Same here. Hullbid forcing their tax on you and nothing in return. No wonder the city centre is dead.
Hullbid hardly force it on you. Their existence, and therefore the charge, has to be voted on by the businesses in their area or they don’t exist at all. Seem to put a fair few events on too?
It's compulsory to pay it. At the time I didn't know a single person who voted for them other than my mate Lee at Minerva yet I knew a lot that voted no. Each year they just somehow got the votes they needed with no transparency. The events at that time were geared towards just a few of their pals. Their actual function is supposed to be making the City 'Safer, Cleaner and vibrant' place. Hull has probably never been as run down, dirty and unsafe as it is now, 20 years into their watch. I still see the same 2 blokes walking around in blue jackets, 20 years they've been trotting around. Kathryn Shillito has had a nice payday though. Who cares if the amount of empty shops is higher than ever and businesses are going under due to high rates, rents and hullbids forced tax. The owners of hares and graces have just watched their stock be sold by Gilbert Baitson last week, I'm sure they would have a more recent experience on Hullbid than I can offer, however from what I can see of the city centre the downturn speaks volumes.
It’s compulsory to pay only if the majority of businesses in the area vote for having a Bid and the charges. I’m not running a business in the city centre so don’t know the detail, but I do know that Bids get closed down if the businesses don’t, collectively, feel that it’s working for them. Yorkshire Coast Bid closed recently because the majority of businesses voted against it. Simple. Presumably that means that when there was last a vote most Hull businesses thought it worked for them so voted for it to continue. (Just checked and they’ve voted to continue it twice, the next vote whether to is next year. If what you say is believed by them then they’ll simply vote to end it) I’ve got no skin in the game. I was simply making a point that everyone gets what they vote for. Lots complain about it after (including those who didn’t bother voting) but if enough don’t like it then a Bid simply ceases to exist, whereas you made it sound like it was forced on businesses without a choice. Collectively they have a choice. I do think it’s unfair to suggest the vote isn’t transparent though. It’s a postal ballot administered independently by the Council, who are squeaky clean when it comes to counting votes (whether or not people like the outcome) I don’t agree Hull is more run down and dirty that ever, although I agree the amount of shops closed is a worry (although is the same in many City centres) The events I mentioned are simply the ones I notice as a punter btw, like the dinosaur one they ran encouraging families into the centre. Like I say it’s not my thing. I simply value democracy and accept that if something like the Hull Bid doesn’t work then every 5 years it can get voted to stop. So far more businesses have voted to pay a levy and for it to carry on. Next year that might change. That’s democracy for you.
It was Daky and a dodgy bloke from the midlands that began the redevelopment of Hesslewood Orphanage and the site into an old folks home and business park . They were really doing it on a shoestring as Daly always had . The company who own it now are still the one originally involved they’ve done well , that site is classy and full of businesses - Don’t think Daly hung around after it started for some reason .
