Whether Brighton needs a Business District or not has been on my mind since I attended the Brighton Business District debate at City College, organised by the Chamber of Commerce, two weeks ago. Before the debate started we were asked to vote with our feet, and sit on either the right side of the room if you were against the idea, or the left side if for it.
I sat on the left supporting the idea of having a business district because I thought that there might be benefits for the local economy such as encouraging local start-ups, and relocation of small and medium size businesses to the city. These would provide jobs and taxes locally, and mean fewer needing to commute to work in London. Enhancing our reputation as a business-oriented city seems a great idea.
I was impressed by the first speaker Oliver Asha, head of the Commercial Property Department at city law firm Acumen Business Law, who spoke in favour of the idea, pointing out the rundown state of the London Rd area, and suggesting this as a suitable site for a business district.
The second speaker, Pete Jenkins who runs the hosted software specialist e-Advantage Solutions and is Chamber vice-president, asked where the proposed business district would be go: if in the city centre, it might harm Brighton’s vibe/atmosphere; out of the centre it might not be very popular with business people. Pete suggested that Brighton perhaps doesn’t need a dedicated business district, as Brightonians have their own way of doing business, and mentioned co-working setups which provide business people and others with shared facilities, offering economy, as well as opportunity for mutual help and other support.
Having heard the two speakers we were asked if we’d changed our mind, and would like to move to the other side of the room. So, did I move or did I stay? Yes, I moved. And I estimated that maybe a third of on my side moved over but almost no one on the right moved. At the end of the evening, two thirds ended up voting against the idea of a designated business district.
Since the debate I have been thinking over the reason for my change of mind. Having been in Brighton for eleven years and met lots of Brightonians, I’m sure most of us live in Brighton because we love the place. And we love it because it has a wonderful vibe that’s awfully hard to find elsewhere. I’ve only been doing my job as a freelancer for a few months, but the help I’ve had in getting started has been a godsend. The co-working mutual support groups in particular I’ve found just so valuable. So, from my perspective I don’t see the need for a business district in this city, we’re already getting it together in our own way; let’s keep it that way.
Some co-working groups are the BrightonFarm, theSkiff, theWerks and BuildBrighton. I hope to write something more on these groups soon. I would be grateful if you could post your opinion about the debate. Are you against or for?
