BQ Expansion

Piccadilly & Jermyn Street BID expansion

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Information for businesses in the proposed BID expansion area (alteration ballot). 

Investing in the place your business depends on

Businesses located on Berkeley Street, Stratton Street, Lansdowne Row and Mayfair Place have a unique opportunity to join an existing and successful Business Improvement District. If successful, your business will have access to the same services, campaigns and support as other businesses in the Piccadilly & Jermyn Street Business Improvement District (BID), delivered by Heart of London Business Alliance (HOLBA).
 

Read the full business proposal

Investment

£6m+ will be ringfenced for investment in the Piccadilly and Jermyn Street area. 

Proposed BID term

A three-year term running from 1 April 2027 to 31 March 2030.

Ballot deadline

Ballot papers must be received by 5pm on Thursday 4 March 2027.

About Heart of London Business Alliance

Heart of London Business Alliance (HOLBA) is the not-for-profit organisation through which businesses and property owners invest together in the Heart of London. 

HOLBA manages six Business Improvement Districts and works with Westminster City Council, the Metropolitan Police, Transport for London, the Mayor of London, Government and other partners on behalf of businesses.   

That gives businesses one organisation working across the wider Heart of London on issues that do not stop at an individual street or BID boundary. The BIDs do not replace public services. They fund additional services and give businesses a collective way to tackle shared issues and influence decisions affecting the area. 

Ros, Chief Executive of Heart of London Business Alliance

"As Chief Executive, I take responsibility for making your investment count. We know your support cannot be taken for granted. We must earn it by listening, acting on what matters to you, and delivering what we promise."

What HOLBA provides

  • 24/7 security and street management
  • Additional cleaning and rapid response to street problems
  • Dedicated account managers and practical business support
  • Local data on footfall, visitors and the local economy
  • Campaigns, events and cultural programmes that bring people into the area
  • A stronger collective voice on crime, business rates, planning, licensing, transport and investment

Your account managers

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Speak with your HOLBA Account Manager

Our strategic priorities

What our members have told us has shaped our priorities over the next three years. These are the issues where businesses need sustained leadership, collective action and influence with government and public bodies.

P1c

Crime and antisocial behaviour disrupt businesses, affect staff and customers, and undermine confidence in the West End.

We will strengthen our own security and street management response, using business intelligence to target repeat offenders and hotspots.

We will also deliver a focused Heart of London Crime Action Plan 2027–2030, bringing together security, street management, intelligence and business support.

P2c

The cost of doing business is one of the biggest pressures facing businesses across the Heart of London.

We are leading the national Real Rates Reform campaign for Hybrid Business Rates and using independent research to make the case for restoring tax-free shopping.

Alongside this, we help businesses reduce day-to-day costs through collective purchasing, shared services and practical support.

P3c

The West End is one of the UK’s most important economic centres, but its future depends on better coordination across organisations and borough boundaries.

We will turn its recognition as an International Centre for Commerce, Culture and Experience into practical action on planning, licensing, transport, infrastructure and investment, supporting responsible growth while addressing safety and neighbourhood concerns.

Our five commitments

Street Management

●  24/7 My Local Bobby security

●  Street Managers across both BID areas

●  7 days a week street cleaning

●  Night-time safety support

●  Support for people experiencing rough sleeping and vulnerability

Read More about Manage

Business Support

●  A dedicated account manager 

●  Practical business support

●  Opportunities to highlight your priorities

●  Cost-saving services

●  Member offers and employee benefits

Read More about Support

Area Promotion

●  National and international promotion

●  Campaigns to promote the area's heritage

●  Targeted PR, marketing and cultural events

●  Offers and events for workers

●  Free promotion of businesses

Read More about Promote

Stronger Voice

●  A stronger collective voice

●  Member representation with stakeholders and government

●  Campaigning for policies that support investment, growth and culture

●  Direct access to decision-makers

●  Evidence, research and insights businesses can use

Read More about Advocate

Public Spaces

●  Identify and prioritise improvements

●  Continued investment in streets and public spaces

●  Represent business needs, including access, servicing and safety

●  Bring investment into the area

●  Keep projects moving from concept towards delivery

Read More about Shape

Our business proposal

Please note that the below is for layout reference purposes only and does not represent the actual BP.

