Rejoicing in Ripon – Rebecca’s substantial return on BID membership
A number of Ripon’s smaller independent businesses have, over the past five years, enjoyed the benefits of BID membership, after making a voluntary contribution to the levy that funds the organisation.
Among those to have gained considerably from being a member is Rebecca Crallan, who opened The GreenHouse on North Street in March 2022. 🌿
The annual ratable value for the stylish premises is less than £5,000 — a figure that makes it exempt from paying the levy.
However, Rebecca, the founder and owner of the eco‑friendly business, which sells a wide range of ethically sourced goods for house and garden, is pleased to be part of the BID community. 🤝
She told Tim Flanagan of the Rejoicing in Ripon blog:
“The GreenHouse has been up and running for 4 years now and we’ve found the BID invaluable since the beginning.
“I get a substantial return on my voluntary levy, both in financial terms (eg energy cost savings, floral displays 🌸) and the harder‑to‑measure returns such as a supportive space for ideas, problem sharing etc.”
The bigger picture 🧩
“We have a great mix of independent traders in Ripon alongside heritage assets, historic attractions and customs ingrained in the fabric of the city, making it a very special place to visit, live in, work in and do business.
“If we think of each of these positive attributes as pieces in a giant jigsaw, we need Lilla Bathurst and her BID team to be constantly looking, along with other stakeholders, at the bigger picture and where improvements can be made for the common good.”
Rebecca pointed out:
“They brought businesses together to help choose, organise and promote events for Ripon, such as late‑night shopping and seasonal trails. ✨
“Late‑night Christmas shopping is always a popular event for us 🎄, and the trails increase footfall to those of us off the market square. Having someone willing to organise meetings to make these things happen is in itself a big plus.”
Rebecca lists other benefits of BID membership as:
- Improving the look of our area, North Street: street cleaning, floral displays, wrapping empty shops. (A number of new shops have opened on North Street and this helps improve footfall for all of us) 🌼
- Turning ideas into reality, such as the map of indie shops 🗺️
- Social media engagement, sharing our posts and events 📣
- Access to trusted and transparent brokers, e.g., for energy contracts, saving us money 💡
- Providing a collective voice for businesses on issues such as the attempt to see cinema return to Ripon 🎬
