A leading Aberdeenshire town’s business community will meet tomorrow to hear the new plans for a proposed Business Improvement District initiative.
We are Inverurie is the steering group for the town’s BID proposal and the organisation will unveil a five-year business plan at a meeting being held tomorrow night in the Town Hall.
The chair of the steering group, Ian Sinclair, confirmed its business plan aims to bring the town together to “maximum impact and effect”.
He added: “The ‘We are INverurie’ BID Business Plan is the culmination of 12 months of work, numerous consultations with businesses in the BID area, and many, many discussions with partners and funding bodies.
“We are confident this plan will be the platform on which Inverurie can continue to thrive and develop in the changing economic landscape and be proactive, innovative and exciting.”
Inverurie is the latest place in Scotland to sign up to develop a BID programme, with the aim of bringing local businesses and organisations together to revitalise the town centre.
It has been proposed that all 199 eligible businesses and organisations in the Inverurie area contribute a financial levy to the scheme, including schools, halls, churches and charities or third sector organisations.
The monies raised would go into a central fund and be spent on projects and initiatives that have been developed and approved by the levy payers, through consultation on a detailed business plan.
Ashley Wilson, BID co-ordinator, wants to raise the profile of the town to make it “a destination” and said: “The Business Plan is the next stage in our BID process. We will be presenting this and outlining the BID Plans at a public event in Inverurie Town Hall.
“We encourage the business community and the residents of Inverurie to come along and find out more about BIDs, the ‘We are INverurie’ Bid and the plans – and how they can get involved.”
If the business sector votes to join the scheme in June’s ballot, Inverurie would be joining the swathe of other towns currently developing their own BIDs across Scotland, including Nairn and Peterhead.
There are now more than 30 such towns and cities in Scotland, including Aberdeen, Edinburgh Central, Elgin, Falkirk, Inverness, Largs, Linlithgow and Paisley.
Aberdeen Inspired has just been ratified for a second five-year term, as has Elgin.
For more information on Inverurie’s BID plans visit: www.weareinverurie.co.uk