The Yorkshire Post says: Business district could bring benefits for region’s coastal communities

Though it aims to invest money into coastal communities by imposing a mandatory levy on retail, leisure, accommodation and food and drink businesses, questions were raised from the start whether the “tourism tax”, as it has been dubbed, would actually benefit seaside towns.

As yet another cost for businesses, it is right to question and examine whether the scheme will be worth it, particularly if at least some of those paying in to it are not supportive.

However, the model has been established up and down the country, and the best run BIDs have a plethora of success stories. If it is well run, there is no reason why a Yorkshire coast BID cannot share in that too, making its neighbouring seaside towns even more attractive places, in turn encouraging greater footfall among locals and tourists and greater spending. For business, that would pay for itself.