Positive vote for BID paves way for city centre to be proud of

Ballot result gives mandate to get things moving, says Ian Broadfoot.

I AM delighted that Edinburgh's city centre businesses have voted in favour of introducing a Business Improvement District (BID). Edinburgh is a city steeped in history and I truly believe the introduction of the BID will be remembered as being another significant milestone in this wonderful city's development.

The city centre is Edinburgh's heart and soul, and it is widely regarded as one of the best in the world. However, we can't rest on our laurels, we must always be looking at ways to make the most out of what I believe is a unique resource.

With increased competition from other cities around the world, and with the increasing development of large retail parks such as Straiton, The Gyle and Fort Kinnaird, the city centre has constantly to adapt and be ready to meet new challenges.

The implementation of a city centre BID will allow Edinburgh's city centre businesses to react quicker to changes and also to have more control and say as to what happens within their area.

Essential Edinburgh now has a mandate to ensure that the city centre is a thriving, bustling place that continues to attract new visitors, businesses and development.

To achieve this we won't forget our current businesses and residents, and we look forward to developing a city centre that we can all continue to enjoy and feel proud of.

In an ideal world, all the businesses that were eligible to vote, would have voted in favour of the BID. However, we are fully aware that there were a number of businesses that voted against the proposal and we look to working with them to help alleviate their concerns.

The increasing financial demands that are being put on all businesses are well documented, and it is absolutely understandable that some businesses will have concerns.

However, I firmly believe that once we implement our plans that this will quickly lead to increased footfall within the area and that the businesses that were sceptical will quickly come to appreciate how successful the BID will be.

You only have to look at how successful the £2.6 million redevelopment of St Andrew Square Garden, which was recently opened to the public for the first time in its 238-year history, has been, and the impact it has had on the area.

We will now be looking to implement plans in a number of areas that will bring significant and immediate improvements to the city centre.

Evidence from all over the world proves that BIDs work, and they have had unbelievable success from London to New York. This is why Edinburgh is now the fifth BID area to ballot successfully in Scotland.

We now have a unique opportunity to make Edinburgh's city centre truly world class, and one I would urge everyone to support.

• Ian Broadfoot is the city centre manager (Edinburgh)