Businesses support BID in Central Hammersmith

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86% of Hammersmith businesses are in support of establishing a Business Improvement District (BID) in Central Hammersmith, a recent survey has shown.

The survey was carried out to guage support for a BID in Central Hammersmith where businesses would be able to identify additional services and improvements they think are needed over and above local authority provisions, while giving them the power to deliver these through a company that they manage.

 

Increased safety was identified as the top priority for businesses, and although local authority and police initiatives are already making a difference, businesses would also like to see additional improvements that might include the introduction of street wardens or other uniformed presence in the area; more use of the safety net radio and CCTV; and improvements to lighting.

Environmental improvements are also something businesses indicated they would like to see. This could include enhanced street sweeping and rubbish removal services, as well as improving the quality of street furniture, paving and greenery.

The creation of a BID in Central Hammersmith is being driven by Greater Hammersmith, a newly established steering group of local businesses, who aim to improve Hammersmith as a place to work, visit and enjoy. As well as making Central Hammersmith safer, cleaner and more attractive, Greater Hammersmith sees one of the key benefits of a BID as uniting the business community and giving it a strong local voice to lobby on issues of concern to local businesses.

Greater Hammersmith has been selected as one of 22 locations to pilot a Business Improvement District as part of the National BIDs Pilot Scheme being directed by the Association of Town Centre Management and supported by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.

Stephen Jaffe, Chair of Greater Hammersmith, says: “This survey result gives the Greater Hammersmith team great confidence in moving forward with our BID proposals. Businesses have demonstrated that they want improvements that will deliver real results in Hammersmith, and want to work together to achieve this. This is great news for the future of central Hammersmith. We will now be taking the results of this survey and turning them into concrete proposals to put before businesses later in the year.”

May 15, 2005