Successful first year for Colne BID businesses

Colne BID held its very first AGM this week, at the Pendle Hippodrome Theatre in the town.
The Colne BID boardThe Colne BID board
The Colne BID board

Colne BID is the first Business Improvement District in Pendle, welcomed new members and gave a resume of the first year of operation.

Colne’s BID Area consists of 330 businesses and is one of the smallest in the country, yet will have raised a shade over £100,000 in its first year of operation.

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Chairman Stuart Wilson, of Coversure Insurance, was re-elected and members chose as his deputy, Jane Turner of Tubbs of Colne.

Stuart said: “In Year 1, Colne BID Board Directors and BID Board Volunteers gave around 860 hours of their time to Colne BID. If we use a conservative value of £25 per hour to quantify this commitment, Colne BID has benefitted from £25,800 in ‘in kind’ contributions of volunteer time, which is amazing.”

In addition, four new directors joined the BID Board, which is now 12 strong.

Stuart welcomed Iain Booth, general manager of Lloyd’s BMW and Mini, Christina Cope, corporate manager of Pendleside Hospice, Kevin Mason, chairman of Pendle Hippodrome Theatre and Joanne Greenwood of Swankies Interiors.

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The BID Board has representatives from across the BID area and from a wide range of different types of businesses.

Jonathan Frank of TaxAssist, Colne, presented the first year’s accounts.

Part-time BID Manager, Lisa Durkin, revealed the new Come to Colne web site, as well as previewing some of the projects the group has set in train for Year 2, including more involvement in Colne’s events, such as the Colne Commemorates VE Day Event on May 8th.

She said: “Enquiries are rolling in for our A Fresh Lick of Paint grant scheme, which covers half the cost of external redecoration to a maximum of £500. I expect to get application forms to people next week, so we hope the first businesses will be transformed under this scheme in the Spring.”

If you wish to join Colne BID, receive information and newsletters, or apply for A Fresh Lick of Paint, please e-mail: [email protected].