The Covid19 pandemic and the measures that have been introduced in response have been the ultimate disruptor to the way that businesses – locally, nationally and globally – operate. Businesses now have to consider how they get back to business, and overcome the challenges and barriers that will come with this.
Delivered as part of the DCSDC Business Boost Programme and with support from the Strabane BID, the Business Reboot Programmewill support owner-managers to look towards getting back into full swing and re-growth as well as considering how to adapt their business model to reflect the new realities of life.
Workshops Include:
Due to ongoing restrictions relating to travel and social interaction, all one to one mentoring will be provided virtually using Zoom software.
If you are not familiar with this software, a member of the delivery team can assist you to access and begin to use this.
To be considered for a place, your Business must:
Please note that if you have previously participated on the DCSDC Business Boost Programme, you may apply however the amount of mentoring support that you will be eligible to receive will be restricted to one day.Priority will be given to those businesses that haven’t accessed Business Boost programme support previously.
The Programme forms part of the DCSDC Business Boost Programme which is part-funded by Invest NI and the European Regional Development Fund under the Investment for Growth and Jobs Northern Ireland [2014 – 2020] Programme.
The Programme will start in Julywith workshops taking place during August and mentoring being completed during the final quarter of 2020.
To be considered for a place on the Programme, all you have to do is:
A Business Improvement District is where local businesses raise funds to improve their town and trading environment.
Working together to identifying priorities, design and funding solutions to enhance the area and increase trade.
BID’s generally have a common set of aims – to increase footfall to an area, increase business performance and improve profits.
The BID in Strabane will focus your investment to tackle the issues that aims to turn Strabane around.
It will aim to deliver a range of projects and services which will boost the local economy through increasing the footfall of shoppers and visitors, benefit all business levy payers and improve the physical environment for all those who visit, live and work in the town.
Make the best first impression possible to visitors and shoppers to the town by helping provide a more attractive environment
Magnetise our location and assets to attract more shoppers and visitors to explore and spend in our town
Co-ordinate a managed programme of events and festivals throughout the year
Improve accessibility and parking within the town by car or by foot
Bring businesses together to help reduce business costs and act as an effective lobbying body for the benefit of the town’s future prosperity
If your business is located within the boundary, then you are included in the BID.
Every business within the boundary is liable to contribute to the BID levy. If you’re not on the map, do you want to be?
List of streets included in the BID – either whole or in part:
Market Centre
Butcher Street
Market Street
Canal Street
Mourne Villas
Castle Place
Newtown Place
Castle Street
Patrick Street
Church Street
Railway Street
Abercorn Square
Derry Road
Barrack Street
Dock Street
Bowling Green
John Wesley Street
Bradley Way
Lifford Road
Branch Road
Main Street
Bridge Street
We believe it is really important for all of the small local businesses to work together to promote Strabane’s retail offering and support the work being done on the ground by all businesses, the chamber of commerce and the Strabane BID Company to encourage spend in Strabane town centre and help build the economy. We are fully supportive of any initiative that promotes Strabane and raises its profile as a great place to visit and shop
Guide for local businesses and potential entrepreneurs to allow for easier navigation in accessing the wide range of support available in the Derry City & Strabane District Council area.
Click here to access this free business boosting directory
The “Get Your Business Online 2” programme will be delivered in Strabane between January 2020 – March 2020. Funded by Department for Communities and supported by Strabane BID Company, the programme is available to those businesses based in Strabane and surrounding areas . It aims to provide support for entrepreneurs, micro businesses and social enterprises in Strabane Town to develop a professional online presence in order to enable effective marketing of their products and services. The programme is made up of a series of 6 workshops. Workshops will take place from 6PM – 9PM see workshops at Business Events
a. BOI is Strabane BID’s chosen Merchant Services Provider – see benefits to your business below:
b. Special rates for BID members
c. No hidden fees, no PCI compliance fees, no authorisation fees, no set up fees and no minimum monthly fees
d. Nicola Hassan Area Sales Manager can call out to your business premises and carry out a cost saving analysis on your current provider which will illustrate cost saving potential – Price promise for Bid Members- if we cannot make a saving on your current provider we will write a cheque for £250
e. Tailor made contract 24 months
f. Ready-made bundle contract 18 months- This is an all-inclusive bundle option including terminal rental with no minimum spends and all card types included in bundle pricing
g. Desktop, Portable wifi, Bluetooth & GPRS Devices available with contactless feature
h. GPRS (mobile terminal) – Built in sim card device is portable and can be taken anywhere. Ideal for deliveries, collections, taking to trade shows/exhibitions. Also great for new businesses startups or businesses that want to keep costs to a minimum.
