Inverness Bid to continue for five more years with plans to further enhance city centre opportunities

The successful vote means the organisation can continue to deliver for city centre businesses until 2028.

By Ross Hempseed

March 24 2023, 7:01 pm

Inverness High Street has several stores involved with Inverness Bid. Image: Sandy McCook/ DC Thomson

Inverness Bid will continue for another five years after city businesses voted to continue the popular initiative.

Started in 2008, Inverness Bid is an organisation that helps city centre businesses successfully market themselves to residents and visitors to the Highlands.

Businesses pay a charge to be included in Bid events and campaigns to draw more people to Inverness, which in turn drives business growth.

The organisation covers a large area from the east bank of the River Ness towards the Eastgate Centre, with more than 700 potential properties to represent.

The successful fourth ballot means Inverness Bid will continue for another five years after previously publishing its business growth plan.

What plans does Inverness Bid have?

In its latest business plan, Inverness Bid states its mission will be to continue to “deliver a series of projects and services to improve the trading environment of Inverness city centre.”

Its four core goals for the city are making it clean and attractive, secure and connected, enhancing people’s city experiences, and promoting and celebrating the city.

One project Inverness Bid is involved in is replacing the two payphones in the city centre with “smart hubs” which will display advertising and community notices.

Eastgate Centre in Inverness. Image: Ross Hempseed/DC Thomson.

The hubs will also include wifi hotspots and mobile charging, which could be handy on nights out when low on battery.

Inverness Bid will also seek to replace the four main city centre notice boards, which it regularly updates with business adverts etc.

With hundreds of coaches due to arrive in Inverness during the tourist season, Inverness Bid is working to create a map with QR codes for businesses.

It will also be updating the food and drink guide, adding several new venues to the more than 110 establishments in the guide.

Smart hubs like this one on Aberdeen’s Union Street to be installed in Inverness city centre. Image: DC Thomson.

Other projects include the pub watch group, which helps reduce anti-social behaviour in and around licenced premises on and near Church Street and installing more defibrillators across the city.

Some schemes will also continue such as the Inverness City Centre gift card, launched in November 2022, with 160 businesses signed up.

The initiative has been funded via the Scottish Government economic recovery programme and Highland Council.

Inverness Bid will continue to operate from April 1 this year until March 31, 2028.