TAVISTOCK BID (Business Improvement District) reported a successful Dickensian Evening at the end of last year, with footfall on the park and ride and the perceived footfall in the town up on the previous year.

A few issues were said to have been raised with the timings of parking restrictions and road closures on the day, which BID said it would be looking into along with Tavistock Town Council ahead of this year’s event.

Switching on the Christmas lights on a different evening was said not to have had an adverse effect on Dickensian evening and so the same was proposed again for this year.

This year, Tavistock BID is currently working on enhancing the town’s visual appeal with new BID town signs and planters, as well as co-ordinating the annual hanging baskets, while also looking to increase displays, where possible, around the town centre.

Also this year, BID will continue to work with the South West BIDS Group and highlighted that it would be increasing communication with West Devon Borough Council in order to ‘positively influence the regional agenda’.

The organisation stated that it had started discussions with key bodies around the topics it believed were relevant to the next generation of consumer and would continue to apply pressure in order to be heard. Through the SW BIDS Group, Tavistock BID has started collaborating with the Local Enterprise Partnership in order to influence town centre policies on a national level.

Tavistock BID is currently looking for more business owners to join the BID board of directors. Anyone interested in joining and helping to shape and support the BID over the next few years should make contact.

The organisation is encouraging any BID member to complete the 2019 BID survey as soon as possible, to allow a better insight into how the current climate is affecting specific businesses and where the organisation can be best placed to support its members. To fill out the survey, visit www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/TavistockTHI-Business