St Albans Business Improvement District (BID) today announced that Gemma Jones of St Albans Cathedral, Sally-Anne Shepherd of Eve & Adam Beauty Clinic and Steve Walker of Collinson Hall have been appointed as Directors of the Board, further enhancing the expertise of the BID’s strategic team.

The BID is led by a volunteer Board of Directors who are experienced local business and community leaders driven and united by their passion for St Albans. Members include Paul Bedi, Branch Manager at Barclays in St Albans and Marilyn Bell, partner at legal firm SA Law.

Gemma Jones, Head of Marketing and Visitor Experience at St Albans Cathedral, said:
“’I am excited to join St Albans BID and work closely with so many talented and passionate people. St Albans is a destination with so much to offer and has a packed calendar of events and attractions for locals and tourists alike and the BID plays a vital role in driving footfall and showcasing our vibrant, thriving city.”

Sally-Anne Shepherd, founder of Eve & Adam Beauty Clinic which has been operating on Catherine Street since 2002, said:
“I’m delighted to be joining the St Albans BID board. Their emphasis on partnership, support and action for high street businesses resonates with me at this crucial time for small business owners. Having operated in St Albans for 20 years I’m keen to help the team continue to build stronger relations and connections with high street businesses and partners. Collaboration is key.”

Steve Walker, Managing Director and owner of Collinson Hall for over 30 years, said:
“I am pleased to take on this role at an important time for our city. The needs of our local businesses are dynamic and challenging, and I look forward to working alongside my BID board colleagues to focus on finding innovative and meaningful ways to use the BID levy to benefit the local businesses and to promote St Albans as a fantastic place to run a business, to live and to work.”

The board will say farewell at the end of December to Mandy McNeil who steps down after 5 years as a volunteer Director to focus on the international expansion of her business. Mandy played a significant role in helping businesses navigate COVID-19, assisting business owners in understanding the legislation, accessing available grants and helping several business owners with successful COVID business interruption claims. She also set up a community WhatsApp group to connect business owners, which today remains a beacon of support and provides a platform for daily communication.