Read the Otley BID February 2017 Update on what’s happening with projects that are currently underway:
FREE Business Advice Pop-Up Cafe
Further to discussions with the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (LEP) we have agreed that they can run a FREE Business Advice Pop-Up Café at the Otley Courthouse on Thursday 2nd March between 9am-12.30pm.
The morning is totally informal, so if you have 20 minutes to spare why not pop along and ask those burning questions that will help you improve your business. Experts will be available to chat to you on the following areas:
- Accountancy and tax
- Funding
- Marketing
- Social Media
- Skills
- Websites
- Starting up
- Growing your business
- International E-commerce
- Business planning
BOOK YOUR PLACE TODAY to avoid disappointment –
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/otley-business-advice-popup-cafe-tickets-30926652450
BID Levy 2017/18
BID Levy invoices will be sent out by Leeds City Council in the middle of March for the year 2017/18. Good news is that the Levy payments have been set to the existing level that businesses have been paying since we started in 2014, and have not been amended in line with the new Business Rates that are due to start on 1st April.
Under central Government’s new calculations a few businesses seem to have been hit harder than others, and so Otley BID and Otley Chamber of Trade will certainly add words of support for any such businesses contacting the Valuation Office Agency to challenge their new rateable value.
For queries in relation to how your new Business Rates have been calculated, you should contact The Valuation Office Agency direct via their website – https://www.gov.uk/correct-your-business-rates.
Should you have any queries regarding your Otley BID levy payments, please contact Leeds City Council using the contact details on your bill.
Galaxy Hot Chocolate Fund
Thank you to everyone who voted and supported our Galaxy Hot Chocolate Funding application for £300 to set up activities to draw increasing numbers of parents and toddlers to the Market Place on Wednesdays during this year’s Summer months.
Up to 26th February they were awarding five donations each week; four by their panel of judges and one through their People’s Choice award to the organisation with the most weekly votes.
At the time of writing we had just 1 week to go to know whether we were one of the lucky winners!
Otley BID’s 2017 Priorities
An update on Otley BID’s priorities for 2017 will be included in next month’s Economic Bulletin following discussions at our next Board Meeting.
Supporting the Otley Town Poet
Once again we are delighted to be supporting The Otley Town Poet, Matthew Hedley-Stoppard, with a small donation.
You will have also seen the recent Valentine’s Day “A Poet for a £1” which we were also involved with, which not only raised money for the Leeds Children’s Heart Surgery Fund, but also promoted local businesses who were involved and showcased our wonderful market town.