Business Improvement Districts & Tourism Impact

This assignment examines the multifaceted role of Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) in shaping urban landscapes and their influence on tourism. It delves into the history and evolution of BIDs, analyzing their impact on economic growth, community revitalization, and the visitor experience. The assignment also considers the challenges and criticisms associated with BIDs, exploring their potential effects on social equity and gentrification. Students are encouraged to critically evaluate the effectiveness of BIDs in fostering sustainable tourism development and enhancing urban livability.

E-Tourism

TABLE OF CONTENT
INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................3
PART 1............................................................................................................................................3
(A) The concept of a BID............................................................................................................3
(B) The role of BID's in the strategic planning and leisure.........................................................5
PART 2............................................................................................................................................8
(A) Historical building used for tourism.....................................................................................8
Current functions of the churchill war rooms.............................................................................9
(B) Reuse of historic buildings in strategic tourism developments..........................................10
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................12
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................13

INTRODUCTION
Business improvement districts (BID's) are systematic organization build and formed by
private property owners and businesses within bounded by legally constituted districts. The
report has its focus on the role which the Business improvement districts (BID's) are playing in
the area of tourism and leisure industry. The Business improvement districts (BID's) apply
various concept for strategic planning to increase the level of businesses within the locality.
The concept of the Business improvement districts (BID's) try to explain its origin and
the need of BID's for the society. Discussion on the various factors will make an easy
understanding on the positive and negative influences arised because of the Business
improvement districts (BID's). Historical the Churchill war rooms is explained with its current
functions and the benefits which it giving to local, social and economical environment.
PART 1
(A) The concept of a BID
The concept of business improvement district (BID) refers as a defined area where levy is
charged on businesses or where all the businesses need to pay additional tax or levy. This
additional tax or levy is charged for development of the projects in order to fund them around the
district boundaries. The legalities, rules and regulation use in forming BID is varies state to state.
The BID is not funded only by tax or levy but also other public and private funding streams are
used in BID for the development purpose (Lee, 2016).
Around 250 business improvement district already established around the UK over a
decade. The guiding principles produced by BID provides industries a 'voluntary code of
conduct' which works for setting the parameters so that equal importance of new location refer a
BID well for the sack of establishing a BID companies. Generally bid consider as a body which
lead and funded by the various business to developing and improving a defined commercial area.
BID's also consider by various name such as Business improvement area (BIA), Business
revitalization zone (BRZ), Community improvement district (CID), Special services area (SSA)
and Special improvement district (SID). The districts fall under BID are typically funded by
businesses and performed in an unorganized manner by the government with its existing tax
revenues, these services are cleaning street, providing the security, making capital
improvements, construction of pedestrian and enhancing the streetscape.(Houstoun, 2003)

Some of the BID's are independently performed without the support of local government
these have almost complete autonomy in financing, managing and constructing the specific
project, whereas others are dependent on the local government created only for the sake of
generating revenues for the specific project.
In the context of business improvement district there is no limit on what or which project
and service provided by a business improvement district the only mandatory and essential
requirement is that something should add some value in the services which are offered by the
local authorities. Improvement as a value addition can be additional safety/security, hygienic
environmental measures. Previously Business improvement district fall within a local authority
boundaries but after 2013 government initiate 'Cross boundary business improvement districts'
which facilitates business improvement districts to start operating out of the local authority area.
The first ever bid is presented in the Canada in the year 1970, after that they outspread all
across the globe administrating the public and private conglomeration that increase the return of
the profit in the mode of marketing, enhancement and space for the trading activity. Government
of UK took a very big step in October 2013 for helping those who want to develop the business
improvement district by providing 500,000 pound fund for loan.(Ward, 2006)
Business improvement district has its own capabilities such as arranging services and
extra security for public spaces and private businesses, enhancing the down-town businesses,
genrate funding for capital adequacy, alteration or renovation of the infrastructure so that
business can be enhanced. Researching, collecting and analysing the economic and demographic
data so that promotion activities can be increase in the area of business. Launching and
assimilate planning efforts, Permitting BID to testing with innovative practices, Increase the pace
of the system so that strategies can be implemented at a faster rate.
In UK BID first came into the existence in England and Wales a put into the system by
legislation in 2004. The first pilot BID set up by five year schemes financed by the London
development agency. The augmentation of the BID's regulation took place by the systematic co-
ordinated pilot talking shops in 22 locations of England and Wales. The development pace was
high in London as of 2007 there were 36 planned and ready to work BID's are there, till February
2017 there were 270 BID's are there which considered as operational.
There are some regulations which are used in the legislation of Business improvement
district. 5 years is the maximum period for the charging of levy and tax on the BID's. Once the 5

