Member Article

Liverpool BID Company announces new chair of Commercial District BID

Liverpool BID Company has appointed a new chair of its Commercial District BID.

Julie Johnson, business operations partner at Morecrofts Solicitors, steps up to the role after seven years on the BID operating board, being deputy chair for the last year. Julie also holds a position on the Liverpool BID Company executive board.

Outgoing chair, Jim Gill, steps down after five years in post, and leaves behind a safer, cleaner and more thriving Commercial District. Jim was also instrumental in winning the 2016 ballot, securing the support of BID levy payers, and extending the Commercial District BID until 2021.

It comes as the BID publishes its Annual Report for the Commercial District BID - which demonstrates what the BID has done on behalf of its levy payers in the area over the past 12 months. This includes tackling crime and grime, providing business support, and rolling out art and animation to boost footfall to the streets in and around Old Hall Street and Castle Street.

Setting out her goals for the future, Julie Johnson, chair of Commercial District BID, said:

“We have seen some significant changes to our streets over the last seven years while I have been on the Commercial District BID Operating Board and I hope our levy payers will join me in ensuring that we deliver the objectives set out for the remaining three years of the current BID term until 2021.

“After delivering some significant public realm works over the last couple of years, we are introducing our own BID cleansing team working with Liverpool City Council to ensure that our streets are cleaner and greener than ever before and that the good work is built upon.

“Following the introduction of the two BID police officers who patrol the BID areas, we also have an aim to further reduce anti-social behaviour and security issues. This has now been extended into the evenings from Thursday to Saturday with the use of the Radio Link network and the BID evening ambassadors.

“We will continue to promote the district in partnership with other strategic partners in the Liverpool City Region to enhance the place-making of the Commercial District BID as a destination to live and work. We will also facilitate support for businesses within the district, with an emphasis on business growth and enhanced offering of employee wellbeing initiatives and training.

“I would like to thank Jim Gill for his support and guidance as chair of the Commercial District BID for the past five years. I look forward to my new role and hope to continue to develop the Commercial District BID together with our active board members and dedicated BID team, led by the CEO Bill Addy.”

Jim Gill, outgoing chair of Commercial District BID, said:

“Liverpool’s Commercial District is changing - just look at Castle Street - but it remains the commercial core of the city and as such is one, if not the, main contributor to the Liverpool City Region economy. The BID has a crucial role to play in managing change, harnessing the new vitality in the area to create an environment which is attractive to investors, developers, established commercial businesses and which encourages the creation and growth of new businesses.”

Bill Addy, chief executive Liverpool BID Company, added:

“The vision that we put forward in our 2016-2021 Commercial District BID Business Plan is becoming a reality; with many of the planned initiatives beginning to bear fruit, whether that’s the new BID Street Rangers starting work this month, our partnership with Liverpool Biennial, the launch of the Liverpool Plinth or the Business growth support for the Commercial District BID.

“This year marks a change in the leadership of the Commercial District BID operating board and I would like to echo our new chair Julie Johnson in her thanks to the outgoing chair Jim Gill for his work and support to both the board and to me during his tenure. “I think that the success of the Commercial District BID will be measured not only by our ability to deliver the BID Business Plan but also the strengthening of the relationships formed between the BID and our levy payers.”

The Commercial District BID operating board comprises Colin Forshaw (Bruntwood), David Swaffield (Hill Dickinson), Dayle O’Hara (Fazenda), Gavin Sherratt (Mashbo), John Clegg (Downing), Paul Moran (Mason Owen), Sean Keyes (Sutcliffe), Shane Fitzpatrick (Merseytravel), and Takis Melitsiotis (Aloft Liverpool Hotel).

To access the Commercial District BID Annual Report 2018, please visit https://www.liverpoolbidcompany.com/commercial-district-bid/

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This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Paul Richards .