A BID to boost Ennis

An Ennis group concerned about the economic future of the county town has come up with an innovative plan in a BID to support and create Ennis jobs.

Councillor Johnny Flynn, representatives of Ennis Chamber and Aoife Madden, chairperson of the Ennis Development Forum, have come together to speak out for the establishment of a Business Improvement District in the county capital.

A Business Improvement District (BID) is a public/private partnership in which business owners elect to make a collective contribution to the maintenance, development and promotion of their commercial district.

It is estimated that this, along with other measures including the Purple Flag initiative, could protect up to 500 existing jobs and create a similar number in a variety of sectors.
Councillor Flynn explained the idea came about as a result of Ennis’ hub town status and its responsibilities in the areas of economic development and job creation within the Mid-West.

“For the future of the town, its citizens, employees and businesses, we need to take action now with several brave and well-planned steps. The first one is the widely supported Purple Flag initiative for a safer and more vibrant night-time economy, which is awaiting progression in early 2012. A second step could be the formation of a BID programme. Combined, these steps could lead by 2020 to the protection of up to 500 existing jobs and the creation of a similar number of jobs, in the retail, hospitality and related industries,” he said.

A BID does not replace the services offered by the town centre; the services of a BID supplement and further these services and often cover areas including marketing, visitor assistance programmes, capital projects and improvements.

He added that a BID provides the basis for a more attractive business district with the ability to react quickly to needs from the business community, based on a steady and reliable funding source and is, as a result, better able to compete with nearby retail and business centres.

Brian O’Neill, incoming president of Ennis Chamber added, “The Chamber supports moves toward a possible BID initiative as it would be a great opportunity for business owners to improve their business streets/area, which they are most familiar with, in the most efficient manner for their own business, job protection and the district as a whole.”

The concept of BIDs originated in North America and has been in existence in the UK since 2003, with an estimated 1,000 BIDs now in the US and over 100 in the UK.
The largest BID in Ireland (and indeed in the whole of Europe), is the Dublin City BID, which has been in operation since March 2008.

On a recent visit to Dublin, Councillor Flynn met with the Dublin BID’s CEO, Richard Guiney and his operations manager, who shared their experiences.

“A BID in Ennis presents a great opportunity for the town, providing it has solid input from all on what is required. We have some of that data available from the Ennis 2020 documentation. I propose to supplement that information with a Needs and Assessment Street Survey for business owners early in the new year. For 2012, I am planning to continue my work with my colleagues at the town council and in partnership with businesses and agencies to stand together confronting the challenges of employment in Ennis.”

Story adapted from Clarechampion.ie