year time is over the business improvement district is ceased automatically, if the BID company
willing to go on then they need to hold a new ballot. Here ballot is the process of voting for the
businesses who wants to come under the umbrella of business improvement district and took the
levy asset out as proposals and then ballot will determine that whether the scheme will go on or
not. The winning vote is considered as the one who got majority combining votes cast and
rateable value of the vote cast. The process of ballot is managed by the local authority, if the
local authority have the opinion that the arrangement of the business improvement district are
looks like the conflicting one because of the existing policy and the rate payers may face the
financial burden then they have the power for veto the proposals.
The management of the business improvement district is in the hand of business
improvement district body. This body can be a private company conglomerate with the local
authority. The responsibility of expanding and initiating the advised proposal is at the shoulder
of Business improvement district body. The body present the proposal and business plan in front
of local authority with the blue-print of all financial arrangement sources for the improvements
in the BID body. The management of the billing and collection of the levy work can be done by
local authority on the behalf of BID's body.(Mitchell, 2001)
Legislation allows that appeals can be made against Business improvement districts
(BID's).But the appeal will be considered only if material irregularities appears at the time of the
ballot process. The secretary for the state and community and the local government are the
statutory bodies which heard the appeals against the Business improvement districts (BID's).
(B) The role of BID's in the strategic planning and leisure
In some recent years Business improvement districts have been contributing important
and over increasing role in the area of local management. Business improvement district which
are situated in London are mainly focused on the certain factors such as promoting, cleaning up
the areas. But now BID's in London are changing their focus from managing the place to shaping
the place, focuses more on place branding and strategic voice, so overall London based Business
improvement districts are moving towards the more strategic mindset for improvement.
To shaping up the future high street plans in 2011 ports reviews the UK based high
streets. After reviewing the high street in UK ports recommended the super-bid's, according to
him these would have enhancing the role which played by BID's. Recommendations by ports as
super BID's will give:

 Community right to challenge
 Community right to BID's
 Right to use the compulsory purchase order
 Ability to entering and upgrading strategic fewer properties
 Power to designing the neighbourhood plans
London is the one and only place in the UK and its makes it unique that the owner of the
property in London are involved in the Business improvement districts. AS per the recent
scenario the owner of the property are only involve in the BID's if BID is already exist there, and
where the option of the business rate is levied which is possible only in the London. The
government announce its response in March 2014 about how property owners are working and
settling together with BID's under the present regulation and legislation. While government of
UK not only focusing on the concept of super- BID's implemented the other recommendations
given by ports, which includes non-judicial bodies local authorities should consult for planning
application and also provide guidance to local authority in supporting BID's in figure out the
community infrastructure levy scheme, and also determining that how local authorities are
considering the BID's applications for CPO's (Houstoun,.2004)
There are various evolving roles of BID's which are favoring the strategic planning of
tourism and leisure within london and its surrounding areas. The government make so many
strategies plan by keeping various aspects in the mind, such as what are the functions and range
of the services should BID's provide so that some of the central London based BID's may be in a
position to support the tourism and leisure activities while other factors are targeting towards the
economic development and regeneration, what are the areas where BID's can be take lead in the
local regeneration and can plays a larger role in it, inspecting the areas of London and figure out
that which areas are more suited for the business improvement districts, what are the conditions
and situations where BID's are not appropriate enough and what are the forms of town centre
management where it will be more appropriate decision to support the regeneration on the
popular streets and local areas (Mallett, W.J., 1994)
There are several London based Business improvement districts that have played a vital
role in tourism and leisure criterion 'Camden town limited' which is partnered in developing and
managing support for regeneration with the help of the mayor's registration fund. By developing

a collective platform for the visitors 'Waterloo quarter' is running 'every day' shops for the
regeneration on the London's high street. 'New Adlington' invested in the line of improving
pedestrian infrastructure, community stage and seating to improve the space around the
community.(Cook, 2008)
Business improvement districts contributes extra and upgraded services. Many BID's are
situated in the center of the London and initiated by the local authorities, they are the one who
provide BID's the core services, and in present local authorities are collecting the levy on behalf
of Business improvement districts. To strengthening the role of BID's in London the department
of business, innovation and skills is providing the consultation. They are trying to locate a
prudent environment for BID's by rising the transparency level for BID's to restore quality and
accountability, Establishing the amount and number of agreement between local authorities and
BID's for increasing the capacity of work, giving the choice option to BID's that who will gather
and collect the levy on their behalf.(Ward, 2007)
England has the ample number of developed tourist destinations which are having
established Business improvement districts (BID's) basede solutions to fufillthe need of the local
destination management. In the 2012 the existing concept of Business improvement districts
(BID's) was created two more areas, first one is the retail based in the center of the town focusing
on the surrounded area called as coastal BID. Both of the BID have separate managers, separate
delievery plans, separate aims and even separate way of operational activities within the
organization.(Brooks, 2008)
The idea of upgrading the BID's model in order to increase in the funding which have
some of the elements of tourism and leisure industries related and at the initial level the idea is
focused on the some of the larger areas of london. There is necessity of the change in the current
legislation as there is requirement to increase the co-ordination in the process of BID's vote and
collection of levy by single authority within its own local administrative boundary and this
proposal are been called tourism BID's (Schaller, S. and Modan, G., 2005)
Business improvement districts have a combine effect on the system such as positive and
negative. Time to time various researcher write about the pros and cons which occurred because
of the business improvement districts. Positive side of business improvement districts is showing
that because of the control neighbourhood initiative the activity like robbery is decreasing
consistently the areas which comes outside of BID's showing decrease 5.7% whereas BID's areas

