“One of our original objectives was to create a vibrant retail centre where retailers would see an upward trend in takings. We didn’t expect it to happen overnight, and indeed for nearly two years of our five-year term Covid had the opposite effect. Our electronic footfall monitor in the Parade, however, did start to provide evidence, coming out of lockdown, that we were performing better than other towns in the region, especially those without a BID. Everyone who visited Taunton must have seen the difference. Minehead shops stayed resilient, and for the last 18 months Minehead has recorded the lowest shop vacancy rate of any town in the South West. But this was not enough.