Solihull West and Shirley’s Member of Parliament, Dr Neil Shastri-Hurst, met with Solihull BID CEO Melanie Palmer to discuss upcoming plans and recent achievements for Solihull Town Centre.
Businesses voted to establish Solihull BID in 2010 with the aim of creating a dynamic and thriving town centre for businesses, residents and visitors. Over the years, the BID has reduced crime and improved safety and security whilst increasing footfall and visitors.
During this period, the BID has helped maintain stability whilst evolving to meet the business community's needs. From animating the streets with free cultural festivals to supporting the vulnerable through the Safe Space scheme, Solihull BID is doing a huge amount for our town centre.
Dr Neil Shastri-Hurst said:
Solihull BID has really helped our town centre over a number of years. This has included some challenging periods, most notably during the COVID pandemic, where high streets up and down the country were severely affected. It was great to meet with Melanie to hear about the schemes in place to keep Solihull a vibrant place to work and visit.
One topic I was keen to discuss was how we support young professionals and attract their talents to businesses in Solihull. It’s important to me that we retain the incredible abilities of our young people, which means ensuring they have the right opportunities to progress their careers right here in Solihull. I was particularly pleased to hear the BID has a strategy to help increase office working again.
I also wanted to take the opportunity to thank the BID and the wider business community who acted so quickly to ensure the safety of the public was prioritised during the gathering on Sunday 4th August.”
Melanie Palmer, Chief Executive of Solihull BID, said:
It was fantastic to meet up with Dr Neil Shastri-Hurst today and share our vision for the success story that is Solihull town centre.
It was both reassuring and impressive to meet an MP who showed such a degree of care and understanding for the needs of Solihull businesses, and we have already booked a regular catch up to ensure our joined-up approach remains current and relevant for those we serve. I look forward to working together on a brighter future for our town centre and High Street.
