News: Recognition for Rotherham's Shop Local scheme

Rotherham's Shop Local Scheme has won the Best Public/Private Partnership Working award at the recent Association for Public Service Excellence (APSE) awards.

The Shop Local loyalty card, which currently has over 11,000 subscribers, making it one of the most popular of its kind in the country, has helped to spearhead a retail renaissance in Rotherham town centre.

With over 100 town centre shops signed up to provide discounts and offers to cardholders, since its inception last year, the Shop Local Scheme is a significant success.

Cabinet Member for Town Centres, Economic Growth and Prosperity, Cllr. Gerald Smith, said: "It's great news that Shop Local has been recognised nationally as a fantastic scheme, but, Rotherham shoppers knew that anyway.

"As well as scooping the "Best Public/Private Partnership Working" award, Rotherham Borough Council won the prestigious "Council of the Year" award for service delivery."

The award comes on the back of a successful visit to the town from Mary Portas, when she praised the council's initiatives to get more people into the town centre.

Leader of Rotherham Council, Cllr Roger Stone, added: "There's a very good reason that Shop Local has attracted so many people to it, it offers great discounts for the wide range of shops in Rotherham town centre, which continue to grow each week.

"When she visited recently, Mary Portas gave the Shop Local scheme the thumbs up, describing it as one of the fantastic and innovative ways the Rotherham Council were showing people what a great place Rotherham town centre is to shop.

"Getting the APSE award is a massive boost to Rotherham town centre. We're bucking the national trend and introducing an interesting, wide range of shops which are growing each month.

"As well as developing the unique shopping experience that is Imperial Buildings, which has everything from a traditional sweet shop to alternative fashions, we have shops such as the Bitter Sweet Boutique opening in October, making Rotherham town centre a great place to visit."

APSE is a not for profit local government body working with over 300 councils throughout the UK, promoting excellence in public services.

Rotherham town centre website

Images: rotherhamtowncentre.co.uk