What is the Herefordshire County BID?
Herefordshire County BID (Business Improvement District) is a business-led, not-for-profit organisation dedicated to strengthening the County’s visitor economy. Funded by a levy paid by eligible tourism, hospitality, and retail businesses, the BID delivers a wide range of strategic projects and services designed to boost business performance, increase footfall, and enhance Herefordshire’s profile as a destination to visit, live, and work
What does Herefordshire County BID do?
Herefordshire County BID provides additional and improved services over and above those provided by the Local Authority and gives local businesses the opportunity to influence the long-term economic development of Herefordshire.
- Promotes Herefordshire as a visitor destination through the Visit Herefordshire brand, running year-round marketing, PR, and digital campaigns to attract visitors from across the UK and beyond.
- Supports Local Businesses by offering PSP cost-saving initiatives, training programmes (like SEEDL), and promotional opportunities such as radio advertising, social media features, and inclusion in itineraries and newsletters.
- Delivers Strategic Projects such as the Visit Herefordshire Tourism Awards, the Herefordshire Film Office, and the Visit Herefordshire Tourism Conference to raise the County’s profile and celebrate excellence.
- Drives Economic Growth by encouraging longer stays, higher spend, and repeat visits through coordinated campaigns and business engagement.
Herefordshire County BID operates for a maximum of five-year term between 2022–2026, during which it will invest nearly £2 million into projects that directly benefit Levy-Paying businesses and the wider tourism sector. Whether you’re a hotel, café, farm shop, or attraction, the BID offers opportunities to get involved. Together, the goal is to make Herefordshire a thriving, welcoming, and competitive destination.
How is the Herefordshire County BID funded?
BIDs are financed and controlled by the businesses within the DBID area. They can run for a maximum of five years
and during this time they must be able to show that they are benefitting the businesses that fund it.
DBIDs are funded by a mandatory levy on all *eligible businesses after a successful ballot.
The ballot took place in Herefordshire in November 2021.
The levy is based on the rateable value of the business premises and is payable in addition to business rates.
All businesses in the area **subject to the BID levy rules must pay the levy for the period the BID is in existence.
There is also a voluntary membership scheme. This scheme enables other Visitor Economy business based in Herefordshire
to become part of the DBID and benefit from the projects and services funded by the DBID.
The DBID will also secure additional grant funding and sponsorship where possible.
*Eligible businesses are from business sectors listed in the DBID Business Plan – see the BID Area for a list of sectors
**BID levy rules found in the DBID Business Plan
