The organisers of an ambitious scheme to reshape the future of the centre of the north-east’s biggest town are preparing to publish their vision.
Rediscover Peterhead will issue its five-year business plan to firms in the port’s shopping district next week.
It is the latest step in the business improvement district (BID) campaign which has drawn the support of nearly 100 businesses to date.
The plan details how Rediscover Peterhead will improve the town centre – from marketing, promotion and events to security, tourism and business development.
More than 30 BIDs are now operating across Scotland, the latest in nearby Inverurie. Under the initiative participating firms pay a local business levy and then an elected board decides how to spend the cash in the district.
With a detailed breakdown of activities, cost and benefits to levy payers Rediscover Peterhead organisers hope to get strong backing from entrepreneurs to help resurrect the heart of the Blue Toon.
Heralding the launch of the business plan, group vice-chairman John Pascoe said it tackles the issues raised in studies carried in the area.
“Thanks to the far-reaching study of local businesses undertaken by our coordinator Iain Sutherland, we have compiled a robust and comprehensive five-year business plan which will make real difference to our town,” said Mr Pascoe.
“We have listened carefully to what businesses want to see happen in Peterhead and we enthusiastically support their opinion that if we do nothing, then nothing will be done.”
The paper, which will be issued to local firms this week, includes tourism and promotional activity ideas as well as plans to apply for grant funding, stronger dialogue with the council, the creation of a combined CCTV system and improvements to accessibility and parking.
Mr Pascoe added: “Rediscover Peterhead believes that the only way to ensure the future economic well-being of the town is to form a BID with all the businesses acting as one to achieve things that a single business could not.”
The business plan will now be issued in tandem with the ballot papers electronically and or by post to all businesses within the levy-paying area.
The ballot opens on August 18 and will run until September 28. On August 31 Rediscover Peterhead is hosting a question and answer session at the town’s Palace Hotel for the firms involved.
