Business levy protesters step up campaign with posters

Hundreds of posters have been sent out by Retailers Against The Bid.

Opponents argue that asking businesses to pay one per cent of their rates for services like removing graffiti duplicates what the council does. Carr Lane butcher Ted Johnston said: “They claim they have reduced crime but in fact the crime reduction is no different from the rest of the city. Footfall has increased but businesses themselves don’t see the benefit.”

Hull BID said it had taken down flyposted posters and suggested only a handful of businesses had chosen to display them, with a number deciding to remove posters from their shop windows in recent weeks “maybe because they don’t consider the image of a snarling dog to be helpful to their business” or they lacked campaign details. City centre manager Kathryn Shillito said they were happy “to discuss BID’s work with any city centre businesses, including those behind the poster campaign.”

The ballot, which starts next Wednesday, will determine whether the BID gets another five-year term.

Bid board member Coun Steve Bayes declined to comment on how Hull Council intends to cast its vote.