MINEHEAD’s Business Improvement District organisation (BID) was this week rejected in a members’ ballot and will cease its activities at the end of the month.

Members voted 62-50 to reject BID’s plans for the next five years and promotion of the town will revert to bodies including the town council, Minehead Coastal Community Group, Somerset Council and the tourist information centre, unless any new organisations are formed.

Main opposition to BID’s plans came from the pressure group “Kick Out Minehead Bid”, whose leading campaigner, businessman Ben Jewell, said this week: “Hopefully, everybody can accept the result and put BID behind us. It is clear the majority of businesses saw no value or return on their investment.”

But a BID spokesman said that in the past five years the organisation had helped raise the town’s profile, created a more attractive environment and made it a more vibrant place.

“Had it been voted in, a new five year term would have sought additional income to finance a range of new and major improvements which would have benefitted all Minehead businesses.”

Mr Jewell told the Free Press that traders he had spoken with were obviously happy with the ballot result.

“The numbers speak for themselves - the ballot in 2018 returned support of 41 per cent and after five years of trying BID, that support dropped to 26 per cent. Each business voted on whether Minehead BID should continue and it was democratically decided that it should come to an end.”

Mr Jewell said that BID had divided businesses in the town, but said: “It is important now that all businesses put their views on BID aside and come together in a pragmatic manner, while also reaching out to the wider community in the best interests of the town.”

Mr Jewell added: “It is not just for our ‘No’ campaign to decide what the future holds for Minehead and which events to create, how best to promote the town, or even what colour bunting to have, it is for anybody who wishes to be involved. There are plans to hold an informal gathering very shortly.”

Mr Jewell said in the meantime people could email ideas to [email protected].

The spokesman for BID said that achievements over the past five years included funding numerous events and festivals, improving the town with planters, hanging baskets, benches and new illuminations, funding free car parking and raising funds which would not have been secured without BID.

“After Covid, BID played its part in supporting businesses and by providing information and advice on available grants, which we were told was invaluable,” they added.

In March this year, the Free Press reported that a growing number of traders had said they intended to vote against another five-year term. BID hit back, with a spokesman saying: “Our members say they get great value for money with everything BID delivers. We have improved and enhanced our town for businesses, visitors and residents.”

Minehead BID founder and chairman for the past five years, Graham Sizer, told the Free Press: “It was a great disappointment. We felt what we had done to make Minehead that little bit more attractive over the past five years would be a good enough platform from which to launch our new business plan. Unfortunately the use of social media and an anti-BID campaign orchestrated from outside Minehead did enough to dissuade some business voters.

“One of our original objectives was to create a vibrant retail centre where retailers would see an upward trend in takings. We didn’t expect it to happen overnight, and indeed for nearly two years of our five-year term Covid had the opposite effect. Our electronic footfall monitor in the Parade, however, did start to provide evidence, coming out of lockdown, that we were performing better than other towns in the region, especially those without a BID. Everyone who visited Taunton must have seen the difference. Minehead shops stayed resilient, and for the last 18 months Minehead has recorded the lowest shop vacancy rate of any town in the South West. But this was not enough.

“Perhaps over the next year, the loss of the extra 150 flowering baskets, the flags and bunting, the visitor’s guide, street entertainment and events we helped facilitate will have an impact.

“My fellow BID directors, who voluntarily gave up so much of their time, hope not. They have told me they wouldn’t want to see a return to the old Minehead. And on a positive note let’s hope the anti-BID campaigners do step up to provide an alternative. They will need the help of our local councils who, in partnership with BID, had created an indispensable partnership.

“It is a sad day, but we must move on.”

Additional reporting by John Thorne