In October 2024, the UK celebrates 20 years of Business Improvement Districts (BIDs), which have invested over £1 billion in local services and events to improve towns and cities. BIDs are areas of a town or city where a levy is charged on eligible businesses to fund services such as street cleaning, environmental improvements, and events.

20 Business Improvement District (BIDs) were formed in 2023 as a pilot scheme and then brought into law with UK regulations act following in 2024. Using a Canadian business model which allowed businesses within a BID are to have access to additional services like improving the public realm, increasing footfall 
 
The number of BIDs has now grown to over 340, with BIDs now supporting towns and cities in all the four nations of the United Kingdom. A Business Improvement District is a defined area of a town or city where a levy is charged on all eligible business rate payers. BID levies are voted for via a ballot which takes place every five years. 
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Currently, BIDs invest £152m in local economies across the country, helping to support investment in towns and cities at a time where public sector funding has been impacted by budget cuts across a range of local authorities. 

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Find out more about the Wonderful WGC BID here: 

 

BID services day to day include:
 

• Promotion and marketing 

• Networking opportunities 

• Recruitment support 

• FREE recycling scheme in partnership with KP Waste 

• Shop Watch - town centre radio scheme to protect employees and profits

• Business support and signposting to opportunities via our newsletters 

• Attending partnership meetings to keep updated with town centre development and news. 

• Providing a voice for our Wonderful town centre 

• Investigating ways to generate additional revenue and support via partners and sponsorships 

Events

Business funded and BID commissioned events. Some additional funding is received from additional sponsors and partners.

See a list of our partners 

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• World Food Festival (Annual) 

• Screen On The Green (Annual) 

• WGC Vintage Festival (2021, 2022, 2023) 

• Christmas Lights Event (Annual) 

• Women's World Cup Final (2023) 

• Summer of Sports - Wimbledon (2024)

• Summer of Sports - Olympics (2024)

• Oaktoberfest (2019)

• Welwyn Garden City Garden Fair (2019) 

• Street Food Heroes (2022, 2023) 

• Vegan Market(2022, 2023) 

• Woody & Klieny pop-up shops (2022)

• Easter Fun Days 

• Halloween Spooktacular (2019)
  Garden City Lights, Centenary Celebrations (2019)

Business-Funded town centre enhancements 
 

• Award winning Floral Displays 

• Anglia In Bloom, Gold in Best BID town (2019, 2023 and 2024) 
  Britain In Bloom, Silver Gilt in the BID category (2024) 

• Christmas Lights Trail (recognised and celebrated as one of the best FREE displays in Hertfordshire
  (BBC Three County Radios) 

​Raising the profile of Welwyn Garden City town centre 

Identifying a brand that businesses and residents celebrate and are proud of:

WONDERFUL WELWYN GARDEN CITY 

• Create an online presence across all WonderfulWGC social media channels
  (total following over 30,000) 

• Develop a website that promotes town centre businesses, events and campaigns

• Support businesses with advertising and promotion via all the WonderfulWGC channels

• Support businesses with recruitment via WonderfulWGC channels  

• Celebrate and promote WonderfulWGC with local press and radio coverage

• Design and produce a editorial magazine to promote Welwyn Garden City as a destination featuring businesses, events and services available within the town centre to|morrow magazine (2018, 2019, 2022  
  Design and develop the Welwyn Garden City town centre discover guide. A guide that celebrate and promotes businesses, events and the history and heritage of our town centre. (2023, 2024) 
  
   

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