‘Time to come together’ for Knaresborough businesses after BID row

Knaresborough business owners say the town must come together and mend the divide following a row over setting up a town BID.

The voting down of a BID earlier this month, by 80 to 73, caused acrimony between businesses and led some to walk out of a Chamber of Trade AGM.

The Stray Ferret asked businesses where the town goes from here. The common message was one of “coming together to have their voices heard”.

Elaine Grinter, who has owned the Art in the Mill gallery with her husband Andy for 14 years, said:

“As a town we generally all get along and want the best for Knaresborough. Chamber is going through a period of turnover. Hopefully that experience of BID and all the acrimony will be put to one side and we’ll see a positive energy coming through.

“My query going forward is how we will be represented in the future with council changes. I think anything that sees us work together is a good idea.”

The upcoming devolution agreement is at the forefront of business owners minds with some saying without a BID representing them, like in Harrogate and Ripon, they will need to shout louder to make sure the town isn’t forgotten.

Businesses also raved of the “booming” summer of tourism experienced this year and are keen to keep the momentum high with a Christmas market, trees and window displays.

Kelly Teggin, owner of Kelly Teggin Hair and Beauty, was on the BID taskforce before it had to be disbanded and is hoping some of the projects BID had planned for can still go ahead. She said:

“I think it’s going to take a few months to settle down but we do need to draw a line under this divide or the town will suffer. The BID was going to bring some amazing things to the town because it was a big pot of money.

“I would still like to see some of the things we’d planned, this is time to come together for the town.”

A number of other businesses agreed the town needed time to heal but were confident the community would come back together for the good of the town.

Chamber attempts to build bridges

Peter Lacey, membership secretary of Knaresborough Chamber of Trade, agreed the town must move on and has said the chamber is taking forward suggestions from this month’s AGM.

Networking events, joining up with other community groups and improving links between the town centre and Waterside are all to be looked at.

Today, the Chamber sent a letter apologising for previous comments made by former Chamber president Steve Teggin who hit out at “anti-BID activists” in an open letter. The current Chamber board said it had not signed off on the letter and “apologised for the hurt”.

Mr Lacey said:

“I hope when we come together in January we can talk positively and constructively about Knaresborough’s future.”

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John Ashton has just opened his business on the high street, Jovial Antiques. He said he was aware from other businesses there was a divide:

“I have heard some talk about people feeling upset at the outcome of the BID. I’m new to the area but I can tell there is a great community feel, businesses on the high street were straight into the shop to welcome me.

“I voted for a BID but of course we didn’t get it. The one thing we need is parking but visitors aren’t going to stop coming it’ll always be a busy town.”

Business owners walk out of Knaresborough chamber meeting over rejected BID

A group of Knaresborough businesses walked out of this week’s chamber meeting after tensions rose over the rejected BID.

Last week businesses in the town voted narrowly to reject forming a BID. The outcome caused a wave of acrimonious allegations about the process from both sides.

Outgoing chamber president, Steve Teggin who was pro-BID, wrote a letter accusing a small number of business of influencing votes which led to its rejection.

At Wednesday’s meeting these businesses strongly rejected claims they had changed the minds of voters.

One business owner who was there reported that around 16 people walked out with another saying it felt “very divided”.

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Peter Lacey, membership secretary of the chamber, said:

“Time was spent talking about future opportunities but recent history like the BID was also brought up. There were some heated exchanges and towards the end there was a group of people that left.

“We need to move on from that there is a future for chamber to talk about. We need to move forward.”

The chamber had earlier discussed filling vacancies on its senior board. There are five vacant positions after Mr Teggin and Bill Taylor – secretary and treasurer of the chamber – stepped down.

The vacant positions are; president, vice president, secretary, treasurer and social secretary.

The positions weren’t filled on the night as chamber rules state people must be nominated to take on the roles. Instructions on how to nominate will be sent out next week.

He said the 80-member strong chamber is looking ahead to working with the town’s businesses on future projects.

Kelly Teggin, chamber member and business owner, said:

“I am looking forward to new people joining chamber and we had some great idea’s at the AGM that will make Chamber more up to date. New leaders and new members will bring a new beginnings.”

Knaresborough chamber president hits out at ‘anti-BID activists’

Steve Teggin has criticised “anti-bid activists” as he steps down as president of Knaresborough Chamber of Trade.

