Retailers who fail to pay BID fees threatened with Stubbs Gazette listing
Business owners claim it is unfair that they are expected to pay annual BID fees on top of their rates on Joe Duffy's Liveline programme
Print22 September 2015
Radio presenter Joe Duffy has attracted headlines for describing his native city of Dublin as “unadulterated kip” which is “being turned into pound shops” with banks “now housing fast-food restaurants”.
Duffy made the comments on his RTE Liveline programme yesterday, as businesses in the south Dublin suburb of Dun Laoghaire contacted the show to report difficulties in paying their rates.
The Business Improvement District initiative (BID) in Dun Laoghaire has established a five-year initiative to entice more businesses into the area and deliver a long-term sustainable model for the management of the town.
However, many business owners claim it is unfair that they are expected to pay annual BID fees on top of the rates already paid to the local council.
The Irish Independent reports that those who don’t pay their BID fees are being threatened with receiving a listing in the Stubbs Gazette. It is understood that approximately 200 traders in Dun Laoghaire received warning letters from Stubbs on behalf of Dun Laoghaire Council from the semi-state body, Business Improvement Districts (BIDs), for non-payment of an extra €200 levy on their rates.
While one caller claimed the initiative won’t improve the fortunes of local businesses, spokesman for BID, Don McManus, implored the people of Dun Laoghaire to give the project a chance.
McManus said the majority of businesses pay less than €200 each year. He promised the initiative would make a difference and that if in five years’ time, it had not worked, the programme would not be repeated.
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