The Preston BID proposals, unveiled earlier this month, aim to deliver a £1.5 million programmer over three years to improve old city centre.

Hugh Evans, who is coordinator of the BID initiative on behalf of the North and Western Lancashire Camber of Commerce, said: “However the BID is not just about providing a benefit for individual businesses in the city centre.

"The BID is also all about encouraging businesses to work together as a business community to develop a more vibrant and sustainable city centre.

“By investing collectively as a business community businesses will be able to generate a far bigger bang for their individual buck with the clout to get things done.”