16 September 2026
The city’s Business Improvement District (BID) has unveiled an ambitious plan for Southampton for 2027-2032.
GO! Southampton has outlined a forward-looking programme designed to make the city more attractive, welcoming and economically resilient. The plan will go to ballot in November, when levy-paying businesses will vote on whether the BID continues for a further five-year term.
Building on the ten-year progress already delivered, GO! Southampton’s new Five-Year Plan has been shaped by feedback gathered through consultation with businesses, partners and community organisations across the city.
If successful, GO! Southampton’s new programme is based on four key themes:
Attracting – raising Southampton’s profile as a national and international destination and growing the local visitor economy utilising the Visit Southampton channels and creating engaging campaigns and trails.
Welcoming – delivering services for a safer, cleaner, more connected and more welcoming city centre for everyone whilst improving the cruise passenger visitor experience and help businesses grow their tourism offer, to drive spend.
Supporting – supporting businesses with core services to help them save costs, upskill their staff and grow their online presence as well as improving the connectivity across the BID area and the experience for those working in the city.
Aspiring – championing local business interests through active city partnerships and working with stakeholders to attract large-scale investments and encourage meanwhile uses.
Tim Keeping, Chair of GO! Southampton revealed the plan at a launch event earlier this week. He said: “Our new five‑year plan has been shaped directly by the feedback, ideas and ambitions of the businesses and partners we work with every day. They’ve told us they want a city centre that feels vibrant, welcoming and full of opportunity, and this plan reflects that.
We’re proud of what we’ve achieved so far, and we look forward to the opportunity to build on this work. The November ballot is a crucial moment, and we want our levy payers to vote YES, so we can continue to deliver our projects and services that help this city thrive.”
“We’re proud of what we’ve achieved so far, and we want the chance to keep doing it. The November ballot is a crucial moment, and we want our levy payers to vote YES, so we can continue to deliver our projects and services that help this city thrive.”
Stephen Manion, Executive Director of GO! Southampton said: “Southampton has seen a rapid increase in the number of cruise passengers, with over 3.5 million visiting or passing through the city. They are an important economic activity, and we want to increase their time and money spent in our businesses.”
The BID’s ballot will take place from 30 October – 26 November 2026, giving BID levy payers the opportunity to vote on whether they want GO! Southampton to continue delivering services and improvements for another five‑year term.
Businesses can read the full plan and find ballot information at www.gosouthampton.co.uk/ballot