Maeve England, a partner at Bath law firm Mogers Drewett, has been appointed as the new chair of the Bath Business Improvement District (BID) board.
She replaces Nigel Huxley, manager of Waitrose’s Bath store, who is stepping down from the BID board to pursue a new position with the supermarket group in Bristol.
Maeve joined what was then Mogers as a trainee in 2005. Now head of its dispute resolution department, she specialises in commercial property and real estate disputes as well as construction disputes. She has extensive experience of litigation, adjudication and mediation at the firm.
She said: “I have been active and supportive within the local business community since I arrived in Bath. I’m a passionate supporter of the Bath BID, which is an incredibly important body for the city’s business community, with a committed board.
“I’m relishing the opportunity of helping to take Bath BID forward and building on Nigel’s fine work as chair. I feel honoured to be invited to be the chair and I’m focussed on working with other board members, businesses and the BID team to ensure the BID continues to deliver.”
Nigel Huxley added: “I’ll regret leaving Bath and the Bath BID, but I’m proud of what has been achieved. The BID is in safe hands with Louise Prynne as chief executive and Maeve England taking over my role as chair.
“I’m particularly proud that the BID has demonstrated its ability to embrace a wide range of businesses and work collaboratively to ensure that all stakeholders are getting the benefit.
“Maeve has great integrity, and her job as a disputes resolution lawyer means that, in terms of someone who can work collaboratively, she is well placed to continue our approach and oversee the BID.
“Nothing significant will change with my departure as Maeve and I have been working together for the last six months, so the transition will be seamless and I will be keeping in touch when I leave in June.”
One of more than 270 Business Improvement Districts across the UK, Bath BID raises money from businesses in the city centre through a levy based on their premises’ rateable value.
It has staged initiatives such as Bath in Fashion and The Great Bath Feast, which attract sponsorship and bring in money from ticket sales. It also operates the city’s night marshal and taxi marshal schemes.
It was launched in 2011 and in 2015 a ballot among its 655 members extended it for a further five years.
Pictured, from left: Bath BID chief executive Louise Prynne, new BID chair Maeve England, and former chair Nigel Huxley
