5th February 2012
Business booms as things heat up in Bedford
1st Feb 2008
Restaurants in Bedford are being given a boost by a new campaign orchestrated by the town’s unique Business Improve District organisation.
BedfordBID, the first funding organisation of its kind in a county town in the UK, is staging an Indulge in Bedford wine and dine week from March 1 - 9th.
The event is being promoted far beyond the boundaries of Bedford - to spread the word about the fast improving town centre and all that is has to offer
Indulge in Bedford sees participating restaurants to offer a signature dish lunch for just £5 and a two course dinner for £10 during the limited period. The whole package is being promoted by newspaper and radio advertising as well as via 100,000 brochures which are being distributed far and wide.
It is hoped the 9,000 who work in Bedford will leave their desks for at least one lunchtime and eat out. The evening offer is to encourage people to support the night time economy.
Developments along the riverside and in the town centre are now underway or agreed and we can start shouting from the rooftops to people to come and take a fresh look at Bedford, says Mo Aswat, Executive Director of BedfordBID and the Town Centre Manager,
BedfordBID is now in its third operational year and even the most reluctant town centre businesses are recognising the benefits of us all working together towards a common business goal - more visitors and shoppers for Bedford.
Over Christmas and New Year, Bedford again bucked the trend - other town centres reported sales falling 4 and 5 per cent. Footfall and sales in Bedford were up by between 2 and 10 per cent - a great difference for some stores.
This all down to everyone pulling together under the BedfordBID banner - and being inspired to simply try harder.
Independents no longer feel they are on their own - they are part of a powerful force which has real influence - in terms of lobbying and finance.
Businesses with the BedfordBID zone pay a legal levy which is managed by a board of elected representatives of those businesses. It amounts to 500,000 a year to spend on marketing, promotion, security and similar activities.
The visible faces of BedfordBID are the Blue caps who welcome visitors and work closely with police to keep the streets safe. Bedford Town Centre can boast a 70% drop in some areas of business-related crime.
