BUSINESS leaders have been celebrating the ‘yes’ votes for Bournemouth’s two Business Improvement Districts.

Traders voted in favour of voluntarily paying an extra £7million over five years to improve trading conditions in the town centre and on the seafront.

The news received praise at the April meeting of the town’s chamber of trade.

Nigel Hedges, president of the chamber, pictured, said: “We couldn’t even imagine it not going ahead. The opportunities that would have been lost – it’s not something we wanted to contemplate.”

Alun Williams, who had chaired the Coastal BID steering group, said: “The businesses have voted to pay more themselves – that’s really important. They want to put their money in to see Bournemouth improved.”

He said the Coastal BID, which covered around seven miles and took in Westbourne, Boscombe and Southbourne shopping areas, was the largest single BID yet created in the whole country.