Businesses in Aberdeen city centre will vote on whether to retain its BID after councillors agreed to a revised ballot date.
The plebiscite on whether to keep business improvement district Aberdeen Inspired for another five years was originally due to be held in March, but it was delayed by three months.
Councillors had the option of exercising a veto over the BID, which has operated in the city for the last decade but did not take it up at a meeting of the urgent business committee on Monday.
Vice-convener Douglas Lumsden said: “The decision taken by Aberdeen City Council today was a statutory function and it is now over to Aberdeen Business Improvement District (BID) members to decide.”
More than 800 businesses in the city centre – which pay levies to Aberdeen Inspired totalling around £1 million – will now vote on June 24 whether to keep the body.
Aberdeen Inspired is responsible for events such as Nuart, restaurant week, the international comedy festival and the Christmas Village.
Chief executive Adrian Watson revealed the organisation will publish its business plan for the next five years later this week.
“The decline in high street retail, which started before the pandemic, has sadly led to major brands pulling out of the city,” he added.
“Equally, the permanent closure of several hospitality businesses, some of which were Aberdeen ‘institutions’ is a further blow to our city centre.
“More than ever, we have to work collaboratively and creatively to protect the diversity and vibrancy of our city centre, delivering initiatives, attracting events and supporting programmes that repurpose and enrich our city centre offering, making sure it is a compelling place to work, live and play.
“The shift towards greater residential and office developments is a key plank of the City Centre Masterplan that is already changing the landscape and our role is to represent the views of over 800 levy-payers in reinventing the city centre, investing in its future and the future of every business and organisation which depends on its wellbeing.
“There has never been a more critical time for our city and Aberdeen Inspired provide a leading voice for businesses in influencing and driving forward change at a time when it is most needed.”