In a letter he described as “frank and honest” to businesses ahead of the chamber’s AGM tomorrow, Mr Teggin said he felt “totally shamed and embarrassed” by the activists in the wake of the vote against setting up a Business Improvement District.

He said he had “failed” the town by not delivering the BID and said a small minority opposed to it had infected others.

The letter said:

“I should have steered the BID working group and task force in a much more positive way particularly when it came to dealing with trolls and anti-bidders, allowing this very small minority of businesses that only want to take and not give back to infect others.”

Mr Teggin, who has been chamber president since 2015 and a member since the 1970s, said he had delayed his retirement as president in the hope of helping to establish a BID and securing a “great trading future” for Knaresborough.

Instead he said he would leave the chamber “with a divided business community who will have no representation for the whole of the businesses in our town.”

80-73 votes against BID

The vote to create a BID, which would have seen businesses pay a compulsory levy to support initiatives that increased footfall in the town, was lost by 80 votes to 73. Harrogate and Ripon traders have both voted in favour of setting up BIDs.

The benefits of a BID, said Mr Teggin’s letter said, would have included:

“Not just saving our market but to expand it, help finance our now extinct tourist information hub, support our endangered library etc, all of which and much more for the cost of which is the equivalence to a couple of cups of coffee a week.”

He said the voices of those against it were louder than those in favour and other businesses were taken in by them. He added:

“I have been totally shamed and embarrassed by this group who along with fellow business owners we will have to depend on to represent our town traders so what does the future hold?”

“Not the way to bring the town together”

Natalie Horner, from printers Sid Horner and Son, had previously raised concerns about the BID. In response to the letter she said:

“That letter was not the way to bring the town together to move forward.

“Knaresborough did not want a BID and we are not a struggling town as it is made out we are, business is better than ever and we will be perfectly fine moving forward and have much more to offer as a town than those with Bids so personally I am not concerned.”

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Ian Gill, owner of independent bar Six Poor Folk, said:

“I’m committed to this town, and I voted for the BID because it was my contribution to see the town develop further. I am sad we didn’t get it, but business will continue and the town will go on as it did before.”

Mr Teggin had been due to retire two years ago but stayed on during the pandemic, but now, at 67, he said he felt it was the right time to step down.

He insists he will still be involved in the town and the Chamber but will take on a “behind the scenes” roll.

‘Lack of engagement’ saw Knaresborough BID fail, say businesses

A “lack of engagement” and “vague plans” led to a proposed Knaresborough Business Improvement District being rejected, say businesses.

Local traders voted down the plan this week by 80 votes to 73, with 153 votes cast overall.

BIDs, which already exist in many towns and cities, including Harrogate and Ripon, aim to improve footfall in towns and cities.

Businesses in areas that vote for creating them have to pay a levy to fund their activities.

But traders in Knaresborough said they felt the plans for the town were unclear.

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Annie Wilkinson-Gill, who owns The Crystal Buddha, said the organisation could have been good for the town had the BID task group engaged more.

She said:

“The BID could have been a good thing for the town, 

“But the lack of engagement from the BID team and directors with the town’s businesses and lack of transparency is why it wasn’t successful, 

“The plan was completely vague and had very little information within for us to want to invest in it.”

‘The town will continue to flourish’

Ashleigh Lambert, who owns Cenheard at Conyngham Hall in the town, said:

“I feel the plan from the BID lacked direction and failed to engage local businesses with the impacts, positive or negative.

“Knaresborough businesses have come together against the odds of votes stacked against them to vote for what they wanted for the town. I’m confident the town with continue to flourish with the support of groups and the council.”

The Stray Ferret contacted Bill Taylor, secretary and treasurer of Knaresborough Chamber of Trade and Commerce and a member of the BID task group for a response to the ballot but he declined to comment.

More than 300 firms were eligible to take part in the vote, which started in September and ran until October 8.

For the BID to succeed, a simple majority of those who vote, representing more than half the total rateable value of all properties, must be in favour.

But although Harrogate Borough Council threw its 28-strong block vote behind the scheme, it was unable to muster enough support.

Knaresborough businesses vote against setting up a BID

Knaresborough businesses have voted narrowly against setting up a business improvement district.

More than 300 firms were eligible to take part in the vote, which started in September and ran until October 8.

