MINEHEAD traders are being urged not to rejoin the town’s Business Improvement District scheme (BID) when its five-year term expires in May.

A “Let’s Kick Out Minehead BID” campaign, led by a Taunton businessman, is seeking to persuade members to vote against a renewal on the grounds of claims that BID is not fit for purpose and has failed to make any significant improvements in the town.

Campaigners claimed that despite £400,000 being paid to the organisation by Minehead businesses since 2018, less than 40 per cent had seen any trading benefit.

But this week Minehead BID officials strenuously rejected the protestors’ allegations.

“We are aware of the feelings being generated by a small anti-BID group,” said chairman Graham Sizer. “It happens all over the country as renewal elections approach. But we are hopeful that the majority of our 200 business voters will see the benefits BID has brought to the town in the past five years.”

He added that BID fees were only 1.5 per cent of a business’s rateable value - “in many cases less than the price of a weekly cup of coffee”- which went towards enhancements to the business environment leading to increased vibrancy in the town.

“Minehead can boast one of the lowest shop vacancies in the Southwest and we weren’t there a few years ago.

“If we receive a positive mandate in May, BID will continue with its current projects, events and marketing campaigns but will be able to more confidently launch more ambitious initiatives.

“We know times are hard, but all we ask is for our sceptics to perhaps look outside their own box to the bigger picture.”

Businessman Shawn Rutter, who successfully opposed a Taunton BID ballot in 2020, is a driving force behind the Minehead campaign which claims that the BID levy is an extra tax on hard-pressed business. The campaigners also allege that bailiffs have been collecting overdue levies and the Minehead BID hasn’t demonstrated a return on investment or justified high administration costs. Campaigners asked businesses: “Can you really look back and say it’s been a great investment because my business is seeing tangible benefits and I’m more profitable because of BID?”

“They keep claiming credit for things that are not really being paid for or provided by the BID.

“We are lucky to have other external investment and organisations that do the same as BID like the Enterprising Minehead fund, Minehead and Coast Development Trust resources, the town council, the district council, tourist information centre and chamber of commerce.

“So why should businesses foot the bill for more ‘investment’ that is not needed? 

“There is duplication of effort with other bodies which means they are wasting money.

“Why pay to compete with resources Minehead already has?

In a statement, Minehead BID replied that “all community organisations are currently suffering. Manpower and money are disappearing. 

“At the same time, councils’ finances are being squeezed and services lost. Although BIDs are taking over where chambers of commerce were struggling, they are not obliged to look at taking over council services.

“We can, and do, lobby. One of the current issues we are trying to help resolve is the lack of public toilets near Minehead station.  

“BID business plans do allow for service enhancement. 

“In the late 90’s Minehead won, outright, the Britain in Bloom competition, and last year, after a 20-year gap, Minehead was awarded Silver Gilt, putting it back on the tourist ladder again. 

“Maybe the extra 150 hanging baskets and planters that BID provided helped. This sort of thing could be lost if BID is voted out. 

“Examples of many other initiatives are in the new BID business plan which will show over the years, hat we have not only financed our own projects, but also helped support smaller groups trying to do the same thing:  the Defibrillator Group, Metal Head Trail map, Minehead Plastic Free Community, and Gateway Events. Collaboration does work.   

“We are accused by a few of being in bed with our councils, allowing them to relinquish some of their obligations. But thankfully, like most businesses in BID towns, especially small ones like Minehead, it is acknowledged that strong partnerships - working with others - make the pennies go further.”