Scheme spotlight

Our proposed Green Park Gateway scheme will create a welcoming entrance to Piccadilly and the West End. Wider, clearer pavements will make the area easier to navigate and open up views along Piccadilly towards landmark buildings. Improvements will also extend to Arlington Street, Berkeley Street, Mayfair Place and Stratton Street, creating a more attractive setting for businesses and visitors.

Green Park Gateway
Green park left
Green park right

Green Park Gateway: current view and CGI of proposed improvements by Heart of London Business Alliance

Businesses included in the ballot

Explore the businesses eligible to vote using our interactive Ballot 2027 map.

What you’re voting on

The Piccadilly & Jermyn Street ballot is a renewal and alteration ballot, reflecting the proposed expansion of the existing BID boundary to include Berkeley Street, Stratton Street, Lansdowne Row and Mayfair Place. Eligible businesses vote only in the ballot for the area in which their property is located.

Yes No Vote

A YES vote renews the Occupier BID for three years, from 1 April 2027 to 31 March 2030, and brings new businesses into the HOLBA membership.

The corresponding Property Owner BID will continue alongside it.

Yes No Vote

A YES vote in each BID will secure around £20 million in planned investment across both areas.

Yes No Vote 2

If the Occupier BID is not renewed, it will end on 31 March 2027.

The corresponding Property Owner BID will also have to end.

Yes No Vote 2

The additional services, projects and investment funded through both BIDs would stop and would not be replaced.

Your investment

The levy will continue to be calculated using your property’s 2023 rateable value, with an annual cap of £50,000. 

For businesses in the Piccadilly & Jermyn Street BID, the membership threshold is £225,000 (2023 rateable value). Properties below this threshold do not pay the levy and are not eligible to vote. 

The annual levy rate will be 1.41% in 2027/28, 1.44% in 2028/29 and 1.47% in 2029/30. 

“Extending the Piccadilly & Jermyn Street BID would give businesses in this part of Mayfair a stronger collective voice. It would also create more opportunities to promote the area, improve the visitor experience and work together on the issues that matter to hotels, including security, cleanliness and the quality of the streets and public spaces around Green Park."

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Timeline

How the ballot works and how to vote 

How the ballot is decided

The Piccadilly & Jermyn Street renewal and alteration ballot must be supported by more than 50% of votes cast, both by number and by total rateable value represented.

Receiving your ballot pack

The named voter will receive a ballot pack by post. If you are eligible to vote for more than one hereditament, you will receive a separate ballot paper for each.

Returning your ballot papers

Complete each ballot paper and return it in the prepaid envelope provided, ensuring it arrives before the ballot closes.

BID proposal: 

The plan sets out the projects, services and improvements the Business Improvement District intends to deliver, along with how it will fund them.

Ballot pack: 

Contains a ballot paper, an explanatory statement and a prepaid return envelope.

Hereditament:

A hereditament is a property or part of a property assessed separately for business rates. Each usually has its own business rates bill. If your business has several separately assessed properties, you may receive a ballot paper for each.

Rateable value: 

An estimate of the annual rental value of a business property, set by the Valuation Office Agency in England and Wales. It is used to calculate business rates.

 

Learn more

Investing in the place your business depends on 

From tackling crime and the cost of doing business to driving investment and growth, HOLBA works to address the challenges that matter most to local businesses.

Membership gives you access to business support and services, stronger local connections, and a voice in shaping the future of the area.

Vote YES by 4 March 2027 to become a HOLBA member.

Speak with us today
Heart of London Business Alliance logo

FAQs

What is a Business Improvement District (BID)?

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. 

How is a BID established?

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. 

How long will the BIDs last?

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. 

What is HOLBA and how is it governed?

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. 

How are the BIDs financed?

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. 

 

Where do business rates go?

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. 

What does the council deliver?

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. 

Why do we need a BID if we already pay business rates?

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. 

Is HOLBA part of the council?

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.

Will we be paying the council and a BID for the same services?

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. 

What is the difference between an Occupier BID and a Property Owner BID?

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. 

What are we voting on in 2027?

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. 

What are the key ballot dates?

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. 

What happens if the Occupier BID is not renewed?

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. 

Where can I find out more?

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