Result

Outstanding result for common sense.

Why should town centre businesses pay twice for a service that is supposed to be supplied by Perth and Kinross Council.

A majority of businesses were against Perth pursuing BIDs status.

It is however of concern that only 11% of businesses responded to the questionnaire. What were the
other 90% of local business thinking?

Official spin on the BIDs rejection. "The Business Community of Perthshire  rejected the opportunity
to revitalise the centre of Perth."

About time Perth and Kinross Council invested in some cleaning materials.

About time our politicians had a word with the council.

About time the Chamber of Commerce asked opinion from the members.

PIRATES HEADACHE FOR PERTH TRADERS

  

Perthshire Business buys second copy of the Toy Town news in 6 months

The front page of the Toy Town news (Perthshire Advertiser) looks familiar this week, the very same run down Perth city centre shops we highlighted sometime ago. Congratulations to Muir Associates for also noticing the city centre is "shoddy and run down". The Toy Town News played down the fact there are now over 30+ empty retail units in Perth town centre.

The Chamber of Commerce board have put down their lunch menus and teamed up with their country cousins Perth City Centre Management. Their strategic plan for City Centre regeneration is to sign up for BIDS (Business Improvement District Status). The scheme involves asking local business for a tax levy to buy Christmas lights, footfall monitors (people counters), street cleaning and marketing campaigns.

That means extra expense on the city centre businesses that are already suffering through lack of trade. The main problems for the town centre are lack of parking and ineffective marketing. We only need to look back to the promotional Christmas campaign to see that consumers are being offered better value in other Scottish towns. The danger of deserted streets in the town centre is imminent.

Local business opinion of the Chamber of Commerce will change when they actively defend the activities of all the member companies. The chamber refused to assist local business during tender disputes with Perth and Kinross council. The same organisation is now asking local companies to pay an extra levy for services they already pay for.

The chamber represent a minority of available business in Perth and Kinross.

Perth and Kinross council are responsible for the area around the town centre. Why should any local business be asked to pay twice for basic amenities?

Perthshire Business have no confidence in the Perthshire Chamber of Commerce, City Centre Management or Perth and Kinross council's ability to make a BIDS scheme workable. Their previous history  is less than impressive.



A pirate is one who robs or plunders at sea without a commission from a recognised sovereign nation. Pirates usually target other ships, but have also attacked targets on shore. These acts are known as piracy. Unlike the stereotypical pirate with cutlass and masted sailing ship, today most Perthshire pirates get about in grey suits eating lunch, using Parker jotters rather than cutlasses

More to follow ...