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Explore the next chapter of Croydon BID as we launch our new Business Proposal 2027-2032.
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2027 - 2032 Business proposal
Trusted
Responsive
Collaborative
Key dates
21.Sep - 21.Oct
7th Sep 26
Notice of ballot issued
16th Sep 26
Ballot papers distributed
21st Sep 26
Ballot opens
21st Oct 26
Ballot closes at 5pm
CROYDON’S NEXT CHAPTER
A FOREWORD FROM OUR CHAIR AND CEO
Croydon town centre has never stood still. And neither have we. Over the last five years, we’ve worked alongside you - our members, our business community, to keep Croydon town centre moving forward. Progress has been real and momentum has been building.
You’ve seen it in the Croydon BID Street Rangers patrolling our streets to make businesses and visitors feel safer. You’ve seen it in our cleansing team working hard to make the town centre cleaner, more welcoming, and more presentable. You’ve seen it in the events, the vibrancy, the marketing, the energy we’ve helped create. And you’ve seen it in the meetings, the representations, the conversations with decision-makers who need to hear Croydon’s voice loud and clear.
But let’s be honest with each other - the challenges haven’t gone away. High streets and town centres across the country are changing. Consumer habits are shifting. Economic pressures are real, and they are felt here, just as they are felt everywhere.
Croydon has its own unique story too, one of regeneration, of possibility, of a town centre at a genuine crossroads. That journey is not always easy. There will be difficult moments ahead. But we firmly believe that difficulty and opportunity often work hand in hand, and that’s exactly where Croydon BID has a role to play.
Our job is to be here on the ground - responsive, trusted, and working side by side with you to help navigate what comes next. Not to have all the answers, but to face the questions together. Because that togetherness and that sense of community is what makes Croydon’s business community genuinely special, and genuinely worth fighting for.
To continue this work, we are proposing a 1.3% levy against your rateable value - a continued investment in the services and support that matter most to you. Every penny goes back into Croydon town centre. Into the things you’ve told us make a difference.
Croydon BID is nothing without its members. You are not just the reason we exist; you are the reason we want to do this well.
So, when the ballot opens, we ask you to get behind us. Back us, and we will back you, every single day over the next five years.
Our Pledges
Secure
Most business owners, employees and visitors in Croydon will recognise the impact that crime, shoplifting, aggression to staff and anti-social behaviour can have, whether that is dealing with disruption during the day or concern about safety outside working hours. It affects confidence, trade and those that use our town centre. That is why we focus on practical action.
Enhance
The way a town centre looks and feels shapes how people experience it – whether they stay longer, spend more and choose to come back. For Croydon, getting this right matters more than ever. A town centre that is clean, colourful and cared for signals confidence, attracts investment, welcomes visitors, and gives businesses the environment they deserve. We are striving to create pride in place.
Activate
A town centre only works when people want to spend time in it. Activity, energy and visible moments all shape how a place feels and how it is used day-to-day. Croydon BID focuses on bringing that sense of activity into the town centre through events, digital engagement and creative placemaking. This is about creating a town centre that feels celebrated, active, and relevant throughout the year.
Represent
Running a business in a town centre is not without its challenges. Economic pressures, policy decisions and the pace of change can all make it harder to focus on what matters most – running your business. Representation is at the heart of everything Croydon BID does. Voicing your needs, influencing decisions and making sure that the business community is never overlooked.
Secure
Over the next five years, we’ll keep driving down the impact of crime and anti-social behaviour across our town centre. That means enhanced levels of response, more visibility, improved intelligence sharing, stronger partnerships, and services that respond to your business needs, when you need it.
The safety of everyone who lives, works and visits our capital should never be taken for granted. Delivering it has never been more challenging, but partnership is creating real opportunity within that challenge. The work between Croydon BID and the Metropolitan Police Service is a strong example of what’s possible when we work together, sharing intelligence and coordinating visibility on the ground. Croydon BID’s focus on creating a safer environment through initiatives such as the Street Ranger team and the Croydon BID Radio Link, in partnership with the Metropolitan Police Service, deliver real value on the ground to the businesses they represent. Their work is necessary and significant in making Croydon safer for all.
