Businesses Back FOR Cardiff for Another Five Years Following Record-Breaking BID Ballot

FOR Cardiff has announced that businesses across Cardiff have voted in favour of a new five-year term for the city’s Business Improvement District (BID), delivering what the organisation says is the strongest BID ballot result ever recorded in Wales.

The ballot saw 92% of businesses vote ‘yes’ by number and 97% vote ‘yes’ by rateable value, giving FOR Cardiff a renewed mandate to continue representing and investing in the city’s business community for another five years.

The successful vote means FOR Cardiff will begin its third BID term from December 2026. As part of the new term, the BID will expand beyond Cardiff city centre to include Cardiff Bay, bringing together two of the capital’s key commercial destinations under a shared vision for investment, collaboration and growth.

A Business Improvement District is a business-led and business-funded organisation operating within a defined geographical area. Eligible businesses vote every five years on whether to establish or renew a BID and, if successful, contribute a levy based on the rateable value of their premises. The funding is ringfenced to deliver projects and services that are additional to those provided by the local authority.

FOR Cardiff was first established in 2016 and secured a second five-year term in 2021. According to the organisation, it has delivered more than £12 million of business investment since its inception, supporting initiatives focused on improving the city centre through enhanced safety, cleanliness, placemaking, business support, marketing campaigns and events.

The new BID term is expected to generate around £2.6 million of investment annually across Cardiff city centre and Cardiff Bay—equating to approximately £13 million over the five-year period. This represents a significant increase on the current annual investment of around £1.4 million.

The expanded BID area reflects FOR Cardiff’s ambition to strengthen connections between the city centre and Cardiff Bay, supporting businesses across both locations during a period of significant regeneration and investment in the Welsh capital.

The renewed mandate will also enable delivery of FOR Cardiff’s 2026–2031 Business Plan, which was developed following consultation with businesses and is built around six strategic pillars focused on creating a cleaner, greener, safer, better connected and more sustainable Cardiff.

For Cardiff’s wider business ecosystem, including its growing fintech, financial and technology sectors, the successful ballot provides continuity for business-led investment and collaborative initiatives aimed at enhancing the capital as a place to work, invest and do business.

In announcing the result, FOR Cardiff thanked businesses across the city for their support, describing the outcome as a “huge vote of confidence” in its work and its vision for the future of Cardiff.

Read the full announcement from FOR Cardiff on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/cardiff-bid_moreforcardiff-activity-7478813895332347906-G-HY