ANDOVER’S Town Centre Partnership could cease to exist if plans for a new Business Improvement District (BID) are approved.

Town centre manager Chris Gregory told the Advertiser he expects the current partnership to ‘evolve’ into the new BID company, should upcoming proposals be accepted by Andover’s business owners.

Those behind the BID project are hoping the process will be completed by May, with the TCP beginning to wind down at the end of March.

However Mr Gregory is expecting the TCP will function until the new BID is fully operational.

He says he will not take the role as the BID manager should the finalised plans be voted in by business owners within the proposed improvement zone.

Mr Gregory said: “The BID will be the natural evolution of our partnership. If voted in every business in the area will have to pay a contribution and will be a member – this will raise more money for projects.

“The BID will have to form a private company whereas the partnership is informal. I genuinely think it will improve the town and be very successful.”

He added: “When I took the job on a three-year contract one of the things I said was that the manager of a BID, in my opinion, needed to be full time and local. I’m part time and not local, so it would not be me.”

A BID is a designated area within which businesses pay a fee, known as a ‘levy’, in order to fund projects within its boundaries.

The projects will be aimed at improving the town centre to encourage more shoppers to the town.

The BID is run by a local authority or contracted out to a private company.

This is different from the TCP, run collectively by local businesses who chose to take up membership.

However if the plans for the BID pass a ballot, all local businesses in the designated area will be required to pay the levy.

Neighbouring cities Salisbury and Winchester currently both operate a BID.

The idea to introduce the system to Andover was recently put forward to a feasibility study, commissioned by Test Valley Borough Council.

Council leader Ian Carr said: “The council has now received the Business Improvement District feasibility study and we shall be reviewing the document over the coming weeks.

“In September we will be meeting with the BID steering group, which comprises a variety of local businesses, to consider the study and discuss the next steps.”

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