The Nottingham Business Improvement District (BID) has announced its board members for the BID’s second five year term which runs from 2016 to 2020.
Jeff Allen, managing director of Castle Sound & Vision continues in his role as chairman of the Nottingham BID and Tom Waldron Lynch, general manager of the Park Plaza Hotel remains as vice chairman. Neil Fincham, centre manager at The Exchange, Nicola Tidy, marketing and communications director at Nottingham City Transport and Geoff Williams, director of The Tokenhouse also continue as directors.
Dan Booker, David Lucas and Steve Pashley have stepped down and seven new directors have joined the BID’s board. The new directors are Jess Barnett, co-owner of the Treat Kitchen; Andy Crawford, operations director of The Pub People Company whose pubs include Bunkers Hill in the city centre; Stephen Jackson, chief financial and operations officer of Nottingham Trent University; Kathryn Neilson-Davis, store manager of Nottingham House of Fraser; David Simms, regional publisher and managing director of the Nottingham Post Media Group; Naomi Hartley, store manager of Marks and Spencer Nottingham and Nigel Wheatley, general manager of intu Victoria Centre.
“I would like to thank wholeheartedly all the directors, who gave their invaluable support during the first term of the BID, for their time, energy and enthusiasm to make it a success and to enable us to get a positive vote in last year’s ballot which resulted in us securing a second term with a 90% vote in favour,” said Jeff Allen, chairman of the Nottingham BID.
“I am delighted to welcome the new directors to the board who bring a wealth of new talent and experience,” he added. “We have a great team at board level that reflects the changed composition of our membership.”
The Nottingham BID now has over 850 members – businesses and organisations in the retail, leisure, office and education sectors within a defined area of the city centre which has also expanded for the second term to include more of the city. Through the mandatory levy paid by members the BID has £5m to invest in the city over the next five years.
The aim is to put Nottingham firmly on the map as a regional and national city of choice for shopping, leisure, work and study.
This will be achieved by focusing on a four pronged strategy: Promoted City, Independent City, Working City and Managed City. £100,000 per annum will also be ring-fenced for the independent sector.
In addition the BID will continue to be a strong and influential voice for businesses in the city centre to affect change.
To that end a programme of services and initiatives will be delivered including working with businesses to establish a strong and viable late night trading economy; developing a calendar of signature events for which Nottingham will become known nationally and engaging with the student population and those who work in the city centre to encourage them to engage with, and take advantage of, all that the city has to offer.