BIDs, which already exist in many towns and cities, including Harrogate and Ripon, aim to create safer, cleaner and better promoted city and town centres to improve footfall.

Businesses in areas that vote for creating them have to pay a levy to fund their activities.

Results published by Harrogate Borough Council show that 153 votes were cast in the ballot but just 73 voted for the Knaresborough BID. Eighty voted against.

For the BID to succeed, a simple majority of those who vote, representing more than half the total rateable value of all properties, must be in favour.

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In September, the borough council lent its support to the BID and cast 28 votes in the ballot as it has that many rate paying properties in the town.

Authority officials also previously agreed to lend £27,000 for start-up costs and would have contributed around the same amount in levy charges had the BID been given the go-ahead.

Council backs Knaresborough BID plan with 28 votes

Harrogate Borough Council will vote in favour of plans to turn Knaresborough town centre into a Business Improvement District (BID) despite a plea to let firms “decide for themselves”.

Members of the council’s cabinet last night agreed to cast 28 votes in favour of the plans which if approved would see businesses pay an annual levy to the proposed BID body for projects to create a better promoted town centre.

The council can cast that many votes because it owns 28 rate-paying properties in the town – and the decision was made despite a plea for it to not take part in the voting process.

Speaking at a meeting last night, Julie Gillett, revenues, welfare and customer services officer at the council, said:

“A letter has been received by 17 Knaresborough businesses asking that the council abstain from voting in order to let businesses decide for themselves.

“However, officer recommendation remains the same that we should support the ballot stage as our support in this will help businesses to help themselves.”

More than 300 firms are eligible to take part in the vote which started last week and will run until 8 October. The results will be announced the following day.

A group of business leaders have been working on the plans since 2019 and will generate £700,000 in funding over the next five years if the vote is a success.

Before voting got underway, Harrogate Borough Council previously agreed to lend £27,000 for start-up costs and will contribute around the same amount in levy charges if the BID goes ahead.

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There are mixed feelings amongst the business community, with some firms raising questions over how the BID is being created and how much of a difference it could actually make.

Annie Wilkinson-Gill, owner of The Crystal Buddha gift shop, previously said there has been a “real lack of transparency” in the planning process, while Tracey Bell, owner of Ruebury Flowers, also said she fears the BID could be a “wasted opportunity”.

For the BID to succeed, a simple majority of those who vote, representing more than half the total rateable value of all properties, must be in favour.

The council’s 28 votes represents around 9% of the total number of businesses and 6% of the overall rateable value.

Funding to boost ‘undersold’ Knaresborough businesses

Harrogate Borough Council is set to support the setting up of a Knaresborough Business Improvement District with a £27,000 loan.

Senior councillors will be recommended to support the BID in principle and the loan at a cabinet meeting tomorrow.

A BID is a partnership between businesses, which pay a levy on their rates to provide further projects and services to benefit businesses in a defined area.

It can include marketing, promotions and street cleaning.

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As part of the proposal, the Knaresborough BID area would cover 380 businesses.

William Taylor, one of the directors of the BID, told the Stray Ferret that the aim of the project would be to help make the town “more accessible”.

He said:

“We had a good conversation with them [the council] and they were looking for a professional approach and we have got that in place now.

“Knaresborough is very much undersold and has lived in the shadow of Harrogate and Ripon.

“We are looking to make it accessible to people and make people aware of it.”

Business ballot

Knaresborough BID was set up in 2019 and this loan will help it become operational.

Knaresborough BID brought in consultants Mosaic Partnerships, which also supported the development of the Harrogate BID, to help set up the organisation and canvass support.

The project will be funded through a mixture of public and private funding.

The council’s proposed £27,000 loan would match funding raised by the Knaresborough BID.

So far, the BID has raised £16,000 from private business sources, organisations and individuals.

The loan would be paid for from the council’s 2024 reserves and repaid if businesses agreed to support it in a ballot.

Mr Taylor said it was working towards a ballot date in June.

A report due before councillors on Wednesday said the move to set up the BID had the potential to be positive for the town.

It said:

“The development of the Knaresborough BID is an externally led example of businesses coming together to seek to improve their trading environment to the benefit of all. 

“The development of Knaresborough BID represents an opportunity for the council to provide start up support for an initiative that has the potential to make positive changes to Knaresborough town centre and surrounding area.”