On to 2031

Ballot to take place on whether should continue for a further five years
S Luca of Musselburgh one of East Lothian’s iconic food and drink businesses

is now nearing the end of its second five-year term, having been established in August 2016 and renewed following a successful ballot in 2021.

We are a type of body known as an Improvement District, supported by the Scottish Government and created as a partnership between East Lothian Council, Queen Margaret University and food and drink businesses throughout the county.

Find out more about Scotland’s Improvement Districts

is only possible thanks to the involvement of our members and it is up to eligible food and drink businesses in the county to choose if they wish for it to continue.

The ballot of eligible businesses will take place on Thursday July 30th, 2026 and a timetable of actions in the run-up to the ballot is shown below.

If the ballot is positive, the new term will start on August 1st, 2026 and run to July 31st, 2031.

Timetable for ballot

January 15th, 2026
28 Weeks / 196 days before ballot
Notice of intention to put BID Proposal to ballot
 
March 26th, 2026
18 Weeks / 126 days before ballot
BID Proposal review
 
April 23rd, 2026
14 Weeks / 98 days before ballot
Submission of BID Proposal to local authority and Scottish Government
 
May 21st, 2026
10 Weeks / 70 days before ballot
Last day local authority can veto BID Proposal
 
June 4th, 2026
8 Weeks / 56 days before ballot
BID proposer can request local authority to issue ballot instructions
 
June 18th, 2026
6 Weeks / 42 days before ballot
Issue of ballot papers
 
Thursday July 30th, 2026
Ballot day
 
August 1st, 2026
New five-year term starts if ballot is positive

Further information