Your Bromley BID: 'Proud of what we have achieved'

It is a business led and business funded scheme to improve Bromley town centre through additional services and new initiatives and aims to promote Bromley to visitors old and new.

The BID has been running for five years and there will be a reballot shortly.

Starting this week, for six weeks a member of the BID team will be sharing their experiences over the past five years and explaining why they feel a yes vote from Bromley businesses is important for Bromley.

This week we hear from Andy Bawn, Chair of Your Bromley BID and Manager of The Greyhound:

I’m Andy Bawn, the Manager at The Greyhound on Bromley High Street. I’m also Chair of the Board of Directors for Your Bromley, the Business Improvement District (BID). The BID’s job is to promote our town centre and help to support and grow businesses within the area, and the local economy.

I’m really proud of the achievements of Your Bromley over the past five years and, as a business manager, I get to see first-hand the benefits of the BID and the difference it makes to our town. The support the BID offers to local businesses ranges from the events we put on to increase the number of people visiting Bromley, like free film screenings with Midsummer Movies and the Christmas light switch on, through to hands-on practical help like offering free recycling or improved security in the town centre.

Your Bromley has funded increased Police presence, and other safety measures, which help to give traders and visitors confidence in the safety of our town centre, day and night.

The added Police presence helps deter people intent on misbehaving and helps prevent shoplifting. Thousands of pounds worth of stock has successfully been returned to businesses which would otherwise have severely impacted on profits.

This year has of course been different. Your Bromley has acted behind the scenes, helping businesses to secure government and council grants and assistance, plus providing advice for levy payers who have particular problems that they cannot resolve themselves. The BID team has been available for help regarding all COVID 19 related guidelines and the latest updates from central government.

There are very few areas of our lives that have not been affected by the pandemic. The loss of both independent and national businesses has left everyone with a huge feeling of uncertainty. I believe Your Bromley is more important than ever at this time and would encourage businesses to vote yes at the re-ballot in February. A yes vote is a vote for shopping locally, for local business, for the security of our town, for waving the flag for Bromley and continuing to improve the vibrancy and attractiveness of our town as a destination rather than just a town centre.