BUSINESSES in St Ives have voted overwhelmingly in support of plans to create a Business Improvement District for the town.
A launch event of the St Ives BID Steering Group at the Western Hotel attracted representatives of the retail, food and drink, accommodation and professional services sectors in the town.
The steering group said the event ended with many previously undecided business- owners now backing the BID.
The steering group, with assistance from Cornwall Council, will now start a nine-month research and consultation process ending with a postal ballot in April.
A BID would levy a contribution from each business in the centre of the town which would then be spent improving the town and creating initiatives and promotions to attract more business.
Guest Richard Wilcox, the Falmouth BID manager, told the event how the BID had enabled Falmouth to promote its own identity and increase its footfall through a detailed list of projects.
Paul Ford said: "I think now that businesses realise how the BID funds can be used in the town to help develop their own success there are many more now expressing a real enthusiasm for the programme.
"What was really pleasing was the number of previously undecided delegates who, after the meeting was completed, have now expressed full support for St Ives BID and that they fully understand and appreciate the many practical ways and benefits that BID funds can be used in the town."
The BID team has pledged to working alongside other groups and town trade organisations, as well as with St Ives Town Council.
Rachael Gaunt, director of PBWC architects, said: "A BID for St Ives offers a great opportunity for local businesses to pool resources towards the improvement and promotion of our beautiful town."
Danny Strickland, from Little Leaf, said: "It was particularly interesting to hear about what Falmouth had done with their BID money and how it was now directly affecting business in the town.
"It's hard to ignore figures like a 7.5 per cent increase in footfall and revenue, and inspiring to see townspeople take charge of their own environment and make such positive changes.
"We already have such an amazing town, it's exciting to think what we could do in St Ives to make it even better."
The consultation process has started with businesses being asked to complete a survey, and members of the steering group will visit businesses over the next few weeks.
Cornwall Council officers will then help analyse the survey feedback and assist in the production of a BID newsletter, which will be distributed in September 2013.
Further feedback and comment from businesses will inform the production of a draft proposal in November, ready for the final version which will list all the ideas, events, initiatives and actions that St Ives BID would take forward.
