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What is a BID?

A Business Improvement District is a defined area, in this case Bury town centre, in which a levy is charged on all eligible business ratepayers.

The Bury BID levy is set at 1.5% of the rateable value and the funds are used to develop projects which will benefit all town centre businesses. For more detailed information, see the Bury BID Business Plan 2022-27.

Bury town centre BID is:

  • Business led
  • Business funded
  • Guided by the Business Plan that the BID businesses input into

The funds from the BID levy do not replace council services, BID-funded projects will always be in addition to services provided by local authorities.

The Board & Governance

The BID Board is made up of voluntary business representatives.

Meet The Team

Nigel Shields

Town Centre Director

Nigel Shields brings a wealth of experience to the role, most recently as Head of Employer Engagement and Skills at Bury College. He has extensive knowledge of the area and the local business community and a deep understanding of the pressures on local businesses.

This position is key to the success of the BID and the ongoing development of Bury Town Centre as Nigel will lead on delivering the strategic direction of the BID for the next four years and beyond.

If you would like to arrange a meeting with Nigel, email manager@burybid.co.uk

Sally Boyd

Marketing and Communications Manager

Sally is from an advertising and arts marketing background and has made Bury her home for the last 20 years. Sally is responsible for strategy, planning and execution of all marketing and communications including overseeing and delivering event campaigns, print, pr, website and social media. Her work is both to promote Bury BID, our events and Bury town centre.

Poppy Howarth

Project and Events Manager

Poppy brings a wealth of experience in theatre and live performance management, with a recent focus on community engagement in the Ribble Valley. In her role, she will oversee the planning and execution of a variety of projects and events, with a strong emphasis on building positive relationships and creating memorable, sustainable experiences. Poppy will also collaborate closely with local businesses on the new Bury Crime Reduction (BCR) system roll out and administration.

Cameron Taylor

Project Support Assistant

Cameron is currently a student at Bury College, studying a T-Level in Business Management and Administration course. He completed a 315-hour work placement with Bury BID and now he helps to support the team on different town centre projects and website support. In his spare time, Cameron is a Radcliffe FC fan and spends most of his weekends watching them home and away.

Imogen Keen

Project and Events Manager

Imogen brings extensive experience in music events and festivals, having managed large-scale productions with high-profile artists and created memorable experiences for thousands. Drawn to Bury BID by its strong sense of community, Imogen is passionate about producing vibrant, engaging events that celebrate Bury, connect people and businesses, and attract new audiences to discover all the town has to offer.

John McLoughlin

Town Centre Ranger

John McLoughlin brings over 30 years of experience in security, venue security, and event management in the night time economy. His role focuses on keeping the town centre safe, supporting local businesses, and maintaining a visible, approachable presence throughout Bury. A lifelong local with a background in fitness, boxing, and martial arts, John knows Bury inside out and takes great pride in making a positive difference for businesses, visitors, and the wider community.

What we do

Bury BID offers a diverse range of services that will attract more visitors to Bury town centre and encourage them to stay longer and enjoy the businesses. A key priority for the BID is to support the town centre welcome.

FAQs

A BID is an arrangement whereby businesses get together to decide what improvements they want to make in their town centre, how they will manage these and what it will cost them. This all goes into a business plan which is voted on by all those who would have to contribute. The BID lasts for a maximum of five years and must be able to demonstrate how a BID benefits the businesses that have funded it.

It’s up to you. BIDs can deliver projects or services that are agreed by the businesses in the BID area (see map) and must be services and projects that are over and above anything that the Public Sector already provides. Before a BID business plan is produced all the services being delivered by the Local Authority are benchmarked and they must continue to deliver that level of service for the 5-year term of the BID. BIDs can deliver projects or services that are agreed by the businesses within the BID area.
A BID is a mechanism which allows businesses to raise a sum of money to manage and deliver projects that they have identified to improve their trading environment.

Keep Up To Date

Stay connected with Bury BID on LinkedIn for local business updates, events, and community news—supporting Bury town centre together.