i. Virtual Terminals available
j. Ecommerce full payment gateways available
k. Pay as you go terminals available
l. 5 months price promise – This is extended to businesses who are new to card and if your sales/turnover does not increase month on month for a period of five months then you can hand the terminal back in month five so contractual obligation does not apply.
m. Business logo printed on receipts
n. One contract for terminal and services
o. Exclusive to BOI Payment Acceptance -We have our own team of engineers who will install the device and train staff on usage / Seamless and hassle free
For more Information see https://www.boipa.co.uk/bid-in-strabane/ or contact Nicola Hasson at 004477 416 37978
Business Improvement Districts across the world are delivering a wide variety of projects and services which are specific to their local area. These projects and services are identified by the local businesses through a consultation with them on their main issues and concerns.
There is no restriction on the types of projects or the scale of projects that the businesses wish to see delivered except that they must not replace statutory services that are delivered by public authorities. Highlighted below are just some of the many benefits of a BID.
Get involved. By being involved and working with others to help deliver change and improvement to your local area. A BID provides a structure and finance to be able to get things done which are going to benefit the businesses and the wider community. It will have a committed Board of Directors working within a strong local partnership with their local authority and other bodies to deliver improvement, working together to find solutions, with each understanding the priorities and concerns of the other.
Through a task group made up of the proposed business sectors to be involved. The local authority and other relevant groups from within the proposed BID area oversee the development process. In the initial stages the task group instigate a dialogue with the local authority and other interested partners and initiate the engagement and consultation with the businesses within the proposed BID area to determine the issues and concerns of the businesses.
The task group make the decisions on the BID area, size and liability for the levy and the projects and services to be delivered from the dialogue and consultation with the businesses. The task group only exists during the development of the BID and the initial set up of the new BID Company. Following a successful ballot, a new Board of Directors will be nominated from the businesses involved in the BID.
The ballot is a confidential postal ballot, the same as a postal vote in a local authority election, held by the ballot holder, normally the local authority. All eligible persons located in the BID area will have the opportunity to vote on the BID Business Plan. In Northern Ireland a BID will only be approved if:
This very much depends on what local partnerships already exist and the level of support from the businesses and the local authority, but normally it takes around 12 months.
BIDs in Northern Ireland will have a maximum term of five years, at which time the BID is required to seek a new mandate from the businesses by way of a renewal ballot to be able to continue in operation.
BIDs in Northern Ireland are underpinned by:
Business Improvement Districts Act (Northern Ireland) 2013
The legislation in relation to the development of a BID is very flexible and is able to be used in a number of diverse ways by businesses to help bring about strong local partnerships with the common objective to deliver local positive change and improvement contributing to sustainable economic growth.
The projects and services are determined by consulting with the businesses, to identify their issues and concerns.
Following consultation with the businesses a draft business plan is prepared which will detail the proposed projects and services, the cost of each project and service, the delivery costs, the method of apportionment of the costs across the businesses and the cost to each group or band of businesses. The levy can be paid by property owners or occupiers. The levy varies from place to place dependent on the ambitions and types of projects the businesses want to see delivered, but generally for small businesses the levy can be as little as a few pounds per week.
The levy is entirely separate to business rates and can only be drawn down by the Board of Directors of the BID Company and used for the delivery of the projects and services detailed in the business plan, which has been approved by a ballot of the eligible persons. The levy is not a new source of funding for a local authority.
No, local authorities and other statutory bodies are only required to provide statutory services such as road and footway maintenance, litter bins, street sweeping, road and footway lighting. They are not required to deliver projects or services such as events, Christmas illuminations, property improvement programmes, safety projects or business events. To ensure that projects and services are additional to statutory services local authorities, the PSNI, Transport NI and other statutory bodies are required to provide details of their baseline services and these form part of the Baseline Services Agreement. The baseline services are normally benchmarked at the beginning of the BID and monitored throughout the term of the BID.
The payment of the levy is not related to whether you pay business rates or not. The legal responsibility for the payment of the levy is based on whether you are liable to pay business rates.
The BID Business Plan is put to a democratic secret postal ballot of the eligible persons (property owners and or occupiers) and if the majority vote in favour all eligible persons liable to pay the non-domestic rate are liable for the levy.
The legislation underpinning BIDs in Northern Ireland includes recovery powers for the local authority to allow them to collect all levy due under the BID Arrangements.
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