With the BID Ballot now officially open, we answer some of your questions.

For a business paying an annual BID levy of £500, the cost is just £1.37 a day. So what does your levy deliver?

Collective investment… City-wide benefits.  Harnessing collective buying power, your levy payment serves to contribute to the greater whole of the BID area business community and deliver benefits that individual businesses could not achieve alone.  Events and promotions have attracted over 280,000 visitors annually.

The BID’s work projects messages of productivity, confidence and pride to drive footfall and spend. A welcoming and stimulating city, good for business and a great place to work, live, visit, stay and enjoy.  The Economic Impact of Tourism report shows a 5% increase in day visits with a 7% rise in overall value.

£1.37 does not buy a daily coffee or newspaper, yet through St Albans City Centre BID it gives a wide and comprehensive range of benefits to all businesses.

• 46,200 followers on social media
• £115,000 loaded on to St Albans Gift Cards to be spent in 70 local businesses
• 24/7 access on www.enjoystalbans.com:
  showcasing the city, its assets, events, visitor itineraries, accommodation options, and business information
• 24/7 access on social media platforms:
  using @shopstalbans @enjoystalbans promoting St Albans and amplifying businesses’ own marketing messages
• Free publications distributed annually in and around St Albans:
  Official Visitor Guide – 40,000 copies; Food & Drink Map – 5,000 copies; Independent Shopping & Services Guide; Pub Map – 4,000 copies
• Local, national and international PR:
  secured through advertorials and adverts which promote St Albans as a destination -129 PR articles generated (2025-26) in national press with a reach of 300 million
• 24/7 seasonal street dressing and enhancements:
  bunting, festoon lighting, flower planters and troughs, banners and murals
• Seasonal activities:
  Christmas and Valentine’s illuminations, Easter, Halloween and Christmas trails plus themed trails throughout the year featuring 157 host businesses
• Segmented campaigns:
  Fashion and Beauty, Homes and Interiors, Hospitality
• Access to visitor insights:
  Economic Impact of Tourism reports; monthly debit card spend data, and weekly footfall reports
• Safety initiatives:
  DNA property marking kits for computers and mobiles; ShopSafe radios and the crime intelligence Alert scheme sharing information between businesses and the police; Coffee with a Copper meetings and staff safety training
• Social calendar events bringing people to the city:
  Gin and Jazz, Alban Day, Pop-up Beach and Crazy Golf, plus sponsoring the delivery of other events
• Liaison with local authorities to monitor baseline services:
  including reporting issues to highways, lack of rubbish collection, advocacy on issues affecting businesses’ problems and collaborative working
• B2B:
  1500 BID Benefits cards issued offering 24 discounts, networking through BID Socials, BID e-newsletter information and sharing of opportunities, preferential prices for waste collection, and events for staff such as Music in the Park, training, access to gazebos to enable delivery of events and Art Market
• B2C:
  St Albans Gift Card, keeping spend local
• Benefit from community led enhancements:
  projects including Blue Plaque and Blue Window Sticker trails with publications which move visitors across the city
• Encouraging inclusivity:
  working with Shop Mobility and Ask For Clive

Visit our Ballot Hub https://www.stalbansbid.com/bid-ballot/ to read the full Business Plan for the next 5 year term and watch our video to find out why St Albans businesses are voting YES to a third term, and learn more about what a YES vote means.