IPSWICH BID RENEWAL

A big well-done and hearty pat on the back to our happy PR client Ipswich Central for winning a second 5-year term for the Ipswich Business Improvement District (BID) - 93% of local business owners can't be wrong!

Our PR efforts secured the backing of Sir Stuart Rose, chairman of M&S, which lent considerable weight to the BID renewal campaign. In fact, this is the first BID scheme that Sir Stuart has publicly backed, so it was quite a coup!

With a voter turnout of almost 70% (more people voted this time than first time round), an overwhelming majority decided to 'Back the BID' for another term, which should see an additional £3.76m worth of investment pumped into the town between now and 2017.

"At a time when many businesses could have sought to reduce cost, it's very encouraging to see that they've chosen not to do so, but rather to continue their investment in the future of the town."