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 Jane Armour of Jane Armour Trading in Bath Place:
“I’m very keen, the BID is an excellent idea because a group of
people working together can achieve a great deal more than
individuals.
We’re unique in Taunton with so many small, independent businesses,
and we need to promote that.
The big businesses make their contribution and this is one way the
tiny ones can join in too, so we’re all contributing a fair amount
across the board and can all have a say.
We already club together with a mini version in Bath Place, and
together we achieve an awful lot more than we would otherwise.”
Taunton’s two largest independent stores have thrown their weight
fully behind the campaign to become a Business Improvement District
(BID).
 For Mark Raisey, Merchandise Director of Hatcher & Sons Ltd,
once he understood what the BID campaign was all about, the way
forward was clear.
“I believe this is the only real way forward, if we are to ensure we
create the correct environment to compete with cities like Exeter,
Bristol and Plymouth.
“I would urge all the local businesses within the BID footprint to
get involved and make a difference, because the alternative is to
sit back and do nothing – and we all know that doing nothing does
not achieve anything.”
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 Simon Cory–Humble, owner of Subway in County Walk:
“I think this will be good for everyone. Anything that attracts
people to Taunton is good. It all costs money, and there is an
amount from the council but there’s a lot we need to do ourselves.
This will boost business in the town and it’s good to see bigger
businesses are involved, ones who don’t need to be as they have the
trade anyway. This encourages everyone.”
 Guy Bottard, managing partner, Taunton Office, Stones Solicitors.
“The BID will be of enormous benefit to the business community and
the town centre.
It’s a public-private partnership controlled by the traders, a
relatively inexpensive way of giving them a direct say in how their
money will be spent in the town centre area.
It’s a real opportunity to improve the BID areas in ways that the
local authority would not contemplate.”
 Simon Hewett, manager of Leath the Jewellers, is fully in
favour of BID Taunton.
“We’re keen to promote the BID here. It’s very successful in
Plymouth, where our head office has been involved.
It’s excellent value for money. For a small cost we get a large fund
to spend on what we want.
Taunton has a lot to offer – individual shops, good restaurants,
nice businesses. We need to devote funds to market it and promote
our strengths, especially with Plymouth, Exeter, Cribbs Causeway and
Clarks Village nearby.”
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