Enniskillen businesses say 'yes' to BID

Enniskillen is to become a Business Improvement District.

That's after businesses in the town voted overwhelmingly to approve the initiative.

The scheme would see local enterprise make its own decisions on the commercial future of the town.

Voting on the BID plan took place over the last number of weeks with the final result revealed on Friday evening.

Noelle McAloon, the project's co-ordinator, says BID will see local enterprise working more closely in future.

"It will give [business] a collective voice, it'll allow them to work together and it will generate and invest £1.2 million in the town of Enniskillen over the next five years with a variety of projects and initiatives that are aimed primarily at improving trading in the town," she said.

A delighted Noelle said she felt the process would have been useful regardless of Friday's result.

"Businesses have really enjoyed and appreciated someone like [the BID team] coming in and saying: what are your ideas; what would you want to happen if this went through?"

"This has actually really excited them, and even in that way - having these engagements that we've had over the last six months - have allowed businesses to think and ask what it is they want for their town. And as they've said to me: they've never been asked before," she said.

A full break-down of the results is expected later.