YCBID: ‘Trilogy’ (Intro)

The North Yorks Enquirer, having previously published dozens of articles critical of Yorkshire Coast BID Ltd, has received a ‘Trilogy’ of Letters to the Editor from Hero SUMNER, who is the Chair of the Yorkshire Coast Levy Payers’ Association representing hundreds of ‘refusenik’ businesses who collectively reject the imposition of a 1.5% Levy on their NNDR (Business Rates) by a private limited company seemingly incapable of fufilling its functions. Here follows a brief introduction.

The ‘Trilogy’ series, entitled “The Emperor’s New Clothes” will appear over the coming days.

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Dear Editor

RE: Yorkshire Coast BID (and BIDs in general)

I am writing  as Chair of the Yorkshire Coast Levy  ‘Payers’ to add yet more depth to Alderman Murphy’s excellent article as published this week.

Your publication has been a great information source on this subject over the 4 years since Yorkshire coast businesses have been under the BID cosh and the we thank you for your sturdy efforts.

BIDs affect hundreds of thousands of businesses across the UK yet, for some reason, the mainstream media have sidelined any efforts to gain national attention on this shambolic sticking plaster dreamt up by Blair’s government in the early 2000’s.

It may be that the current Tory government is quite happy to continue using the same tired method of extorting further revenue from exhausted small business owners in attempt to blow hot air up the backside of culture vultures.  It may also be that this could be an attempt to sneakily privatise our High Streets.  Who cares?

Well, they may not yet care, but the General Public WILL care when the next cunning plan hits them between the eye balls . . . the Community Improvement Districts.

The latest offering from the government to ‘look into’ the ‘concerns’ surrounding Business Improvement District (presumably wearing a ‘worried frown’) is a circular sent to local ‘Councils’ asking for their views . . .

This is the equivalent of asking  turkey farmers what they think of Xmas.

Before going any further, I must  clarify for any of your readers who understand the term ‘Council’ to mean simply ‘elected members’. It does not.  The elected members are just as much the ‘turkeys’ here.  They,  just  like the rate-paying public, are subject to the whims and manipulations of the ‘mandarins’ (or ‘Officers’ as they like to be known).

Over the next few days, I’d like to share with your readers a Trilogy of tales based on the facts about The Yorkshire Coast BID. This will be as astounding and (hopefully) engrossing as any Hans Christian Anderson fairy story.

Yours,

Hero Sumner

Here is a sneak preview of the first instalment (second in the series, for reasons which will become apparent):

 ‘The Emperors New Clothes’ – Episode 2

A vain, stupid emperor has employed a team of rogue tailors to weave him an ‘outfit’ that will be so magnificent that only the very clever will be able to detect it.

After a few weeks of silence from his tailors, he sends a trusted advisor to investigate the proceedings . . .