It’s in Nottingham ballot results

Following extensive consultation with member businesses and stakeholders in the city, during which we set out priorities in a new Strategic Business Plan, the four-week ballot took place during June and July.

In a ballot of over 750 city centre businesses, members voted by a majority of 96% in favour by rateable value, and 95% by voting intention, to secure a further five-year term for the Business Improvement District.

Recognising the achievement and the mandate from city centre businesses, Alex Flint, CEO of It’s in Nottingham said;

“This is an outstanding result for us all - securing a further five-year term, and equally importantly, a clear message from our members that they believe in us all – to deliver another five years of high-quality events, projects, safety and crime reduction initiatives, operational support, marketing activities and campaigns.”

Delivering events, sponsorships and place-making

Working closely with BID members, independent businesses and traders, visitor attractions and partners, It’s in Nottingham plan and deliver an annual calendar of activities to attract and delight visitors of all ages.

Each event – from the iconic inflatable Halloween monsters, to the hugely popular Christmas Market at Nottingham Castle – is carefully researched, planned and marketed to encourage leisure time spend and dwell time which supports the local economy. The team also provides free and low-cost activities for families on a budget, like Robin Hood’s Adventure Trail.

City centre leisure venue NG-ONE, who have hosted one of the giant inflatable monsters, said;

“The monster was a massive help for us this year, significantly boosting visibility throughout Halloween. It also provided us with an abundance of high-quality promotional content that we can utilise year-round. In terms of footfall, Halloween was a huge success, culminating in a record- breaking 31 October!”

Many events, like It’s in Nottingham’s annual Light Night, which is delivered in partnership with Nottingham City Council, are highly visible celebrations of a vibrant city, bursting with creativity and community, but behind the scenes the team are also working hard to make Nottingham a more attractive, and safer place.

City centre management

Investing in member priorities; business crime reduction, operational support and regular engagement, the It’s in Nottingham team are committed to working directly with businesses in Nottingham city centre to understand how crime, antisocial behaviour and homelessness affects them.

Led by Alex and the It’s in Nottingham Board, which includes business leaders in retail and centre management, finance, communications and property, the organisation recognises the power of partnerships in delivering sustainable improvements in city centre management and the importance of buy-in from wider city centre partners.

This enables the development of strategic safety initiatives like the Shop Safe Alert! app, body worn camera and radio scheme, Best Bar None and Safe Space Pledge, which are delivered where they are most needed, through engagement with community safety partners.

Innovation is at the core of It’s in Nottingham’s response to the changing needs of businesses. Introduced in 2025, with the support of Nottinghamshire Police and Nottingham City Council, and delivered with My Local Bobby, the Safer City Partnership provides high-visibility patrols which engage with businesses to reduce retail crime and ASB.

Amir, from TG Jones (formerly WH Smith) comments;

“Being a solo security guard in retail, I’ve often had a few challenges but having the guys as support has been really helpful. One example of this is when they helped with the recovery of about £300 worth of stolen items; I radioed them for help and they came down right away, and managed to return the stock to us. They’ve really helped with drug dealing too, gathering information and sharing it on the [Alert!] app -  it really helps me having a dedicated team who I can call on the radio or on the phone and they’re on it.”

A greener city

Aligned to It’s in Nottingham’s management of Nottingham city centre are its strategic aims as green ambassadors for the city, working with businesses and partners like Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust to deliver accessible projects which encourage engagement with nature, a focus on biodiversity in the urban environment, recycling, and effective waste management.

Looking towards the next five-years, It’s in Nottingham are passionate about championing Nottingham – promoting city centre brands and independents, delivering the support which businesses need, and playing an important role in developing ‘brand Nottingham’ – a destination of choice in which to live, work, study and play.