Superintendent Luke Dillon
Metropolitan Police Service
Metropolitan Police Service
Read more about our secure pledge
CROYDON BID STREET RANGERS
Visible, approachable and ready to respond. The Croydon BID Street Rangers operate five days a week across the town centre, gathering intelligence, de-escalating incidents, recovering stock and working alongside police and partners to keep businesses, employees and visitors safer. As a trusted, familiar presence on the street, they provide the kind of consistent, human support that makes a real difference. We will look to enhance on-street patrol hours to strengthen visibility where it matters most.
CROYDON BID RADIO LINK
When an incident occurs, you need to be able to act fast. The Croydon BID Radio Link connects you directly with our Street Rangers, the Metropolitan Police Service and CCTV Control, putting real-time intelligence and instant communication in your hands. With over 100 devices already in use across the town centre, it is one of the most practical and cost-effective safety tools available to your business. We’re committed to keeping the cost low and the value high.
FUNDED POLICE OPERATIONS
More officers on the ground means more confidence for everyone. Croydon BID directly funds additional Metropolitan Police operations and targeted patrols across the town centre, tackling shoplifting, anti-social behaviour and repeat offending head-on. These funded operations strengthen the relationship between businesses and police, creating a more visible, responsive presence where it matters most. It’s a partnership that works, and one we’re committed to strengthening over the next five years.
HOMELESSNESS PARTNERSHIP SUPPORT
Rough sleeping is a growing challenge for every borough across London, and Croydon is no exception. Croydon BID will work alongside Croydon Council, specialist partners, outreach agencies and charities to support coordinated interventions that help people access the right services. We will provide funding, resource and expertise to the organisations doing this work every day – and over the next five years, we will strengthen those partnerships further.
CROYDON BUSINESS CRIME REDUCTION PARTNERSHIP
Crime affects every business, but it doesn’t have to catch you off guard. The Croydon Business Crime Reduction Partnership brings local businesses together to share intelligence, stay informed and respond collectively when issues arise. Funded entirely by Croydon BID, membership is free and provides direct access to offender intelligence, partner updates and regular forums – giving businesses the tools to act quickly and stay one step ahead.
SAFETY TRAINING, EVENTS, AND WORKSHOPS
The more informed your team, the more confident they’ll be. Croydon BID will deliver a regular programme of training, workshops and safety events designed to give businesses and their employees the tools to deal with the issues that matter most to them. Covering areas such as conflict management, safeguarding and crime prevention, these sessions are practical, relevant and free to access.
TARGETED SAFETY CAMPAIGNS
Perception shapes reality. How people feel about safety in Croydon directly affects footfall, confidence and trade. Our annual Safety Fortnight and Safer Business Action Week bring businesses, the Metropolitan Police and partners together in a visible, public show of progress and commitment. Beyond these flagship events, we will deliver targeted campaigns throughout the year – raising awareness, providing reassurance and deterring crime across the town centre. Because a safer Croydon is better for everyone.
SAFETY SUPPORT AND REPRESENTATION
Sometimes you just need to know where to turn. As members of the Croydon Taskforce, Resilience Forum and Anti-Social Behaviour Forum, Croydon BID is connected at every level to ensure businesses can access the right support, guidance and partners quickly. With our knowledge and expertise, we will continue representing your safety needs across these networks, escalating issues and making sure they reach the right people without delay.
A NETWORK OF SAFER SPACES
Everyone deserves to feel safe. Working with businesses and partners, Croydon BID will expand a visible network of Safe Spaces across the town centre, providing support, reassurance, and assistance to anyone who feels vulnerable or unsafe. Alongside initiatives such as Ask for Angela and Safer After Dark, this network will play an important role in supporting women and girls affected by Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) and helping to create a safer, more welcoming Croydon for all.
