, BID Manager from Embrace Elgin
Table 5 miconex
Colin Munro and Richard Gray
Table 6 The Federation of Small Business (FSB)
Brian Stewart-Coxon
Table 7 Small Business Improvement Districts
Daniel McKendry
Table 8 The Retailer
Gordon Bell, director of The Retailer
Table 9 The Chambers of Commerce (AGGC)
Rachel and Emma