Northampton independent cafe owner facing council court action over unpaid £238 business improvement district levy

Mariola Fuller, owner of Dreams Cafe in St Giles Street, is due to appear at Wellingborough Magistrates' Court after refusing to pay the fee, which she says costs her business around £238 per year.

The complaint has been brought by the charging authority, West Northamptonshire Council, over an outstanding balance of £388. The sum is made up of a £238 BID levy and £150 in court costs.

The Northampton BID is a ‘business-led, not-for-profit organisation dedicated to improving, promoting and developing’ Northampton town centre. It is funded through a mandatory levy on eligible local businesses, with the aim of enhancing the area, creating jobs and boosting the local economy.

While BID Northampton operates independently of West Northamptonshire Council (WNC), the council acts as the billing and collection authority for the levy. As a result, the council is responsible for pursuing unpaid BID charges through the courts on behalf of the organisation.

Speaking out to Chronicle & Echo, Mariola says she decided not to pay because she does not believe Northampton BID is providing sufficient support to local traders.

In response, BID highlighted a number of projects and initiatives that had been put in place to boost trade, says town centre businesses voted overwhelmingly for scheme to be renewed also agreeing to the levy and that the money goes towards improving the town centre.

Thirty-year-old mother-of-two, Mariola, explained why she had refused to pay.

"I have been here for a year. I have seen someone from BID one time just to take a picture of me and they just left. They are not very helpful. They're charging for it. Every single business, they're forcing us to pay that.

“I don't want to accept what it is. We should talk about it and be loud about it. How are we supposed to support this town when we're not getting support? Why are they forcing me to pay something extra?"

She claimed BID Northampton's work was not addressing the issues businesses face on a daily basis.

She said: “Putting flowers in Fish Street, it's not supportive. How is that supportive? You think that the flowers will bring people to my cafe?

"They should promote the business, they should go to every single business, ask what they're struggling with, how they can bring people in.”

Mariola also criticised the wider state of Northampton town centre, arguing that cleanliness and anti-social behaviour should be prioritised.

She said: “Okay, charge me the £250 but make sure that the town centre is clean. And there is nothing clean about it.

“It used to be very clean. No homeless, no drunk people, nothing was going on and now so many people are on the street. Someone had a poo in the Ridings arcade recently, it is disgusting,” she said.

Mariola recently posted a video on social media breaking down the costs of running her cafe, which attracted hundreds of thousands of views online.

According to figures shared in the video, the business faces monthly costs including £1,830 in rent, around £450 for electricity, £100 for water, £40 for internet and phone services, staff wages of around £5,500, ingredients costing between £3,000 and £4,500, accountancy and subscription fees of around £200 and VAT payments ranging from £2,000 to £4,000 per month.

She also listed annual costs including a £680 music licence, £1,200 in business rates which have doubled since April (set by central Government), a £500 pavement licence to WNC, a £180 CCTV licence and business insurance.

She estimated the cafe costs around £11,800 per month to operate, not including the contested BID levy.

Explaining why she shared the figures publicly, she said: "People went crazy about that video.

“I would like people to see actually how it is to run a business. Not just judge you by the prices, just how much you're actually making.

“Most of the people, they are not millionaires around town centre. We're barely making any profit. Soon I'm going to have to sell a bacon sandwich for 10 pounds to cover just fees and bills.”

Mariola has been running Dreams Cafe for a year now. Reflecting on the past 12 months, she said: “It's been a huge lesson for me.

"I am disappointed about everything. I'm not enjoying it to be honest. I feel like I'm fighting all the time about everything.

"I'm not giving up. I'm still trying. I do appreciate every single person just walking and saying hello and telling me they have seen us on social media."

Mark Mullen, chief operating officer of Northampton Town Centre Business Improvement District (BID), said: “In October 2025, businesses across Northampton town centre voted overwhelmingly in favour of renewing their BID status, securing over £2.2million in funding to be invested over the next five years.

“That positive outcome followed several months of preparation, including detailed interviews, surveys, and a month-long ballot in which businesses in the town were invited to vote on the renewal proposals.

“The results showed that 82 per cent of votes cast were in favour of the BID Renewal Ballot by total number of businesses, and 88 per cent of votes cast were in favour of the BID by Rateable Value.

“Following the confirmation of a renewed BID status, businesses with a rateable value of £5,000 or above pay a pro-rata levy based upon their rateable value, creating a collective funding pot to support ongoing efforts to enhance the trading environment and advocate for local business interests.

“Through the BID, a range of improvements have been successfully delivered across the town centre. The BID has helped Northampton become a more attractive town through additional and targeted cleaning, green space improvements and window vinyls, created a more welcoming town through the work of our BID Hosts, staged and supported numerous events that have positively driven visitor footfall, and facilitated business growth and support.

“Town centre businesses are always given the opportunity to get involved in our projects, with many businesses currently benefiting from increased footfall and exposure due to being host venues for the Northampton Comedy Festival and the Northampton Space Trail, which has seen 1,500 people engage with the trail in the first week alone.

“All levy-paying businesses can benefit from promotion and inclusion in our weekly What’s On Guide and social media content and there will be several other opportunities coming soon as enter the busy summer season.

“We recognise that many businesses are currently operating under unique financial pressures. However, the BID model is built on a collective investment from all eligible occupiers within the defined area, enabling us to deliver a consistent and enhanced level of service across the town centre through a fair and equitable levy for all.”

WNC has also been contacted for comment.