READING’S business community now has a new champion, after a reshuffle at the town centre’s Business Improvement Districts (BID).
There are two BIDs, Reading Central and the Abbey Quarter, and their role is to deliver a safe, clean and attractive town centre on behalf of the 600 businesses that call Reading their home.
The BIDs are managed by REDA, Reading’s Economy & Destination Agency, which in turn is guided by two committees of presentative businesses.
Alexa Volker has been appointed Reading’s new BID manager, and takes on the roleafter four years as the BIDs’ operations manager.
She will co-ordinate the liaison with the 600 retailers, businesses and organisations in the town centre to deliver the 2019-24 BID business plans.
So far this year, the BIDs have been involved in installing summer floral displays, managing the BIDs two wardens, introducing new planting on the Kennet, supporting town centre events such as Are You Listening? festival, promoting Reading’s many independent businesses for Independents Day, organising additional street cleaning, supplying drink spiking tester kits for town centre bars and nightclubs, and ensuring the town centre looked its best for the Jubilee.
Ms Volker said she was delighted to have been appointed.
“We have an amazing array of businesses and organisations which together create a dynamic and thriving town centre,” she said.
“As BID Manager, my job is to make sure we create the best conditions for these businesses to flourish, whether that is helping them practically with bespoke services such as recycling collections or programming yoga classes for their staff to make Reading town centre a great place to come and work.
“Over the next two years, we will be focusing on developing a new wellbeing programme for people working in the town centre, putting on great events and supporting a sustainable Reading with a series of green initiatives.”
And the news was welcomed by Andy Briggs, the general manager of The Oracle, who also chairs Reading BID.
“Alexa has worked tirelessly with the retail, hospitality and office businesses in the town centre over the last four years and all that learning means she has hit the ground running.” he said.
Andrew Whiteaker, a partner at Boyes Turner, said; “Alexa is a delight to work with, full of enthusiasm and deserving of the promotion.
“She has an endless range of ideas that will make the return to the office experience for employees even more enjoyable, from yoga before work to networking walks and Christmas fun events.”
For more details, log on to: www.visit-reading.com/business/bid
