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 our city. They meet regularly to make sure there is real value in all decisions made. The BID also works in close partnership with St Albans District Council and other key stakeholders like St Albans Chamber of Commerce and Visit Herts.
The Board ensure that the implementation of the BID will be monitored and delivered cost effectively, through keeping overheads to a minimum and using methods which will optimise the use of the revenue budget and add real value to the delivery of the plan.
Day to day, the BID team comprises of our CEO Alison Berneye, BID Manager Vivien Cannon, Communications, Marketing and Destinations Manager Kate Cohen and are assisted in the office by Carol-Ann.
Our office hours are Mon-Fri 9am - 5pm so please feel free to get in touch with anything BID relateed.
Alison Berneye Chief Executive Officer
Alison started her career in Hotel Management, initially working at St. Michaels Manor during her college days. She swiftly moved in to Shopping Centre Management attending the same meetings as Phil Corrigan some 25 years ago! Latterly she ran her own Events Management Company with Shopping Centres, Farm Parks and Garden Centres as clients. Due to the success of her business, she retired in January 2020 after 22 years. Alison then took on voluntary roles as a Trustee for St Albans Citizens Advice and as a Mentor for the Princes Trust, supporting young people wanting to start their own business. Having Chaired the St Albans Visitor Partnership for 4 years Alison was invited to become the Independent Chair of the BID Board and subsequently the interim Executive BID Manager. Alison lives in the City Centre and has two adult daughters who also live in St. Albans
Vivien Cannon BID Manager
[javascript protected email address]
What does a day in the life of a BID Manager look like?
Every day is very different! This week, I’m drafting a pictorial vision to share with the Historic Alleyways working group for what our historic alleyways around Market Place could look like as we work towards creating a more visitor-friendly and stimulating historic attraction area. I’m also coordinating new lamp column banners to ‘dress’ the town and present a welcoming environment for visitors. We are lucky in St Albans that our local businesses are always keen to invest in their community and I like to make sure that’s recognised by the community and share their activities on our social media platforms. Our local businesses are so much more than vendors; they are one of the many communities that make up St Albans.
What do you love most about St Albans?
Its vibe – which is to say the ‘chatter’ of the city centre which is my workspace. The city hosts shoppers, tourists, locals, visitors, school children, market traders and buskers which all add to the ambience. There is always something going on to draw your attention.
What tips would you give to anyone visiting St Albans?
Come to Shop, Eat, Stay, and Enjoy St Albans – we have it all so make sure you give yourselves plenty of time.
Kate Cohen Communications, Marketing and Destination Manager
[javascript protected email address]
I’m delighted to join St Albans BID at this exciting time and I’m looking forward to being part of this next chapter as we continue to emerge postpandemic. Having worked in Marketing and Communications for most of my career, and lived in St Albans for over 10 years, I’m excited to combine my professional expertise and local knowledge to deliver for St Albans BID and support our city centre businesses.
What does a day in the life of a BID Communications Marketing and Destination Manager look like?
It’s one of those jobs with a very diverse brief! As a starting point, it’s about communicating with BID Levy payers, keeping them updated on our workflow and finding out how we can help them. I’m also tasked with delivering our marketing activity which covers everything from what we look like to what you’ll see on our websites, social media and guides plus the events we hold across the year. Lastly, I’m focused on promoting St Albans as THE destination to visit with everything you need from amazing hotels, great shopping, wonderful food and drink, and amazing experiences.
What do you love most about St Albans?
It has to be the community. I’ve lived here for over 10 years, and I love how passionate people are about living here and how friendly everyone is.
What tips would you give to anyone visiting St Albans?
Grab a visitor guide and plan your day as there is so much to see within walking distance whether it’s heading down to Verulamium Park to see Roman ruins or staying in town and working your way around the lovely shops. Obviously, you will have to factor in time for coffee, lunch and cake!