have reduction of 7%. BID's spent the huge amount on developing their crime prevention efforts
which is resulted in the elimination of crime rate. The need for establishment of BID's was felt
with the purpose of business development, BID's are attracting a new business, attracting high
foot traffic and lowering the vacancy rate. BID's also enhancing the experience of the
pedestrians and also helping people to communicate and connect with appropriate social
services.At the other side time to time some of the criticism also occured regarding the
processing of the BID's. Small businesses claiming that there is a lack of tranparency in the
BID's system. Avoiding levy is considered as illegal practise so companies are bound to arrange
the levy amount no matter they are generating profit or not. Favoriteism is also a factor which is
objected by many enterprises concerned with BID's (Lloyd, McCarthy, McGreal, Berry, 2003.)
PART 2
(A) Historical building used for tourism
The Churchill war rooms, is a museum which is located at king Charles street, London
(UK). The Churchill war rooms is one of the five branches of imperial war museum and also
famous with the name cabinet war rooms. At the time of the second world war basement offices
are preferred for the planning for the further strategies. It is a biographical museum which
depicted the life of British statesman Winston Churchill. The basement of the Churchill war
rooms was use for the meetings during the air raids and it was also used as the shelter for
military information centre. The operational use of Churchill war rooms started was on august
27, 1939. It is the date after one week Britain declare war on Germany (Geller, 2006). On
October 22,1940 at the time of blitz bombing campaign against Britain the protection of the
Churchill war rooms was increased with the gigantic layer of concrete. Churchill war rooms
operations are continuous running for 24 hours until august 16,1945. After the war end the
Churchill war rooms became extravagant and were abandoned and the responsibility of
maintenance came on the shoulder of the ministry of works. At the time the decision was made
to re-open the museum for the general public all the rooms are prepared through proper
renovation. The Churchill war rooms now supervise by the imperial war museum for the account
of property service agency of the department of environment. Tourists are permitted to visit the
suite of nineteen rooms, along with the underground cabinet rooms where Churchill war cabinet
sit for the war strategies over hundred times. The other famous rooms in the Churchill war rooms

are transatlantic telephone room, map room and the prime minister room (Harrold, J.,
Schmuecker, E. and Wyszomirska-Noga, Z., 2016)
Current functions of the churchill war rooms
After the renovation and redevelopment process the Churchill war rooms opened again
for the general public by prime minister Margaret Thatcher on April 4,1984. There are major
expansion happened in the year 2003, a suite of rooms used by Winston Churchill was added to
the museum. As of now the Churchill war rooms became a tourist spot and government also
started to use it as a tourist place. Centrepiece of attraction in the Churchill war rooms is 15
metre interactive table that facilitates the visitors to accesses digitised material. So the primary
function of the Churchill war rooms is to serve the tourists with its mesmerizing pictorial and
antique presence (Reynolds, 2007).
After the major expansion of the Churchill war rooms it has become a good source of
income because of its presence of one of the tourist place. The ample amount of tourist visits this
place so it became a good source of income for the government. Local people also benefited
because of the expansion of the Churchill war rooms, as it converted from war meeting room to a
museum so it attracts ample number of visitors over the year. Local people are benefited because
it opens opportunities for them to earn. People open various side business and surround their
shop around the Churchill war rooms, visitors who came to visit also purchase and do some
shopping so the Churchill war rooms also generating livelihood for the local people. The
Churchill war rooms have promoted social values also as it is the building which consisted the
history at the time of the world war 2 (Reynolds, 2007).

