THE economic cost to Bute of the collapse of the BID is estimated to be in the realms of £8 million over the coming five years.
Three factors have hit the island’s prospects hard over the past week: the loss of the BID, the shutdown of the community council and the failure to secure an international democracy gathering.
Each strand has key impetus in identifying and securing project funding, grants and direct revenue spend.
The Danish People’s Meeting, or Folkemødet, provides substantial financial, economic, and promotional benefits to its host community. Local impact assessments from its long-time host, the island municipality of Bornholm, reveal the event serves as a major economic powerhouse similar to major sporting events.
In the past year, Bute has also lost its people-facing front door to tourist information with the closure of the iCentre, also known as the Discovery Centre. As part of a national digital-first strategy, VisitScotland phased out and closed its entire physical network of tourist information centres across Scotland.
The loss of the Bute BID will have a direct impact on tourism and events.
The VisitBute website will be discussed by the BID directors as part of the winding down process. It is likely to be closed.
With immediate effect, there is no more dedicated marketing, no publicity material, no grants for business and no support for event design or delivery.
There will be no further access to funds to plant the gardens or collective lobbying for investment.
This is the result of a democratic vote that could have gone the other way and helped to secure continuing investment in the island for the next five years.
There is a mechanism to have another vote on continuing with a Bute BID, but by statute, that can’t happen for at least one year and must be a different proposal to the one presented this year.
Community Councils have the power to unlock funding grants from local and national government as well as lottery and other public service bodies. With no collective voice to represent the community, these funds are now out of reach.
There is also an opportunity to restart a community council for Bute should there be willingness to do so, but that cannot happen for at least six months.
On the near horizon, Bute is in the running for a major award that is worth £3 million.
The island is bidding to become the UK Town of Culture 2028. Bute has been shortlisted in the small town category from almost 400 contenders across the UK. Its proponents are calling on people across the island to come forward and get involved.
