AWARDS, campaigns and overcoming challenges — just some of the successes seen this year from Tavistock's Business Improvement District (BID). At the BID's annual meeting last Thursday, members heard the round-up of the business accomplished since last October.

The highlight for BID and the town this year was receiving two silver gilts from the South West's Britain in Bloom awards along with 11 community 'It's Your Neighbourhood' campaign awards from the Royal Horticultural Society — giving a huge boost to the town's tourism.

Lisa Piper, BID manager, said how pleased BID was to receive such high ranking accolades: 'This is a seal of approval that Tavistock is a great place. Having the awards will show people that it's a nice place to visit and encourage more people to the town and will put Tavistock at the forefront of peoples' minds.'

Helping to draw more people into the town for the festive season the BID has signed a three year contract to enhance the Christmas light scheme which will mean that more areas of the town will be lit up than ever before. And to add more sparkle throughout the town, the BID is offering free 4ft Christmas trees to businesses in the town to house in shops, as part of the BID business plan.

Chairman of BID Tony Whitehead said at the meeting: 'The town will have lights where they didn't before and Christmas trees throughout the town — it will be good to see the town all working together.'

Following the closure of the Tourist Information Centre the BID has been working on updating its website http://www.visit-tavistock.co.uk">www.visit-tavistock.co.uk with information that tourists would look for when deciding to visit Tavistock. BID worked with local businesses to ensure the TIC was not lost completely and opened the centre in the Spar and Post Office by Abbey Bridge, which is open to the public seven days a week.

If that was not enough information, ten films, three minutes long, are being made to inform visitors and local residents about Tavistock's heritage and encourage people to visit the length and breadth of the town. People will be encouraged to download the new 'Visit Tavistock' iPhone app on arrival and follow a trail, which the BID said will increase the circulation of footfall around the town.

BID was successful in becoming a finalist in the coach friendly destination of the year in the National Coach Tourism Awards 2014. Tavistock was up against Bournemouth, Burnham-on-Sea, Isle of Man, Skipton and Southport.

The BID has also been working with relevant authorities to possibly install three new signs in town that will list all shops and include finger posts to side streets. These could possibly be placed outside Newell's, one on the side of Pepper Street and on Brook Street, outside Dorothy Perkins. BID is also applying for a bench to be sited outside the clothing store to ensure the safety of the sign and give shoppers a place to rest.

Mrs Piper said: 'It has been a year of fulfilling the objectives of the BID and getting projects completed in the town.

'It has also been a year of surprises, with the Tourist Information Centre closing and with the Christmas lights needing to be replaced— it's all been a challenge but we hope that the levy payers have seen something for their money.'