Hitchin BID
In April 2009, Hitchin businesses voted to turn our local Town Centre Management scheme into a Business Improvement District (BID). All the businesses involved pay a small annual levy to fund projects and services that will benefit the area they work in, their customers, clients and employees – with the overall aim of improving their whole business environment.
For the next five years (the period BID status lasts before the next vote is due) the Heart of Hitchin BID management team set a series of objectives, covering 5 areas of activity: Safety & Security; Clean & Gleam; Access & Parking; Hitchin ‘Look & Feel’ and Marketing, Promotions & Events. This website will report regularly on action in each of these areas - activities underway, objectives achieved and new initiatives introduced.
With the first six months of work completed, there is already an impressive catalogue of action and success. A detailed list will be available on the site shortly – it features:
The appointment of Town Centre Rangers to patrol the BID area for 120 hours each week – keeping in touch with BID members, acting as ‘eyes and ears’ and logging/organising action on graffiti, littering, cleaning, antisocial behaviour and shoplifting incidents, as well as working on promotional events.
CCTV has been improved or introduced in hard-to-supervise areas of the town centre and lighting improved in poorly lit areas. A full Shopwatch survey has been completed to enable the service to be improved and updated. Grafitti has been logged when spotted and dealt with, the Community Payback Team has been clearing and cleaning access routes to stores. Alleyways are regularly disinfected. A survey of car park usage has been completed so the viability of free or lower cost parking between 3.30 – 6 pm can be assessed.
Market improvements have been supported and have resulted in more stallholders and greater footfall. Christmas Lights are better than ever and the town centre power supplies updated to comply with new regulations. High impact marketing activity has included a hugely successful Independents’ Day and promotional advertising ‘wrappers’ around local newspapers commissioned. And this is just the start!