Acton Business Improvement District Gets Go Ahead

Majority in favour despite opposition from some South Acton companies

The Acton Business Improvement District (BID) will begin operations in October this year following a ballot result in favour of the scheme announced this Friday (6 July).

As over 50% of the eligible businesses have voted yes in the ballot, the BID now has the go-ahead.

The ballot saw a 25% turnout, with 68% of businesses voting yes by number and 56% yes by rateable value A full breakdown of the results can be found on the Acton BID website.

There are currently BIDs operating in Ealing Town Centre and West Ealing.

Some companies on the South Acton Industrial Estate had opposed the plans because they said it would provide them with no real benefits and load them with unwelcome extra costs. The BID requires businesses in the area to pay a levy on top of business rates which would go to funding improvement projects in the area.They said they were different entities from the high street shops and don't have the same issues to deal with. Most BIDs in other areas are confined to the main retail areas in town centres with much of the money raised being spent on street scene improvements and promoting the area as a shopping destination.

Chris Grainger from The Stone and Ceramic Warehouse on Stirling Road, was one of those who opposed the scheme.

He says, 'The other local BID Schemes, Positive Putney, HammersmithLondon, MakeitEaling are all high street Retail based and concentrate on improving the retail environment on the High streets and Broadways. None of these Bids include industrial estates, such as the South Acton Industrial estate and all of them are predominately financed by the largest stores on those streets eg Primark, Tescos, Sainsbury's, M&S to name a few. On Acton High Street there is only one large store/ potential contributor, Morrisons and a cynic would suggest that our Industrial estate has only been include within the Acton High Street BID to finance it and make it viable.'

'All residents of the estate are still coming to terms with the massive increase in this year’s business rates and if we vote through the bid it will add further to these costs for 5 years minimum. All at a time when the economy and business confidence is at a massive low, with the uncertain prospect of Brexit on the horizon. I alone would be obliged to contribute  over £10,000 to this scheme.'

An Ealing Council spokesperson said: 'The proposed BID aims to make the area cleaner, safer and more welcoming for visitors and ensure that businesses are given every opportunity to succeed, trade and grow. It is designed to give the business community in Acton a workable budget to bring about change and increase business. There are more than 600 businesses within the BID area and if voted in, would generate £1.4m over its 5 year term.'

9 July 2018