Liverpool BID Company launches five year plan to emerge from shadow of coronavirus

Liverpool BID Company this morning (April 14) unveiled an ambitious new plan to improve the city centre, ensuring it is more welcoming to both business and visitors as it opens up post-pandemic.

The five-year business plan proposes a £7m investment in the city centre, with a core focus on improving the public realm.

A new expanded BID area will add areas along the waterfront and St George’s Quarter to the existing BIDs in the commercial district and retail & leisure BID in the city centre.

The investment of £1.2m each year will be focused on core areas including:

• Using a Public Realm Fund to improve the city centre and focus on the city’s squares, including revitalising and enhancing Derby Square, St John’s Gardens and other civic squares in the city centre
• Helping to make Liverpool more resilient by creating a Subvention Fund to attract conferences and business events and representing the city at global forums, including the Global Business District Innovation Club
• Improving the city centre’s connectivity, including improving pedestrian access and connectivity for those on foot
• Working with Merseyrail and bus providers to improve the gateway access to the city centre
• Celebrating the ‘Pool of Life’ across Whitechapel as the key connecting route from William Brown Street to Royal Albert Dock, providing a focus for a creative heritage of the city
• Continuing to lead on Christmas decorations and seasonal animation with local producers, artists and creatives, and
• Extending the successful BID Police Team and BID Street Rangers to make the city centre safe, clean and welcoming

Bill Addy, Liverpool BID Company chief executive, said: “The work we have done over the past 16 years has helped to transform Liverpool city centre.

“With investment in the public realm, in improving connections, have helped to make the city centre a better place to live, work and visit for everyone.

“This extended BID area allows more of the city centre to be managed and supported to create a coherent offer to both business and visitors. We know the public purse is shrinking and the BID Levy Payers are committed to working to improve the environment and condition of Liverpool.

“As we move into a post-pandemic world, Liverpool city centre has to be a place that attracts business, tourists, residents and day to day visitors. How we use city centres may shift, so we need to work to keep Liverpool forward facing, ambitious and agile.”

The notification of the BID Ballot is April 29, with the ballot running from May 13, until June 19. If more than 50% of businesses vote yes, by number and rateable value, the new BID area will begin on June 12, 2021.