By Joshua Robinson –
Over the past 12 months, Brighouse has seen more visitors, more events, and more investment, according to the town’s business improvement district (BID) which has reported back to members at its annual general meeting.
The BID, set up in 2019, supports all town centre businesses, shops, and venues, and ensures there is a calendar of events, activities, and attractions with the aim of encouraging people to visit, shop, spend, and return.
It is funded primarily through levy payments made by town centre businesses, with two-thirds paying less than £5 a week towards the £160,000 annual investment in Brighouse.
Every year, the directors of the BID company publish an activity summary and report on what has been delivered with that money, and among the highlights for September 2022 to August 2023 are:
- Record crowd numbers for the town’s largest events – the June 1940s Weekend and Christmas Market and Lights Switch On
- Record number of families visiting the town for the town centre trails, generating engagement with shops and businesses in Brighouse
- Over 60 shops & businesses signed up for the new Brighouse Gift Card with revenue generated and retained in the town
- 18 events & workshops delivered by the Brighouse BID team and town centre businesses tempting in visitors
- 40 hanging baskets installed, brightening up the town centre and enhancing the work of groups like Incredible Edible
- More than 100 pavements, streets & walls deep cleaned, presenting a more attractive town centre for shoppers, visitors. and workers
- 90,000 visitors to the Visit Brighouse website over the course of the year discovering more about the town and what is happening
- Over 250,000 reach on @visitbrighouse social media channels – record levels of engagement promoting the town
The full annual report can be read at www.visitbrighouse.com/annualreport, copies will be distributed to town centre businesses and can be read at the Brighouse BID Office on Bradford Road.
Lesley Adams, co-chair of the Brighouse BID, said: “Our Brighouse BID team do all we can to get the best value for money from the levy paid by businesses which is invested in Brighouse, for Brighouse, by Brighouse.”
“We continually evaluate our plans to achieve the best for the town – adapting to local and national trends to ensure Brighouse stays on top of what visitors want to see and experience.”
Lesley Adams added: “For so many, the past 12 months has been hard and the town centre has sadly seen some businesses close – both national and local. But we’ve also welcomed a lot of new faces, and we’re very fortunate that we have a very low shop vacancy rate in comparison to towns of a similar size. We are doing something right – as the town footfall has clearly demonstrated during the first 6 months of 2023 with over 3 million visitors.”
“Thank you to every business, office, shop and venue for being part of our town and our BID, and we hope to continue to deliver for Brighouse in the months and years ahead.”
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