Oxford businesses could club together to improve shabby streets

A plan for a BID - Business Improvement District - was put forward a decade ago but was not successful.

Now a scheme has been mooted by the newly-established City Centre Task Force made up of civic leaders and leading businesses.

Read also: Abingdon BID set to fold after more than 100 traders ask to be released from their commitment

Following the opening of the £440m Westgate Centre, parts of Cornmarket Street have been left looking shabby after several major chains relocated to the new shopping complex.

Jesus College has multi-million pound plans to revamp Northgate House on the corner of Cornmarket and Market Street including new shop units, but building work is not expected to start until the new year.

The BID would see shops, restaurants and other businesses pay a tax which could fund road surface improvements, new street furniture like benches and signs, flower planters or anything else they agree would be good for business in the area.

The proposal is not a concrete one yet but the possibility was raised at an inaugural meeting of the task force, attended by the city council's city centre manager Laurie-Jane Taylor.

Retail expert Keith Slater, a director of the Oxfordshire Town Chambers Network, said: "High streets are facing their toughest trading climate for five years with about 14 shops across the country closing every day, so retailers in Oxford will think very carefully before they sign up to investing money in improvement projects.

"BIDs define an area that needs to be improved, then get traders to sign up and agree to pay a certain amount towards improvements.

"I think this would only work if retailers were told in advance what improvements they would be getting before they sign up, so they have some incentive to do so.

"The BID would work towards its own improvements, alongside the major proposals of developers like Jesus College."

Mr Slater said Cornmarket, together with Queen Street, would be good locations to include in the BID.

He added: "This should definitely be considered but those leading the BID need a clear vision of what the improvements could be - whether it is creating more of a cafe culture or covering a shopping area with a glass roof.

"The BID's vision needs to focus on something - it can't just be about cleaning chewing gum off the streets.

"The BID failed in Oxford before because they could not get the major retailers to sign up and you need the support of stores like Debenhams, Waterstones, Boswells and Boots."

Graham Jones, of traders' group ROX - Promoting Oxford Business, said the last BID attempt 'failed miserably' because not enough traders were prepared to sign up.

He added: "The task force will need to learn from what went wrong last time and look at other parts of the country where there are successful BIDs.

"If you are going to take money from retailers you need to be able to show them what return they will be getting after a couple of years - the task force needs to think carefully about improving the trading environment."

Graham MacDonald, a director of the Covered Market Tenants Association, said the CMTA would be prepared to discuss any BID proposals.

He added: "Individual traders might take some persuading to sign up - it depends what it costs and what the benefits are going to be."

BIDs are working successfully in some parts of the country.

Stockport town centre’s BID has been in place since April 2017 following a successful 'Yes' vote in 2016.

It unlocks £2m of additional funding over a five-year-period.

Traders in Abingdon backing a BID in 2016 independent traders, agreeing to pay 1.75 per cent of their rateable income into a ring-fenced fund.

But the BID has now folded following months of dissatisfaction among traders with the way the scheme was being run.

More than 100 businesses signed a petition called for the BID to end early before the conclusion of its five-year programme.