Cheltenham Business Improvement District

A Business Improvement District (BID) is a geographically defined area where businesses come together and agree to invest collectively in projects and services which improve their trading environment.

Cheltenham BID represents and supports almost 800 levy paying businesses and promotes Cheltenham as a safe, secure, attractive, clean, welcoming, vibrant, and connected place to spend time.

You can find out more information about Cheltenham BID on their website.

How a Business Improvement District works

All BIDs within the United Kingdom are formed in accordance with government legislation which sets out how a BID operates and is administered.

A BID must go to ballot to ensure that all eligible businesses within the proposed area have a fair and democratic opportunity to vote on whether the BID should be established or renewed. This process ensures that the BID operates with the support and consent of the majority of those who will fund and benefit from its activities.

Most of the funding for any improvements and changes is provided from a levy. Sometimes funding comes from other public and private funding streams. If the ballot outcome is successful, all organisations in the BID area must pay the BID levy, regardless of how they voted. 

You can find out more information about BIDs on GOV.UK.

2025 ballot notice

On Monday 16 June 2025, Cheltenham BID Limited served notice of their intention to seek a renewal ballot for a further five-year term to run from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2031.

Businesses that are subject to the levy may vote in the ballot. This determines whether the new term for the Cheltenham BID will go ahead. A successful vote for a new term is one that has a majority both in votes cast and in rateable value of votes cast.

The ballot will run from 2-30 October 2025 with the result declared here on Friday 31 October 2025.