As chief executive of Worcester Business Improvement District (BID), Phoebe Dawson is a driving force behind the city’s flourishing commercial community.

The BID is funded by local businesses and assists with everything from increasing footfall and delivering effective training and lobbying, to hanging Christmas lights and keeping the dreaded gulls at bay.

Worcester born and bred Phoebe has been at the helm of Worcester BID since 2017. Under her watch, Worcester has been shortlisted for the coveted High Street of the Year Awards.

She’s also started the BID Awards to encourage better customer service across the city. The ‘secret shopper’ awards, which are being held tonight, recognise exceptional businesses and encourage exemplary customer service.

Phoebe said: “Our high street has now been recognised as one of the best in the country. I want to make sure that visitors are encouraged to visit the city centre and that when they’re here that they have a good experience and want to come back.”

It’s been a busy year for the small but mighty BID team. The Food Fest brought an additional 30,000 visitors to the city this year alone.

The team has funded special bin bags to reduce litter from gulls, helped introduce the Worcester Cares initiative, partnered with the city council to deliver the new Visit Worcester brand and co-ordinated the CityNet scheme to radio link more than 100 businesses, reducing theft, anti-social behaviour and other crime.

The BID team also started a new magazine to share the city’s success stories, and 25,000 copies of The Worc Social have so far been printed and distributed across the Midlands, not to mention reaching thousands more online.

Phoebe said: “We want to support Worcester to reach its full potential. We already have so many brilliant businesses and enterprises, and I want to make sure that everyone knows that, and to help make the city be the best it can be.”

Phoebe previously managed the Growth Hub for Worcestershire.

She co-founded Worcester Advance Ltd and has worked for the Chamber of Commerce.

This experience, combined with a passion for her home city and a desire to make real change, drives Phoebe towards greater success.

She continued: “I’m working to create strong partnerships across Worcestershire to drive meaningful improvements for the city and beyond.

“We have a lot of momentum right now and working together will give us the impetus we need to achieve real greatness.”