Enhance
Croydon town centre deserves to look its best, and over the next five years we will continue investing in services that are not only visible on your streets, but that actively raise standards, restore pride, and make it a place that feels genuinely welcoming for businesses, employees, visitors and investors alike.
What I’ve always admired about Croydon BID is their simple, can-do approach. They are fast, responsive and consistently reliable, whether dealing with urgent issues on the day or delivering planned improvements that enhance the town centre over time. We know that if we have an issue or challenge that if we contact the team at Croydon BID, we are going to be supported immediately. In particular, their cleansing programme has visibly raised standards, enhancing colour and vibrancy across areas such as the Ruskin Square Estate.
Charles Twist
Lead Asset Manager, Schroders Capital
Lead Asset Manager, Schroders Capital
Read more about our enhance pledge
DEDICATED STREET CLEANSING
People notice when a town centre is clean, and they notice when it isn’t. Clean streets help create confidence, support local businesses and improve the experience for everyone who uses the town centre. Croydon BID’s dedicated cleansing team delivers deep cleaning, graffiti removal and street furniture cleansing throughout the year. We will continue investing in this service to help maintain higher standards across Croydon.
TARGETED HIGH STREET BUSINESS CLEANSING
Your business only gets one chance to make a first impression. Croydon BID’s cleansing team provides a direct service for high street businesses, from shop frontage and signage cleaning through to graffiti removal, helping you present the right image to customers and visitors. We will work with you to identify your needs and deliver improvements efficiently – saving you time, money and the hassle of doing it yourself.
TARGETED CORPORATE BUSINESS CLEANSING
Maintaining a large estate takes time, resource and money. Croydon BID’s cleansing team delivers targeted cleans across larger commercial properties and shared spaces, improving the welcome for staff and visitors and keeping your environment looking its best. Whatever the size of the job, we will continue to deliver efficiently, taking the pressure off your team and adding real value to your property.
GRAFFITI REMOVAL SERVICE
Graffiti sends the wrong message. It affects the appearance of businesses, creates a poor impression and can undermine confidence in an area. Croydon BID provides a responsive graffiti removal service across the town centre, helping businesses deal with tagging quickly. We will continue investing in rapid removal to help keep Croydon looking clean, welcoming and well cared for.
EVERYDAY STREET IMPROVEMENTS
The details matter. From painted bollards and improved hoardings to better-looking vacant premises, small improvements can make a big difference to how a place feels. Croydon BID will deliver a rolling programme of light-touch street improvements designed to uphold standards, address eyesores quickly and ensure our town centre always makes the right impression.
PLANTING AND GREENING
Colour makes a difference. Planting helps soften the urban environment, brighten key locations and create a town centre that feels more welcoming. Through hanging baskets, seasonal displays and maintained planting sites, Croydon BID adds thousands of plants across the town centre every year. We will continue to grow our commitment to investing in schemes that bring colour and vibrancy to Croydon.
FESTIVE LIGHTING AND DISPLAYS
The festive season is a chance to showcase Croydon at its best. Christmas lighting helps create a welcoming atmosphere, support businesses and encourage visitors into the town centre during a key trading period. Croydon BID will continue investing in festive lighting, decorations and installations that help bring Croydon to life throughout the season.
A CLEANER CROYDON
A clean town centre is everyone’s responsibility, but it takes leadership to make it happen. Litter, fly-tipping and environmental neglect all shape how people experience and perceive Croydon. Through the Keep Croydon Tidy initiative, Croydon BID will build a volunteer network with the business community at its heart, working with partners to drive collective action that makes a visible, lasting difference to our streets.
PUBLIC ART AND STREET BANNERS
Croydon’s creativity should be visible on its streets. Public art adds colour, character and individuality while helping create a stronger sense of place. Through street banners, creative commissions and installations, Croydon BID will continue investing in projects that showcase local talent and contribute to a more vibrant and distinctive town centre.
Activate
A successful town centre is one that feels alive. It needs regular activity, visible moments and reasons for people to return. Over the next five years, Croydon BID will continue delivering programmes that bring energy into the town centre, support businesses and improve how Croydon is experienced by residents, workers and visitors.
