THE CHAIRMAN of Dorchester BID has called for organisations to work together to boost trade in the county town.

Mike Reed was addressing a Chamber of Commerce business breakfast where he also answered several testing questions on issues relating to the BID (Business Improvement District).

He told the business leaders in the town that he had known little about the BID himself and just saw the levy as ‘another bill to pay’ before he got involved and saw how much it could do for traders.

Mr Reed said: “It wasn’t really until I got involved in the BID that I began to realise what the BID does for the town.

“As a business owner, I didn’t really take advantage of the promotions and training it provided and the support for small businesses.”

He added that, while not all the BID activity directly benefited his own business, the Dorchester Hair Studio, he was very much of the view that whatever is good for the county town as a whole is good for all traders.

Mr Reed added that the BID’s work was overseen by voluntary directors who were all representatives of local businesses and it was based on a clearly defined business plan.

He said that much of what the BID had achieved would not have been possible without support from other organisations such as the Chamber of Commerce.

Mr Reed said: “Many of these projects really couldn’t be achieved without close liaison, not only with the town council and West Dorset District Council but also all the other stakeholder groups like the Chamber of Commerce.

“Partnership and collaboration with other organisations I believe is the key to meeting the challenge of ensuring a visit to our town centre is rewarding.”

In response to a question about when pay on exit parking was coming to Dorchester, Mr Reed said that it needed to be ratified by the district council so he could not give a definite date.

When asked about whether the BID would support Dorchester Carnival next year he said that a number of BID directors were keen to get involved and he was again keen to stress the need for local organisations to work together.

Mr Reed said: “I think it would be great if we could get involved a bit more, working with everybody on these projects.”

Mr Reed was also asked if West Dorset District Council ever withdrew funding for the town’s Tourist Information Centre, whether the BID would step in to secure its future.

He replied that as far as he was aware the council was committed to supporting the TIC for the foreseeable future but added that if such a situation arose the BID would be willing to support a ‘community effort’ to keep it alive.

BUSINESS BREAKFAST

 THE NEXT Dorchester Chamber of Commerce business breakfast is at Cote Brasserie in Brewery Square on Tuesday, November 11.
Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner Martyn Underhill will speak at the event, which starts at 7.45am.
For more information and to book visit dorchesterchamber.co.uk/events/