Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) are funded by levy payers and set up to deliver projects that benefit local businesses and the wider community. Members expect professionalism, transparency, and delivery in line with the approved business plan. Unfortunately, Coleraine BID has fallen short of these standards.

Two services, which my businesses Triovia and Explore Causeway Coast & Glens were due to carry out under agreed arrangements, remain unpaid. Significant time and resources went into creating these — including several thousands of pounds invested in developing custom digital services that were designed specifically to benefit Coleraine BID members.

Crucially, these services were not side projects. They were explicitly approved by the Coleraine BID Board and written into the 2024–2029 Business Plan, a plan which was subsequently voted on and approved by levy-paying members. Despite this, Coleraine BID has failed to honour its financial obligations.

This is more than just a late payment issue. It reflects a culture of poor governance and a lack of professionalism at board level. When levy payers’ contributions are not used as agreed — and when suppliers are left out of pocket for delivering commissioned work — confidence in the BID model is undermined.

Coleraine BID members deserve transparency and accountability. They deserve to know why approved services have been ignored, why commitments have not been respected, and why the organisation continues to fall short of the standards expected of it.

For small businesses and independent providers, non-payment is not a trivial matter. It represents hours of work, thousands of pounds of investment, and the trust that agreements will be respected. When that trust is broken, the damage extends far beyond one supplier — it damages the credibility of the BID itself.

It is time for Coleraine BID to reflect on its responsibilities, restore professionalism, and start honouring the commitments it has made. Anything less risks losing the confidence of levy payers and the wider business community.

This evening 24th Septemeber, a Letter Before Legal Action was issued. It’s not a step I wanted to take, but after months of delays and a lack of professionalism, there was no other choice.