The Fleet Business Improvement District (BID) was founded in 2017 to deliver events and activities in Fleet to make our town a great place to eat out, shop, work and do business.

Projects delivered to date 

Marketing Promotion and Events. Promoting businesses in the BID  area and Fleet as a great place to visit, shop , work and live through:

• Mi Rewards loyalty programme, rewarding people for shopping in Fleet and supporting local businesses
• Campaigns such as Shop in Fleet, High Street Heroes, Fleet Food Week and promoting restaurants, bars and pubs taking place in the government’s Eat out to Help Out Scheme.
• Find your Free Parking scheme promoting shops and businesses who refund their customer’s parking costs.
• FindYourFleet magazine delivered to 16,000 households locally each year.
• Advertising in local publications.
• Website for Fleet, www.findyourfleet.org with information on Fleet, a comprehensive business directory, events listing and community pages on Fleet
• Social media accounts to  including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn

• Fleet Food Festival.
• Nutcracker Christmas Trail.
• Dinosaur trail, wild animal trail and Key Worker Otter trail.
• Events and activities in the temporary pedestrianised area in Fleet with COVID safe measures in place including entertainers, Vegan Market, Craft market, mini artisan market and fun activities such as crazy golf.

Business Support

• Coronavirus information hub to support businesses with updates on latest government advice, signposting support and help to access government grants.
• Back in business care packs with posters, hand sanitiser, floor and window stickers to enable businesses to open safely.
• Stay safe tracker so that people who visit Fleet and work in Fleet can provide information on how safe they feel and feedback can be provided to the local council and businesses
• Free training including Emergency First Aid, Mental Health First Aid and Fire Warden training.
• FleetWatch programme – a secure, police-approved system enabling businesses to share information on known offenders and shoplifters in the town.
• Consumer research and advice to help businesses understand changing consumer behaviour and best practice.
• Business support seminars and webinars covering topics such as HR, lease negotiations, social media and customer experience
• Working with Scoop to help businesses become single use plastic free.
• 1-2-1 support for businesses opening in Fleet.
• Business awards scheme celebrating excellent customer service in Fleet.

Improving the Experience in Fleet

• Benchmarking report to compare Fleet to other towns of a similar size to Fleet and inform local councillors and businesses to help with decision making
• Signage review with recommendations provided to Hart District Council and Fleet Town council 
• Parking scheme enabling people who work at the Waterfront Business Park and Ancells Business Park to park for free in Fleet in their lunch hour
• Additional Christmas lights and summer flowers in the town
• Supported the bid for High Street Futures fund
• Bring this to Fleet, webpage enabling people to share their ideas to improve Fleet

About the BID

Fleet BID operates within a defined geographical area to bring new initiatives and deliver services in addition to those already provided by local councils and other service providers. Fleet BID is an independent not-for-profit company led by a Board of volunteer Directors.

The BID operates under very clear legal guidance with a business plan, Board minutes including decisions and expenditure statements which are published on the BID website. The accounts are audited each year and a more detailed expenditure statement is available to every business who has paid the BID levy as part of being a business in the BID area. In addition, Fleet BID has achieved British BID’s accreditation following a thorough audit of the BID’s operations by an external body.

All activities are designed to meet one or more of the following aims:

• Increase footfall
• Save businesses money
• Generate additional income that can then be invested in the town
• Improving the experience in Fleet
• Provide business support
• Support good practice guidance for BIDs around the country

Find out more using the links below: