Sponsored by
The future is bright for Bedford BID
First in new series of business features
In the first in a series of interviews with Bedford's business leaders, Ruth Holmes speaks to executive director Mo Aswat about the future of Bedford Business Improvement District (BID).
The year 2010 is a big one for Bedford BID. In March businesses must decide whether to keep the organisation running.
In 2005 Bedford businesses became the first in the country to vote for BID – an organisation funded by businesses to improve trading conditions. Run by a board of 15 elected directors, the private company had a legal mandate to operate for five years.
As those five years come to an end Mo Aswat, BID's executive director, is confident businesses will vote "yes" again. Last time 81 per cent voted in favour and much has been achieved since.
"Most of the businesses I talk to sound very positive," said Mo, 39. "These are difficult times but we have been very careful to show people the value they get from us."
From 2000 BID was run for five years on a voluntary basis, where businesses could choose to contribute. Now more than 500 town centre businesses pay a mandatory levy of 500,000 a year and play a part in managing the company.
Mo admits the recession has made it difficult for traders, but says BID works hard to support them, for example with insurance and advertising costs.
"The big problem with this recession has been the amount of uncertainty it created. But we have doubled our efforts to drive more footfall and moved quickly to reduce business costs. I think we are coming out of the other end."
BID has four principle projects. Be Safe, Be Smiling aims to make the town centre safer and more welcoming.with Bedford's Blue Caps greeting customers and working with businesses to resolve problems. It includes a deal with Bedford Borough Council to clean graffiti free of charge off private property and a retail radio link scheme to tackle security issues.
Come Round to Bedford is a 250,000-a-year marketing programme which, as well as media coverage, includes a voucher scheme and food and drink promotions.
Easy Come Easy Go offers car parking promotions, while Small is Beautiful, supports small businesses.
"It is businesses that decide what projects need doing," added Mo, who was town centre manager from 2000 to 2005. He studied public private partnerships during his masters at Nottingham University and set up a partnership in Cambridge.
"Bedford seemed to me a town that could go either way," Mo said. "But there seemed to be a will to do something."
BID, along with the council, has applied for a 1 million heritage grant to look at improving the fabric of the town centre in 2010. And it promises to be a busy year for Mo, who also has four children and runs Europa Property.
"It helps that I genuinely believe in what I do," said Mo, who frequently works into the night, surviving on a few hours' sleep. He praised the committed team of people he works alongside and support of his wife.
"Despite economic uncer-tainty he is positive about BID's future: "I feel we have got the opportunity to really do something with this and make things better."
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Bedford
Saturday 26 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 18 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 15 mph
Wind direction: East
