Celebrating a year of change for our town
AS regular readers will be aware, in April this year businesses in the town centre returned a majority vote in favour of the area being designated a Business Improvement District – Stockport’s BID.
This meant that an additional £450,000-plus would be raised each year for the next five years from a levy on business rates, generating funds that can be allocated to projects to improve the town centre offering.
Totally Stockport is the name of the BID in Stockport where a board of directors, representative of the BID levy payers, ensure that projects are delivered and to encourage participation, irrespective of the size of an organisation.
Rhys Owen, leasing director at Orbit Developments, a BID levy payer and Stockport’s largest commercial landlord, shares his thoughts on changes that have already taken place in Stockport:
“It’s been a year of change for Stockport. Just in the past few weeks we have seen a successful Christmas lights switchon and the opening of a new leisure complex. Christmas is a time for reflection and looking back over the past 12 months, it’s clear to see that 2017 has been a significant year and a turning point for Stockport.
“We have new retailers, restaurants, hotels, a new gateway to the town and as we enter the festive month, we are being treated to a Christmas like Stockport has never seen before.
“With performances from S Club, Lucy Spraggan and Amelia Lily to celebrate the lights switch-on at Merseyway, the official opening of our new leisure complex, Redrock, festive themed light shows, Foodie Friday and a Makers Market, we’ve been given more reasons than ever to visit the town centre this Christmas.
“There has also been a significant reduction in the amount of available office space led by the arrival of new businesses in the town centre. But one particularly positive trend has been the growth in so many of our customers.
“This is physical evidence that Stockport is evolving into not only a retail and leisure hub, but one of Greater Manchester’s leading business destinations too.
“It’s clear this change wouldn’t have happened without the collaboration, hard work and commitment throughout 2017 from groups across the town such as Totally Stockport, Stockport Council, Stockport Old Town, Marketing Stockport - and many others.
We’re lucky to have these events, attractions and activities taking place right here on our doorstep, so I hope the business community shows their support and makes a point to visit the town centre over the festive period and drive more change for 2018.”