Bexleyheath town centre businesses approve £1.23 million investment

Businesses in Bexleyheath town centre have voted to retain a fund which provides events and public realm improvements in the area.

The result means a Business improvement District will remain in Bexleyheath town centre for another five years until 2026.

A BID sees business pay a levy for that creates a fund to encourage people to visit an area. Bromley and Brixton, for example, have them.

Woolwich and Lewisham do not.

Those behind the Bexleyheath BID claim it funds, among other things:

• Additional street cleaning
• An annual deep cleaning programme
• A dedicated town centre police officer
• A town centre business radio scheme
• Christmas lights and Christmas Trees
• Christmas Switch-On event

Many of these exist in other town centres such as Woolwich, though business does not pay a specific levy towards them.

They claim a BID organisation allows someone to “monitor…Bexley Council’s service levels are being maintained”.

Could this be a reason some authorities do not seek such such an organisation even if it can assist with town centre improvements?

One major problem in Woolwich is a lack of much oversite on either the long term or everyday issues.

Parts of the town is a mess, and even when millions are spent things often decline quite rapidly in certain areas putting some off visiting.

Now Bexleyheath’s bid is set to continue, around £1,230,000 will be spent to:

Create a digital food and drinks guide with monthly offers to promote the hospitality businesses in Bexleyheath

Create an attractive focal point for promoting local good causes and fundraising efforts at the old fountain

Launch a local initiative to support and promote late night shopping and loyalty scheme

Adverts are far from enough to cover living costs and and pay to keep it going with hosting fees, URL fees and Theme costs adding into the hundreds of pounds.