A PLAN to "reinvigorate" Brighton high streets hopes to attract more visitors to the city.

City centre businesses will soon be given the opportunity to vote on the five-year plan created by Brilliant Brighton, the city’s Business Improvement District (BID).

The scheme hopes to create a safe environment for shoppers and more as lockdown measures are eased.

Brighton as shops reopen on 15 June

Brighton shoppers after stores reopened on June 15 in 2020

Proposals include:

  • Providing the city’s annual Christmas lighting display
  • Creating a safer shopping experience with "city centre ambassadors"
  • Organising a year-round calendar of events to attract customers, in line with Covid-safe guidelines
  • Providing an enhanced marketing offer for the BID area’s 517 shops, restaurants, bars and cafes
  • Delivering enhanced street cleansing and jet washing in the BID area.

To achieve this, businesses are being asked to contribute a levy equal to 1.5 per cent of the rateable value of the property they trade from.

A "yes" vote for the five year plan will see more than £2m of private sector investment which will begin on July 1, 2021.

Businesses eligible to vote will receive their ballot papers on or around April 6 and the outcome of the ballot will be published on the May 7.