(B) Reuse of historic buildings in strategic tourism developments
It is specifically to discourse upon reusing several historical buildings as a way of
considering developmental in tourism. It is where the historical buildings are reprocessed for
various goals where sometimes it is due to its old architectural design or an atrocious condition
that is in turn reflecting a prior need of change to utilise it in a beneficial way. It is hereby
referred to be a prime responsibility of those official bodies who are concerned with the
developmental agenda of the nation (Hudson and Thal, 2013). As a result to which, these
concerned authorities are hereby required to take prompt decisions for the re-utilization of such
locations that can be developed and maintain so as to promote the tact of tourism in the nation. It
can be further explicated with the help of a factual instance where different historical mansions
are being renovated to be utilised in occasional events like marriage, etc. It is where the
renovated palaces are then used in the form of royal hotels and marriage halls. Apart from this, it
can be together utilised as governmental offices so as to restore different records of historical
significance (Getz, 2013). An analogous concept is applicable in a chosen historical building
named Churchill war room where the determination about its redevelopment will be entirely
depend upon its suitability and architecture.
However, it will be important for the concerned bodies referring to its development to
take a prior consent of the experts so as avoid any sort of impairment to its ancient historical
figures. It is where in the ancient period, it was being used as a defence room where the war
tactics were discoursed among the individuals participating in warfare. Therefore, in the current
era, it can be utilised in a similar manner by converting it into a museum with a correspondent
structure as before (John and Susan, 2015). It will effectively serve the intent of reusing all its
valuable objects and articles that are highly important to preserve the rare collections of history.
Although, on referring to the future prospective of this building where it can be together utilised
as a building of defence service to discuss upon the war strategies at any such situation of
warfare. It will thereby serve both the objectives of maintaining its historic collections by
together reusing the building as a defensive mechanism place to determine the tactics of war.
However, it cannot permit the involvement of general public that may in turn hamper its peaceful
culture.
As a result to which, converting it into museum is referred to be one of the best way of
reusing it where it is also surrounded by numerous hotels that provides leisure amenities to the

tourists. It is along with an active transportation system that will also contribute in rising number
of tourists to visit this regened museum. It will together tend to attract a huge crowd of academic
scholars, researchers and archaeologists, etc., so as to survey the historical constitution of this
museum where they will be allowed to enter inside only after acquiring tickets (Lee and et.al.,
2013). Beside this, a proper coverage of this renovated building will be available on the sites as a
way of fetching the interest of a large set of tourists and travellers to visit this location and
acknowledge its rich historical past (Evans and et.al., 2012). Such capability of the historical
buildings to attract a large set of individuals have together increased the interest of the
governmental bodies to bring more such renovated buildings as a way of enhancing the tact of
tourism in the nation.
It is with a prime support of re usability, the cost of new construction can together be
saved where the existent places can be easily regenerated into usable ones with certain new
features in it. Wherein, London is already full of such historical buildings that duly expresses the
period of war when the kings and queens were ruling the nation (Mariani and et.al., 2014). These
reasons are evident to create a superior interest in most of the tourists to visit this place to
experience its beauteous surroundings and such interesting historical pasts. Renovation of
Churchill war room is thereby reflected to be a prompt initiative to get a practical knowledge
about the historical time of war where there together exists more such places in London so as to
increase the prevalence of tourism. Along with this travel activities also gives impact on the
functioning of this sector also gets affected due to it.
Moreover, major focus can be given for developing the infrastructure of the tourism
sector and enhancement is observed in increasing number of travel activities in the nation. Along
with this satisfaction level of visitors is also increased and it has supported for gaining the
satisfaction of visitors. Initiatives can be taken for organizing seminars and conferences so that
awareness can be created about the importance of travel and tourism industry (Mok, Sparks and
Kadampully, 2013). In addition to that evidences and studies that has been conducted by World
tourism organization explains that cultural tourism is developing at a faster rate and it is helping
for enhancing the number of visitors in the country. Moreover, school visit can be organized so
that students can be educated about the importance of tourism and it will help them to acquire
knowledge about the tourism sector.

CONCLUSION
The above report has revealed the significance of strategic projection to improve the
business related activities as a way of assuring success where it has firstly highlighted the
elementary concept of BID. Where it is intended to support in the development of several
business related areas. It is where BID is apparent to support in developing the defined areas as
discoursed above where it also provisions the requirement of extra tax so as to support in the
developmental agenda of nation's historical places. The current report has together enlightened
some other relative facts of development by considering an elected historical building of London
namely Churchill war room that has signified the heroic of World War 2. It is where this place
was significantly used by the official bodies of London, UK to discourse distinct tactics and
action plans by organising seminars, conferences and meetings, etc.
As a result to which, this location is together referred to have a huge collection of
different objects that were being used in the year 1945 and are now accessible to the academic
scholars, investigators and archaeologists, etc. It is basically to aid into their surveys as a way of
acknowledging the factual narration of that particular time. Although, an entry fee is duly being
charged from the visitors that is subsequently being used in the developmental agenda of this
location. This report has together concluded about the evolution of hotel amenities as well as
transportation facilities in the environment that has in turn resulted in the overall development of
tourism industry. Lastly, reprocessing of this building has been determined over here where
Churchill is presently being used as a museum with many precious objects that are stocked to
display for the upcoming number of visitors.

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