Salisbury Business Improvement District

Salisbury BID Celebrate Another Successful Year

28th March 2018

The business-led body tasked with adding more vibrancy to Salisbury’s city centre economy tracked nearly 11 million visitors last year. That is one of the key facts contained in the latest annual review published by the Salisbury Business Improvement District (BID).

Chief Executive Robin McGowan pointed to a range of activities and initiatives designed to support the city centre economy.

He said: “The 2017 Salisbury Christmas Market was the biggest we’ve staged so far and had the longest duration, a full 30 days.”

The market followed 15 other community events during 2017, tied to a series of promotional activities and which attracted additional footfall and spend into the city. The not-for-profit BID invested more than £100,000 into these events.

Events included Salisbury Live, the City Encounters Weekend that opened the Salisbury International Arts Festival, and the Salisbury Taste Trail.

Salisbury BID work in partnership with VisitWiltshire to deliver marketing campaigns through their Visit Salisbury brand. This marketing of the city featured consumer advertising and travel trade shows.

Free after-3pm weekday parking at Culver Street car park, a £25,000 investment into Salisbury’s CCTV, City Rangers and a new community safety officer were among other Salisbury BID initiatives during the year.

Mr McGowan also cited the BID’s success as lead partner in retaining Salisbury’s Purple Flag status, reflecting the quality and safety of the city’s evening and night-time economy.

For 2018, Salisbury BID are launching two new schemes for members.

cost procurement partnership has been set up which will use members’ collective buying power to help cut business costs.

At the same time, the BID have invested in the Salisbury Gift Card which will be launched in summer 2018. This is a pre-loaded gift card which will help to encourage more people to come into the city centre to spend money.

Mr McGowan added: “Our role is to deliver a cleaner, greener, safer and more vibrant Salisbury. We are achieving that through year-round, joined-up marketing and business support.”

Springboard research commissioned by Salisbury BID in January 2018 found that vacancy rates for ground floor retail units in Salisbury had fallen to just 6.2% compared to the national average of 8.9%.

Salisbury BID is funded by more than 500 city centre businesses who pay an annual levy.

Click here to read Salisbury BID's 2017/2018 Annual Review.