Businesses in Hammersmith are being asked to get behind a town centre improvement scheme for another five years.

HammersmithLondon needs the support of more than half of local firms if it is to continue beyond its current contract in March, and hopes traders will vote for an extension up to 2016 when a ballot is held in February.

Launching the renewal campaign at the Disney headquarters in Hammersmith yesterday (17), against a backdrop of posters promoting the studio's forthcoming Tron Legacy movie, development director Patricia Bench highlighted the work done by the business improvement district (BID) since it began work in 2006.

It has spent £3.7 million on a variety of projects, including funding extra CCTV staff and police community support officers, a radio network to tackle shoplifting, a roof garden at the Lyric Theatre, a big screen showing Wimbledon matches and films in Lyric Square over the summer, and regular events, promotions and entertainment.

If voters agree to continue their support for HammersmithLondon, they must hand over 0.8 per cent of their rateable value to help fund similar projects over the next five years, a reduction from the current rate of one per cent.

Ms Bench said: "My big concern is that people forget to vote. As long as people do what they're promising to do and support us, we're looking forward to continuing our work and expanding on it."

Greg Smith, crime and resident services leader at Hammersmith and Fulham Council, said HammersmithLondon would help compensate for large cuts to council funding, which would make it impossible for the authority to pay for non-essential projects like the big screen, or the expensive chewing gum-resistant coating painted by the BID on some sections of town centre paving.

He said: "It's all about creating an environment in which businesses can prosper. If your employees aren't safe and in a nice environment, they will be demotivated and won't work as hard. If your customers and your clients aren't delighted when they come to you, they're not going to stay around for long.

"Those few extra things can make a big, big difference. That's why as a council we're very support of the BID, and we urge businesses in the area to vote for the continuation of that service."

Bridget Molloy, international finance director at Disney said: "What they've done so far is really enhance the feel of Hammersmith. They've done a lot with Lyric Square with the big screen, the Christmas market and the Lyric roof garden. I'm hoping they will keep working on those kinds of promotions, getting people out of their offices and into the community."

And Paul Bedwell of MWB, which owns and manages a large office block in Hammersmith Grove, said: "The BID does noticeable things and lots of things you can't see.

"There are a lot of great names in Hammersmith like L'Oreal, Coca Cola and Disney. It has a great location so close to Heathrow and it's a great business area, it just needed a bit of TLC and bit of organisation."

Businesses will be sent notice of the ballot in the new year and voting will begin on February 1.

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