For destinations to succeed and grow, we need to highlight the fabulous array of activities offered whilst creating more reasons for people to choose Croydon with innovative activations that capture the imagination of those that live, work and visit here. Croydon BID has shown on countless occasions the determination and imagination not only to bring together the very best of Croydon business offerings, but to create something from nothing and deliver events, attractions and promotions to encourage people to explore and rediscover our town centre, partnering with the amazing companies that sit within it.
Ben McLaughlin
Chief Operating Officer, BOXPARK
Chief Operating Officer, BOXPARK
Read more about our activate pledge
EVENTS THAT ATTRACT
People need a reason to visit, and events are one of the most powerful ways to give them one. Croydon BID will deliver seasonal events, including summer activity and winter experiences, alongside sponsoring and supporting town centre events that keep the calendar consistent. This creates regular reasons to visit, increases footfall and keeps the town centre feeling alive throughout the year.
DRIVING DIGITAL VISIBILITY
How a place looks online shapes whether people choose to visit in person. Croydon BID promotes the town centre through social media, digital campaigns and editorial content – showcasing businesses, events and experiences to audiences across the borough and beyond. We will continue to grow our reach, delivering content that keeps Croydon visible, active and front of mind.
GROWING THE CHECKOUT CROYDON CARD
People spend more when they feel they are getting something back. The Checkout Croydon Card is a free digital discount scheme offering exclusive deals across food, drink, retail and leisure – offers you simply cannot get anywhere else. We will continue to grow the scheme, increase business participation and expand the range of offers available across the town centre.
DELIVERING TARGETED CAMPAIGNS
Local businesses can only thrive if the right audiences know about them. Croydon BID delivers targeted promotional campaigns across social media, working with content creators and influencers to shine a light on the best of what Croydon has to offer. From reels and features to themed campaigns, we will make sure Croydon stays visible, relevant and impossible to ignore.
SHOWCASING LOCAL CREATIVE TALENT
Art makes people feel something. It creates talking points, sparks debate and gives a
place an identity that sets it apart. The Creative Croydon banner programme showcases work from local artists, designers and students across major streets each year. We will build on this foundation, extending our presence across more spaces and platforms and injecting colour and character into the town centre.
POSITIVE PR AND COMMUNICATIONS
For too long the narrative around Croydon has not reflected what the town centre has to offer. Changing that story – locally, regionally and nationally – creates the conditions for businesses to thrive and investors to take notice. Croydon BID will support a proactive PR programme, generating positive coverage and projecting the very best of Croydon to the audiences that matter most.
Represent
Your voice matters, and we are here to make sure it is heard. Over the next five years, Croydon BID will champion your interests across every relevant platform, from local forums and regional meetings to regeneration boards and national campaigns. We will keep you informed, connected and one step ahead of the developments that affect your business and your town centre.
We know Croydon BID genuinely has the interests of businesses at heart, not just in what they say publicly, but in the conversations they have behind the scenes. The challenges we face around shoplifting and antisocial behaviour aren’t abstract; they affect staff and customers every day. What makes the difference is having a voice that carries those realities into the right rooms. Through Croydon BID, we’ve had the opportunity to speak directly with senior decision-makers, including the Minister for Policing and the Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner, and that influence and access to present our concerns adds value and really matters.
Ruben Sanchez-Cruz
Store Manager, Marks & Spencer
Store Manager, Marks & Spencer
Read more about our represent pledge
ADVOCATING FOR A SAFER CROYDON
Businesses deserve to operate in an environment where safety is taken seriously. Working alongside other Business Improvement Districts, high street forums and partners, Croydon BID will campaign for increased policing, reduced abstraction rates and more innovative approaches to crime reduction. We will use our influence to push for the visible, responsive policing presence that Croydon’s business community needs.
