West Suffolk has two Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) covering parts of the district. BIDs are defined areas within which businesses are required to pay an additional tax (or levy) in order to fund projects within the district's boundaries.
Our Bury St Edmunds Business Improvement District (BID)
'Our Bury St Edmunds' is the Business Improvement District for the town centre. This BID has been in operation since 2010 and has an overarching objective to enhance the trading environment of its members. It achieves this in many ways including organising the major events in the town, such as the Spring Fayre, the Food and Drink Festival and the Christmas Lights events. The BID also pays for the Christmas lights and the floral displays in the town centre.
Additionally, it provides a variety of free training courses for its members and supports a town centre gift card scheme, which is accepted in more than 70 businesses.
Our Bury St Edmunds works with businesses inside and outside the defined geographic BID zone, as well as the local authorities and the Police and other organisations, to deliver the four key priority objectives for Bury St Edmunds Town Centre. They include:
On 5 July 2024, West Suffolk Council announced that the businesses of Bury St Edmunds voted for another five year term for Our Bury St Edmunds Business Improvement District
Total number of votes cast in the ballot, excluding any given on ballot papers rejected
186
Aggregate rateable value of each hereditament in respect of which a person voted in the ballot
£8,928,600
Total number of votes cast in favour of the proposed Business Improvement District for Bury St Edmunds
146
Aggregate rateable value of each hereditament in respect of which a person voting in the ballot has voted in favour of the proposed Business Improvement District for Bury St Edmunds
£7,835,950
Business Improvement District for Haverhill
On 11 March 2022, West Suffolk Council announced that the businesses of Haverhill voted against establishing a Business Improvement District for Haverhill
Total number of votes cast in the ballot, excluding any given on ballot papers rejected
84
Aggregate rateable value of each hereditament in respect of which a person voted in the ballot
£1,669,700
Total number of votes cast in favour of the proposed Business Improvement District for Haverhill
37
Aggregate rateable value of each hereditament in respect of which a person voting in the ballot has voted in favour of the proposed Business Improvement District for Haverhill
£854,250
The proposal to establish a Business Improvement District for Haverhill has not been approved. A majority of the business ratepayers in the proposed BID area who voted, voted against the proposal, but not by aggregate rateable value. Haverhill BID - Declaration of result 11 March 2022
Love Newmarket Business Improvement District (BID)
Established in July 2016, the aims to be an inventive and progressive organisation run for local businesses by local businesses. The Love Newmarket BID covers a defined area of the town centre where the team works to improve the trading environment and identifies additional projects and services that develop the town centre.
Love Newmarket BID enhances and promotes the local environment for its businesses, employees, customers and the community. The BID will raise £1.152million over its five year term through an annual levy based on the rateable value of business premises over £5,000 within the BID area.
The overarching vision of Love Newmarket BID is to make a clear positive impact on the vitality of the town centre and the success of the businesses within it. Love Newmarket BID covers virtually the entire town centre and represents approximately 330 levy payers including well-known brands and organisations in the retail, leisure, hospitality and public sectors.
On 24 March 2021, West Suffolk Council announced that the businesses of Newmarket voted for another five year term for Love Newmarket Business Improvement District
Total number of votes cast in the ballot, excluding any given on ballot papers rejected
136
Aggregate rateable value of each hereditament in respect of which a person voted in the ballot
£4,420,700
Total number of votes cast in favour of the proposed Business Improvement District for Newmarket
87
Aggregate rateable value of each hereditament in respect of which a person voting in the ballot has voted in favour of the proposed Business Improvement District for Newmarket
