Companies accused of being selfish

Hull’s Bid was set up in 2006 with the aim of improving the city centre environment.

It charges all firms within the district one per cent of their rateable value for services including removing graffiti and supporting events, but has faced opposition from within almost from the outset.

Chairwoman Victoria Jackson yesterday singled out opponents like Hull butcher Ted Johnston and said some of the opponents’ claims were “at best ill-informed and at worst just untrue”.

She added: “Hull Bid has delivered vast improvements to the city centre over the last five years and we are concerned that the prospects of continuing our work, to the benefit of the entire business community, are being damaged by people with purely selfish motives.”

If the vote is not successful the organisation will wind up by the end of October. Ms Jackson said: “This is not a case of Hull Council and Humberside Police filling in if Hull Bid is no longer there – they will not have the resources unless the redeploy them and leave gaps elsewhere.”

In five years, the levy has raised £2m and another £1m from other sources. The Bid’s operating costs were £614,269, including £541,269 spent on wages, administration costs and collecting the levy.

A spokesman for Retailers Against said the comment was “pathetic”, adding: “We have the support of hundreds of businesses. The reaction has been unbelievable. They are on the run.”

He added: “Markets and events do not attract footfall that benefit local businesses. The markets actually take trade away from the business paying the levy. It is just a fact.” He urged businesses not to discard their vote, adding: “A lot of people who threw their votes in the bin last time will vote this time.”