This week in Rye News we’re looking at plans for a business improvement district in Rye. Mark Walter, the owner of The Green House on The Mint, explains why he thinks it is a bad idea and says he won’t be voting for it.
About The Green House
I sell house plants, antique and vintage items, and things that go with house plants. It’s reasonably unique and we get good feedback from customers and visitors. I’ve been here four and a half years, first on Cinque Ports Street but now on the Mint. The shop opened just after the second lockdown. A big risk!
How’s business at the moment?
It’s challenging and it’s got progressively more challenging over the last two years. When we first opened, we were very busy and the turnover was high, but in the last couple of years it’s dipped. Retail has been hit hard for many reasons, but Rye is very lucky to have such huge footfall from visitors who come for the independent retailers – I’ve never seen so many beautiful shops in one place. I have a browsable shop, so I get a lot of people who just wander in, especially if the weather’s not great and they can’t go to the beach. Retail is very difficult now, and if the high street dies, then so does the town.
No to a business improvement district
First and foremost, I don’t believe the town needs it. There’s a lot of civic pride here and that’s why people come back year after year. It’s a small town with a long history of people working very closely together and a lot of volunteers who run events. You can see that in things like pirates and smugglers day, the arts festival, and the jazz festival. We have enough visitors and we can’t really cope with anymore.
I also disagree with the enforcement. It’s a levy you have no choice but to pay and I disagree with that in principle. If you feel you can contribute then you should, but if you feel you can’t or you just disagree with it, then that’s also fine, but you should have the option. Imposing a levy on people who work very, very hard to maintain their own business in a very challenging environment is just wrong.
I’m also protesting against it because it hasn’t been properly handled from the beginning. It should have been a lot more transparent.
How much would a small business like The Green House pay?
It wouldn’t be a lot. Maybe £200 or £250 a year, so not a huge amount. Highly rateable value properties are going to have to contribute quite a lot of money to this fund. To say you could end up in court if you refuse to pay is wrong. It’s not the amount, it’s the principle of an imposed levy and the way it was done.
Is there an alternative?
I think the problem with the Rye BID from the start was a lack of options. Another way would be to ask businesses to volunteer to create a fund and I think everyone would say: “Oh, I don’t mind paying 50 quid a year for some Christmas lights or painting the toilets.” Nobody really knows what the Rye BID is for.
Image Credits: James Stewart .
If the challenge is not lack of footfall, is it lack of lingering and spending?
I remember a few years ago there was a discussion in Rye News about the level of traffic and (pavement) parking on the High Street was having a detrimental effect on the retail environment.
Nothing seems to have come from the proposals but the problem seems to have got worse in the meantime.
I wonder if visitors were able to walk unobstructed on the pavement and not constantly having to dodge cars, they might linger, visit more shops, and spend more money?
The argument presented here reminds me of people refusing to wear masks or not getting vaccinated simply because it was a government requirement (e.g. “I also disagree with the enforcement. It’s a levy you have no choice but to pay and I disagree with that in principle.”). In principle? Scary. We pay taxes that aren’t optional but help support our community. With RDC and ESCC soon to disappear it seems that a Rye BID could provide more local control.
Not being a business owner I cannot truly assess whether the Rye BID is a good idea but as a resident who wants the town to thrive for visitors and locals, having an attractive, accessible and welcoming town is essential.