Business Improvement District

Helen Rhodes the Manager of Ilkley Business Improvement District (BID) spoke about how it is business led and funded, and has been given a 5 year run from June 2019 to May 2024. They have around £140,000 to invest into the central Ilkley community and businesses and is helped by regular use of social media, marketing, face to face meetings, information sheets and a number of open events. Money is allocated fairly to make sure that small businesses get a fair share of the finance. Directors are unpaid. 

Free parking is a major issue and recently parking amendments have been made, with more spaces, no more work permits on residential streets , an increase in free parking up to one hour and an increase in the maximum two hour parking limit in many areas to four hours to allow visitors to enjoy shopping as well as local eateries. 

Thousands of square metres of pavements have been cleaned. 

During lockdown businesses have flourished and helped to overcome loss of income. 

Another innovation is Place Dashboard which uses the first part of a person’s postcode to tell which area a person has come from when they arrive in Ilkley. 

Estimates can then be made about how many people are in the town centre which is good for assessing footfall in the town.