A Business Improvement District (BID) is a business-led, business-funded partnership that invests in services and improvements to a defined area. BIDs are established through a ballot and give businesses a collective way to address shared priorities, improve their local environment and support economic growth. 

BID-funded activity is designed to complement, rather than replace, services provided by the local authority and other statutory organisations. 

A BID is established following a successful ballot of eligible businesses. For a BID to be approved or renewed, both of the following conditions must be met: 

More than half of the votes cast must be in favour. 

The votes in favour must represent more than half of the total rateable value represented by votes cast. 

Westminster City Council administers the ballot. Eligible businesses receive a ballot paper for each property entitled to vote. 

If renewed, the Leicester Square & Piccadilly Circus Occupier BID and Piccadilly & Jermyn Street Occupier BID will run for a further three years, from 1 April 2027 to 31 March 2030. 

BIDs have a maximum term of five years and must secure a successful ballot to continue beyond their existing term. 

Heart of London Business Alliance (HOLBA) manages six BIDs across three areas: Leicester Square & Piccadilly Circus, Piccadilly & Jermyn Street, and St Martin’s. Each area has an Occupier BID, funded by eligible businesses, and a Property Owner BID, funded by eligible property owners. 

HOLBA is an independent, not-for-profit organisation. Its Board of Directors provides strategic oversight and is responsible for the organisation’s long-term success and financial management. Board representation brings together businesses and property interests from across the areas. 

The proposed renewal of the two Occupier BIDs covered by this Business Proposal is subject to separate ballots. The proposal also sets out the investment plans and budgets for each area. 

The Occupier BIDs are funded primarily through an annual levy paid by eligible businesses within each BID boundary. This income is ring-fenced for the priorities and services set out in the relevant Business Proposal. 

HOLBA also works to secure additional funding and investment from other sources. The 2027–2030 proposal anticipates around £20 million of planned investment across the two Occupier BIDs and their corresponding Property Owner BIDs over three years, before additional non-levy funding. 

Each BID has its own budget, and funds are accounted for separately. 

How much will my business pay? 

The levy is calculated using your property’s 2023 rateable value and the annual levy rate for your BID. The proposed rates for the three-year term are: 

2027/28: 1.41% 

2028/29: 1.44% 

2029/30: 1.47% 

The maximum levy is £50,000 per eligible property in each financial year, before any applicable relief. 

The minimum rateable value for eligibility differs by area: 

• Leicester Square & Piccadilly Circus: £130,000 
• Piccadilly & Jermyn Street: £225,000  

The full Business Proposal includes levy examples, eligibility details and the budget for each area. If you receive more than one ballot paper, check the details for each property. 

Business rates are collected by the local authority and are separate from the BID levy. The BID levy is an additional contribution from eligible businesses to fund the services and improvements agreed through the BID process. 

For information about business rates, contact Westminster City Council or visit its business rates webpages. 

Westminster City Council and other statutory organisations remain responsible for their own services and legal duties. These include a range of local authority functions such as planning, licensing, waste and recycling, and other public services. 

HOLBA works with the council and other partners to address business priorities, coordinate action and deliver additional services and improvements through BID funding. 

Business rates fund local and national public services, while the BID levy enables eligible businesses to invest collectively in additional services and improvements focused on their area. 

A successful business environment depends on more than any one organisation can deliver alone. Businesses benefit from safe, well-managed streets, practical support when problems arise, a strong voice in decisions and a destination that continues to attract workers, customers and visitors. 

Through HOLBA, businesses can pool investment around shared priorities, work with public and private partners, and help shape the future of the areas in which they operate. 

No. HOLBA is an independent, not-for-profit organisation, separate from Westminster City Council and other statutory bodies. 

It is funded through the BID model and governed through its own board. Occupier BIDs are established and renewed through a regulated ballot, giving eligible businesses a say in whether the BID continues. 

HOLBA works in partnership with the council and other organisations, but it is not part of the local authority.

The purpose of BID funding is to provide additional services and improvements, rather than replace the council’s responsibilities. 

HOLBA works with Westminster City Council and other partners to understand responsibilities, coordinate activity and focus BID investment on business priorities. The proposal is designed to complement statutory services and deliver practical benefits for businesses and the wider area. 

An Occupier BID is funded by eligible businesses occupying properties within its boundary. A Property Owner BID is funded by eligible property owners and supports investment in the area from a property ownership perspective. 

HOLBA’s model brings these interests together, recognising that businesses and property owners share an interest in a successful, attractive and well-managed West End. 

The 2027–2030 proposal combines planned investment from the Occupier and Property Owner BIDs, with each BID retaining its own budget and accountability. 

Eligible businesses in Leicester Square & Piccadilly Circus and Piccadilly & Jermyn Street will vote separately on whether to renew their Occupier BID for three years, from 1 April 2027 to 31 March 2030. 

The proposals focus on three priorities: 

• Tackling crime and making the West End safer. 
• Reducing the cost of doing business. 
• Unlocking investment and growth. 

The Piccadilly & Jermyn Street proposal also includes an extension to the BID boundary covering Berkeley Street, Stratton Street, Lansdowne Row and Mayfair Place. The Leicester Square & Piccadilly Circus boundary will remain unchanged. 

4 February 2027: ballot opens. 

4 March 2027, by 5pm: deadline for ballot papers to arrive. 

5 March 2027: result announced. 

1 April 2027: new three-year term begins, if renewed. 

Make sure you follow the instructions provided with your ballot paper and return it in time to arrive by the deadline. 

If renewal is unsuccessful, the Occupier BID and the services it funds will end on 31 March 2027. 

The corresponding Property Owner BID would complete its existing term, but could not be renewed without the Occupier BID. The area would lose the planned continuation of HOLBA-funded services, business support and future investment set out in the proposal. 

Read the Business Proposal for your area to explore the planned investment, commitments, budget and levy arrangements for 2027–2030. 

If you have questions about the proposal or would like support, contact Heart of London Business Alliance: 

Email: hello@holba.london 

Telephone: 020 7734 4507 

Website: holba.london