REVIVING CROYDON’S NIGHT-TIME ECONOMY
A thriving night-time economy brings people into the town centre, supports local businesses and creates a sense of energy and life after dark. Right now, Croydon’s night-time economy, like so many others, is in decline. The Croydon Night-Time Economy Taskforce, led by Croydon BID, exists to change that. Working with partners and local venues, we will deliver an independent study of the night time economy and use its findings to build a collective strategy that supports venues and operators in the right way.
FIGHTING FOR A FAIRER HIGH STREET
The economic pressures facing high street businesses are real, and they need to be addressed at every level. Croydon BID will campaign alongside partners and other Business Improvement Districts to push for the reforms that matter most. Over the next five years, we will lobby for meaningful Business Rate Reform and a reduction in hospitality VAT to give businesses a fairer footing, and residents and visitors a renewed reason to spend time in Croydon.
CONNECTING THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY
Some of the best business opportunities come from the right conversation at the right moment. Through BID Connect, our summer and winter receptions, and a series of business forums, Croydon BID creates the space for those conversations to happen. We will keep you connected to the people, topics and developments that matter most to your business and your town centre.
KEEPING YOU INFORMED
Staying informed means staying ahead. Croydon BID’s communications channels
keep you up-to-date with the latest news, developments and opinions affecting your
town centre, through regular e-bulletins, thought leadership articles and performance dashboards. Whether it’s a policy change, a regeneration update or a local issue affecting trade, we will continue to make sure you hear about it first and understand what it means for your business.
LOCAL DATA INSIGHTS
Understanding your town centre is the first step to making better decisions for your
business. Without reliable data, it is hard to plan ahead, make the case for investment or spot opportunities before they pass. Croydon BID will provide free access to a range of data sources, including footfall data and performance indicators, giving you a clearer, more informed picture of what is really happening on your doorstep.
YOUR ONE STOP SHOP
Knowing where to turn to when an issue arises can save time, money and unnecessary stress – and having the right person in your corner makes all the difference. Croydon BID is your direct point of contact for whatever challenge
your business is facing. Our team brings years of experience, expertise and a wide network of contacts to help you navigate problems quickly and without fuss. And if we don’t have the answer, we will find the person who does.
YOUR VOICE IN CROYDON’S FUTURE
The scale of change happening across Croydon brings both significant opportunity and real challenge, and businesses need a voice in how that change unfolds. Croydon BID represents the business community’s interests in the conversations and decisions that will shape the future of the town centre. Through the Croydon Regeneration Board, engagement with developers and dialogue with policy makers locally and regionally, we will make sure that your voice is heard.
GROWING EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
The challenge for young people to successfully find employment is becoming a greater concern, particularly as Croydon has the largest youth population in London. Connecting our youth with the business community provides a practical opportunity to offer a bridge to employment. Croydon BID will work with our colleges, university and training providers to promote opportunities for employment, apprenticeships and training to boost our young workforce.
Behind the Bid
Croydon Bid Essentials
Levy rules & Regulations
The BID levy is a mandatory charge, enforceable in the same way as non-domestic rates, following a successful ballot. The levy will be set at 1.3% of the rateable value of each hereditament within the BID area as at the valuation date of 1 April each billing year.
The
Finances
Croydon BID is committed to delivering maximum value from every penny of your levy. We are responsible and transparent. Following extensive consultation with our business community, we are pleased to present our indicative budget for the next five years.
How we operate
Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) are independent, business-led and business-funded organisations formed to improve a defined commercial area. Legislated for in the Local Government Act 2003, BIDs operate for a maximum of five years before seeking a renewed mandate from their business community.
Our
people
Behind every patrol, every event, every clean street and every conversation with a decision-maker, there are our people. Our Executive Team and Board of Directors represent you, your business and your sector, creating lasting value across Croydon town centre. We show up for Croydon, committed and determined to deliver.
FAQ's
1. What is a Business Improvement District?
Business Improvement Districts are independent, business-led and business-funded organisations formed to improve a defined commercial area.
Legislated for in the Local Government Act 2003, BIDs operate for a maximum of five years before seeking a renewed mandate from their business community.
