Rochdale launch event success

The Rochdale BID Development Steering Group launched its BID Proposal and Business Plan to businesses from across the town centre this week.

Lorenzo O’Reilly, Centre manager of the Exchange Shopping Centre and Chair of the Rochdale BID Development Steering Group, said: “The event was a great success with a lot of very positive comments and passion from the businesses about the future of the town centre".

Businesses learned about the new plan to ‘To create a safe, vibrant and attractive town centre that has a sense of identity, which is family orientated and welcoming to all’ and its four key priority areas: promotion and animation of the town centre, safety, security and accessibility, the way the town looks and having a great business, leisure and cultural offer.

The first project area in the plan is about creating a vibrant town centre which has a strong sense of identity and is perceived positively by local residents and nationally. It includes coordinating promotion of the town, creating more events and things to do and generating campaigns to profile the town centre businesses.

The second project is all about making the place safer and more accessible. This includes working closely with the police and other agencies to deal with anti-social behaviour. It will also introduce an initiative which has proved popular in other places with uniformed Rangers or Ambassadors to help people in the town and make their experience more enjoyable.

The third project area is to help make the town centre even more attractive by working with landlords to tidy up some of the derelict buildings, work with the Council on improving the Christmas lights and generally improving the attractiveness of the town centre.

The last but one of the most important project areas to address, according to businesses in the town centre, is the business offer. The aim is to work with landlords, the Council and Rochdale Development Agency to build upon the improved offer which will come from the new Riverside Development and create a really exciting and unique offer for retail and leisure and attract more office-based businesses into the town centre.

The budgeted income available for the five-year period of the BID is approximately £1.5 million. The yearly income will be made up of some £260,000 from the levy revenues and a sum averaging around £25,000 from voluntary, private and public-sector contributions.

Lorenzo O’Reilly, Centre manager of the Exchange Shopping Centre and Chair of the Rochdale BID Development Steering Group, said: “Rochdale has many advantages over other competing town centres if it can address the issues identified by businesses. We believe this plan will go a long way to changing the fortunes of this town. It is about bringing people together.”

If you are a business and would like more information about the BID please contact:

Paul Ambrose

E: paul@rochdaletcm.co.uk or enquiries@rochdalebid.co.uk

T: 01706 926677

W: www.rochdalebid.co.uk

or just drop in for coffee:

Rochdale Town Centre Management, 34 The Wheatsheaf Shopping Centre, Rochdale, OL16 1JZ