Businesses vote to keep DublinTown organisation until 2027

Traders’ organisation DublinTown, which runs the city’s Business Improvement District (BID) scheme, has been given a mandate to continue for another five years, after it won a plebiscite of city businesses.

Just over 60 per cent of those who took part in the vote, which is held every five years, were in favour of retaining the organisation, up from 54 per cent in 2017.

The BID scheme was set up 15 years ago to promote the city and supplement council services, including cleaning, graffiti removal, floral planting and Christmas lights.

Just under 3,000 city businesses are legally obliged to pay the equivalent of about 5 per cent of their rates bill each year to DublinTown. Rate-payers within its area of operation, which includes most of the north and south central business district but not Temple Bar, cannot opt out of paying.

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At the time of the first plebiscite in 2012, 68 per cent of businesses voted in favour of continuing the scheme. This dropped to 54 per cent in 2017 following a concerted campaign by some businesses who opposed the compulsory nature of BID membership and charges.

The ‘No to BID’ campaign had again called for a no vote, claiming the payment represented double taxation for businesses already paying rates to the council, but the majority of businesses chose to retain it.

Independent councillor Mannix Flynn, who had campaigned for a No vote, said he would be taking legal action against the compulsory nature of the BID scheme.

“I believe the legislation underpinning the BID is deeply flawed and massively undemocratic” he said. “People who wish to leave the BID can’t, and it has reached the point where I have to challenge the whole process in the courts.”

In a statement following the vote DublinTown said it looked forward to continuing its work on behalf of city businesses.

“We note the endorsement provided by the business community in the democratic vote to renew DublinTown for a further term,” it said.

"Dublin city centre has its challenges and it's now time for all businesses and stakeholders to come together and work for the benefit of the city centre, all Dubliners and visitors.''

The turnout in the plebiscite was the lowest since the BID was established in 2007, with just over 41 per cent of the 2,929 eligible rate payers casting valid votes in the plebiscite. A total of 733 voted to keep the BID until 2027 with 476 voting against.