Funds to aid Ballymena businesses’ Covid recovery

Funding of £24,000 has been awarded to the Ballymena Business Improvement District (BID) to continue to support businesses to recover from the Covid-19 crisis.
By Elinor Glynn
Published 30th Jul 2020, 08:10 BST
L-R) Mayor of Mid and East Antrim, Councillor Peter Johnston; BID manager, Kathleen McBride; Alderman Audrey Wales MBE and BID Chairman, Stephen Reynolds.L-R) Mayor of Mid and East Antrim, Councillor Peter Johnston; BID manager, Kathleen McBride; Alderman Audrey Wales MBE and BID Chairman, Stephen Reynolds.
L-R) Mayor of Mid and East Antrim, Councillor Peter Johnston; BID manager, Kathleen McBride; Alderman Audrey Wales MBE and BID Chairman, Stephen Reynolds.

The Department for Communities (DfC) awarded a total of £300,000 to be shared across Northern Ireland’s eight BID areas to allow them to continue playing a key role in bringing local businesses and other stakeholders together to help regenerate their areas and improve their local trading environment.

Ballymena BID are receiving their award to help cover their operating costs for a period of time and to allow them to fulfil their part in the area’s economic recovery.

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Alderman Audrey Wales, who represents Mid and East Antrim Borough Council on Ballymena BID, welcomed the DfC’s funding award.

She said: “I was delighted to see the Department for Communities award this money to Ballymena BID, which was Northern Ireland’s first BID.

“This amount will allow them to carry on bringing value to the businesses in Ballymena town centre before their new re-ballot which will take place in December.

“Working alongside Council, Ballymena BID have dedicated themselves to helping rebuild our local retail economy in the aftermath of the Coronavirus pandemic.

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“By encouraging people to #ShopLocal, #ShopSafe and #RediscoverMEA, BID and Council’s Economic Development Team are making great strides in bringing life back to our streets in Ballymena.”

Also welcoming the grant, Kathleen McBride, BID Manager, said: “Such funding is vital to ensure town centre businesses are assisted during this recovery period.

“Ballymena businesses continue to slowly come out of lockdown and footfall figures indicate a weekly increase.

“More than ever it is important that shoppers feel safe to return to the town centre and support local businesses.”

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Related topics:Department for CommunitiesBallymenaNorthern Ireland