Judge adjourns court case against Bridlington businesses after hearing Yorkshire Coast BID could be disbanded

Magistrates have adjourned a court case against businesses who have been refusing to pay an unwanted tourism tax after hearing that that the organisation could be disbanded
By Alexandra Wood
Published 8th Apr 2022, 13:11 BST
Updated 8th Apr 2022, 13:12 BST

A number of businesses were summonsed to Beverley Magistrates on Thursday by East Riding Council over unpaid levies to the Yorkshire Coast Business Improvement District.

Independent Scarborough councillor Bill Chatt is seeking to put a motion to a meeting of Scarborough Borough Council in May to scrap the BID, a private company which raises money through levies on eligible businesses to spend on projects that promote tourism and improve trade.

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Bridlington hotelier Adrian Vodden, who spoke for the businesses, said he asked the Judge for an adjournment until a full debate had taken place.

The Yorkshire Coast Business Improvement District extends from Whitby to Spurn Point, taking in major resorts like ScarboroughThe Yorkshire Coast Business Improvement District extends from Whitby to Spurn Point, taking in major resorts like Scarborough
The Yorkshire Coast Business Improvement District extends from Whitby to Spurn Point, taking in major resorts like Scarborough

He said: "There's been a lot of people scared, bullied, into paying their bills because they are afraid of getting bad credit ratings, but the liability orders don't affect your credit rating.

"Hopefully the councillors in Scarborough will stand up and not play party politics and vote for businesses who are really struggling as the last thing they want to be doing is digging even deeper to find money for this BID.

"They are sat on £700,000 in the bank. If they were doing the job right they would have used the money to support businsses through this difficult time.

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"We are grateful to the Judge who granted us the adjournment and just hope Scarborough councillors step up to the plate and vote for it to be kicked into the long grass and just acknowledge the mistakes that were made.

"If they are not going to kick it into the long grass give us a fair and democratic reballot with the abstentions of the local authority votes, and without car parks and telephone masts getting a vote."

Councillor Chatt wants to use section 18 of the BID Regulations, which allows councils who collect the levy to terminate the arrangement under criteria including where “the works or services provided under the BID arrangements are no longer required”.

A Freedom of Information request in January showed Scarborough Council is owed the lion’s share of unpaid levies - more than £600,000 for the first three years, while East Riding Council was only owed £89,000. The case was adjourned until July 7.

Related topics:BIDBridlington