Funded primarily through an annual levy – a small percentage linked to the rateable value of each property in the BID area – the levy becomes mandatory for all eligible businesses following a successful ballot.
There are around 350 BIDs operating across the UK, delivering over 600 services and investing up to £150m into high streets, towns and cities every year. London alone accounts for more than one in five of all UK BIDs, investing £62m annually – around 40% of total national investment.
2. What makes my business eligible to vote in the Croydon BID ballot?
All businesses within the defined Croydon BID geographical area with a rateable value of £40,000 or more are eligible to vote in the upcoming Croydon BID Ballot.
The ballot will take place from 21st September 2026 – 21st October 2026.
3. Who can vote in the Croydon BID ballot?
All 460 businesses within the BID boundary, with a rateable value of £40,000 or more, will be entitled to vote during the 31-day postal ballot.
4. Do I have to vote?
Much like an election, there is no minimum turnout for a BID. There is no legal requirement for you to vote.
5. What makes a ‘yes’ vote for a Business Improvement District?
There is no minimum turnout for a Business Improvement District ballot. In 2021, Croydon BID recorded a turnout of 54%.
If more than 50% of businesses vote ‘Yes’, both in terms of total number and overall rateable value, the ballot will be successful. Croydon BID would therefore maintain its BID status and deliver for 2027-2032.
All eligible businesses with a rateable value of £40,000 and above, in the defined geographical area, will be required to contribute to the BID, even if a business voted ‘no’ or did not vote.
Croydon BID members voted 92% by number and 95% by rateable value with a 54% turnout in 2021 to retain the BID for 2022-2027.
6. When will the next five-year term for Croydon BID start, if successful at ballot?
The new five-year term, if successful at ballot, will start on 1st April 2027.
If successful at ballot, the term will run from 1st April 2027 – 31st March 2032.
7. How much will Croydon BID invest into the town centre over the next 5 years?
Croydon BID has proposed an indicative budget for 2027-2032 that sets out an investment programme of £6m across the five-year term if successful at ballot.
In securing our streets, improving safety we will invest £1.6m across five years, 38% of our total delivery budget.
Enhancing our streets, improving cleanliness, adding colour and vibrancy, we will invest £1.2m across five years, 29% of our total delivery budget.
In activating our spaces, injecting energy and excitement, we will invest £1m across five years, 22% of our total delivery budget.
In representing you, supporting you and your business with an independent voice, we will invest £500k across five years, 11% of our total delivery budget.
8. How is my annual levy calculated?
If the vote is ‘yes’, any person, registered company, charity or non-profit making organisation that is a business occupier or leaseholder of a business premises with a rateable value of £40,000 or above within the Croydon BID area will pay the levy charge annually.
The levy will be due on 1st April each year and will be payable in full in one single instalment. Any adjustments to the list during each year will be applied at the next available chargeable period with no backdating.
The levy will be set at 1.3% of the rateable value of each hereditament within the BID area as at the valuation date of 1 April each billing year using the 2026 rating list. No refunds from previous annual chargeable periods will be payable.
Where a property is empty, the levy liability will transfer to the eligible ratepayer which may be the property owner.
9. Are there any exemptions to the Croydon BID levy?
There are no exemptions or discounts to the levy for charitable status, mandatory rate relief or businesses paying other service charges.
10. What happens if the majority of businesses vote ‘no’ in a Business Improvement District ballot?
It is a democratic ballot. Very simply if businesses vote ‘No’, with a majority by volume and rateable value not to retain Croydon BID, then the Business Proposal 2027-2032 will not go ahead, and the business will cease all operations by 31st March 2027.
This means no: Croydon BID Street Rangers; Radio Links; Metropolitan Police funded operations; the loss of our cleansing programme; no Christmas lights; removal of our greening and art projects; no further investment in our showcase activations, marketing and promotion and the removal of an independent business voice for the town centre.
Croydon town centre has never stood still. And neither have we. Explore the next chapter of Croydon BID as we launch our new Business Proposal 2027-2032.