Report of Consultations

Colne Bid Consultations Report of Consultations

Consultations

Report of Consultations

Posted By Editor

Survey of Colne Business Priorities Aug-Sept 2017

The purpose of the survey is to inform, shape and focus what a Business Improvement District (BID) for Colne should address from the perspective of those running businesses and organisations in the town. A total of 74 survey returns have been received, representing around a quarter (27%) of the business premises surveyed.

Priorities identified

Graph of priorities

 

Businesses identified that most of these actions to improve trade and commerce were regarded as high priority. Of these, the challenge to keep the number of empty units to a minimum was most often cited as ‘high priority’ by 86%, followed by reducing the costs of running a business (71%), enhancing the appearance of the town (69%), marketing Colne to residents (66%), marketing Colne to visitors (61%) and promoting a safer environment for staff, customers and visitors (51%).

From these results, supplemented by the conversations held with business owners during the survey work, we can reasonably conclude that businesses frequently give high priority to how the town’s appearance and matters that could adversely affect people’s impression of the town, such as empty shop units.

Willingness to pay

Having established what business owners, partners and senior managers in the town consider to be the priorities for action, the survey then tested attitudes towards paying into a pot to get things done. The survey asked what actions are businesses willing to pay for, or at least willing to consider paying for.

This question is important when considering a Business Improvement District, as businesses would be asked to support a compulsory levy as part of the BID proposal. The survey is gauging attitudes towards payment for actions to address their priorities.

Willingness to Pay Graph

The findings suggest even at this early stage that many businesses would at least consider paying towards activities which address their highest priorities. Over two-thirds (69%) of respondents indicated that they would be willing or, at least, willing to consider paying towards action to market and promote the town’s businesses to encourage residents to use the town. Almost as many expressed willingness to pay or consider paying towards actions to enhance the appearance of the town (67%), to market and promote the town’s businesses to visitors (62%), or take action to promote a safer town centre (60%).

These results are very promising for the development of a BID, demonstrating a common set of priorities across the business community and an interest, at the very least, in considering how their payment into a BID might be an effective way to address their priorities.

Attitudes towards specific actions

The survey sought to get more of an indication of what types of project activity or service might receive the most popular support from businesses and organisations in Colne.

Most Popular Actions GraphThe survey findings reveal a strong interest in having an initiative to fill or improve the appearance of empty units (90%), followed by a marketing campaign for Colne (74%), a ‘Pride in Colne’ initiative (72%), a buy local campaign (69%), a ‘Safer Colne’ initiative (67%) and a new Colne consumer website and social media campaign (66%)

Conclusions

The survey findings provide an excellent insight into the priorities of the town’s businesses, and provide some helpful clues on what they are willing to pay for. The BID proposal for Colne is starting to take shape.

Written by Editor

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