Welcome to UK BIDs - the National BIDs Advisory Service
UKBIDs is committed to supporting robust and successful Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) in the United Kingdom. UKBIDs incorporates the National BIDs Advisory Service and is delivered by ATCM - the Association of Town Centre Management, who led the government-supported National BIDs Pilot that introduced BIDs to England and Wales. Today we work actively with new and established BIDs across the country, and with strategic organisations such as the Regional Development Agencies. We lead the national BID Network Exchange and are delivering the country's first BIDs Academy, as well as undertaking research, training events and seminars.
Why join?
Through our relationship with ATCM, and the unique reciprocal membership scheme with the International Downtown Association (IDA) based in Washington DC, our BID network is the largest BIDs network in the world and our Knowledge Bank an unrivalled resource for information on both BIDs and partnership development. Building on our own experience from the National BIDs Pilot, the Knowledge Bank is growing all the time, as members exchange expertise in the BID Network Exchange and other partnership events across the country. Members have full access to all resources on this website - the UKBIDs symbol indicates that further information is available only to members who have logged-on. As a member you can purchase our publications and those of IDA at a special price, including the Good Practice Guide which is an invaluable toolkit for all new BIDs. Both established and prospective BIDs can join today - for full details see Join Us. Completing our Prospective BIDs Register will also help to let people in your area, as well as national companies, know that you are developing a BID, and let us tell you more about forthcoming UKBIDs events.
By joining UKBIDs you not only ensure your BID is connected to the right network, but you also gain access to the fast-growing range of personal and skill development programmes we have developed with the Institute of Place Management. Whatever kind of BID area you operate in, you, your colleagues and your Board will need to ensure that you have right skills to operate most effectively. The Institute already offers an Introductory Diploma in Place Management, with dual accreditation by the Chartered Management Institute, and launches an MSc in Place Management with Manchester Metropolitan University in Autumn 2007. UKBIDs will offer a full programme of Continuing Professional Development as well as keeping you informed about new programmes.
Just visiting?
We are happy to share our expertise with everyone who wants to find out more about BIDs and much useful information on our website can be viewed freely. In particular, business and public sector partners may want to find out more - see Fast Facts for BIDs Partners and register with us to find out more about BID activity in the places you represent.