Promote your business

Yellow buses ‘Fare Share’ promotion for Wimborne

Buses away! Gun salute welcomes Yellow Buses to Wimborne

Pictured: L-R Town Mayor - Cllr. Robin Cook, Town Crier - Chris Brown and Jenni Wilkinson Head of Marketing, Yellow Buses and Melvin Gudger of Wimborne Militia

Off with a bang - by Wimborne Militia! The BID is predicting an increase in footfall in the town when Yellow Buses start their new service into Wimborne from 23rd October – see www.bybus.co.uk/latest-news/

Ahead of their arrival, BID directors Malcolm Angel and Martin Tidd met Jenni Wilkinson, Head of Marketing for Yellow Buses and discussed their ‘Fare Share’ promotional scheme for traders to commence from 23^rd October. The successful initiative was first launched during the 2010 Bournemouth Air Festival and was the brainchild of the Boscombe Traders’ Association. Since then, the number of participating retailers has risen by 60% - which speaks for itself.

How it works: Quite simply, any participating business or retailer offers an incentive on receipt of a Yellow Bus ticket or Glo Smartcard from a customer. The offer might be a discount on goods or a free glass of wine with a meal, a two for one entry ticket, or whatever suits the trader.

Jenni Wilkinson is keen to support Wimborne’s businesses: “Anything which helps generate trade for our local retailers is a good thing. We are pleased to support this initiative,” she said.

Any business wishing to participate – just email details of your offer to directors@wimbornebid.org The BID will then organise its inclusion on the Yellow Buses’ website.

About Wimborne BID

For over 15 years the Chamber of Trade has been looking for ways to improve Wimborne Minster as a shopping town and have sought to develop a town centre strategy to benefit traders, residents and visitors. The Chamber has , over the years, established Christmas lights, children’s entertainment, a Wimborne Directory, supported the Folk festival and Wimborne in Bloom. Under the current legal arrangements businesses have no say on how the business rates are spent in their area and have felt disenfranchised. It is this frustration and desire for action that has lead to the formation of a group initiated by the Chamber of Trade to seek to empower businesses to act in their own interests.

The opportunity to do this comes through the Business Improvement Districts (England) Regulations 2004. Which allows businesses to form a not for profit company to raise a levy on business rate payers and spend this money as they wish (and only the businesses say how this money is spent) for the benefit of the town and its shoppers.

Wimborne BID is a business lead initiative.