News: Rotherham rewarded for high street innovation
Rotherham town centre has been recognised for the innovative ways in which the high street has been revitalised and has secured further funding from the government to continue the good work.
Seven towns will receive a share of the £1m High Street Renewal Award and the £268,000 secured for Rotherham is the largest amount awarded to any town. It will be used to deliver more retail-related business support projects.
A strong proposal was submitted focussing on Rotherham's improved shopping offer, increased footfall and reduced vacancy rate and the bid highlighted the various projects underway including the Business Vitality Grants, Shop Local initiative and the new Pop-up Shop concept.
The business vitality scheme aimed at encouraging new independent retailers to open up outlets in Rotherham town centre has been running since 2008. The scheme has provided discretionary financial assistance in the form of rental contributions, business planning, business advice, and contributions to shop front grants, fit out costs and street furniture. So far 17 grant awards have been made with a further four made through the Street Cafe Grant scheme. Funding has also been made available to help with the fit out costs of High Street retailers and franchises such a Greenwoods and Kebabish Original.
After being named as one of only 27 "Portas pilots" last year by the government, a further £200,000 pot has been made available to support current retailers with grants of up to £7,500 to help them undertake significant business development projects and for training and marketing activity.
Also part of the project, Vintage Dolls became the first pop-up shop in the town offering vintage clothing and furniture after being initially offered a three month licence for a unit in the Imperial Buildings with the option to occupy the shop for up to one year if successful.
Paul Woodcock, director of Planning, Regeneration and Culture at Rotherham Council, said: "This award has come about from the great strides we've made in Rotherham recently and improvements to footfall, new shops and other initiatives as well as listening to what people want to see in a vibrant town centre.
"Over 170 retailers have benefited from work during the last six months and this award is recognition of their commitment and their passion to Rotherham as a place to grow a new business."
Plans for the latest pot of funding include the development of more pop up shops (a minimum of three) and a shared managed retail space that would allow businesses to make and sell their own items.
£18,000 of the money is to be used for disseminating and showcasing best practice. Best practice has been shared with other local authorities by supplying information and visits to Rotherham. This will continue as part of projecting the success of Rotherham as the template for other authorities.
Leader of the Council, Cllr Roger Stone, said: "It seems that hardly a week goes by without some local or national recognition of the strong work that is taking place to show that Rotherham is a town that is serious about business, economic support and recovery.
"This award provides much needed funding but it is not to be taken in isolation.
"It is good practice building on past achievements to make sure that traders in our town get a flying start to developing new and exciting businesses.
"Quite simply Rotherham is becoming the byword for innovation and commitment to town centre development. That doesn't happen by accident. It takes ideas, hard work and a positive can-do attitude that runs through everything we believe in.
"We want other people to come and see how we are bucking the trend and we want to continue not just with the green shoots of recovery but with making Rotherham the place for business development."
Local Growth Minister, MP Mark Prisk, who is pictured on a recent visit to Rotherham to see for himself the local achievements, said: "The High Street Renewal Award has encouraged towns to 'up their game' and put their best ideas to work in order to save their high streets.
"We were delighted to see the high level of applications from all over the country. Rotherham was one of the many towns that came forward, and it is a shinning example of what can be achieved.
"I would like to congratulate Rotherham for the innovative and interesting ways in which it has given its high street a new lease of life.
"It is in everyone's interests to see our town centres thrive, and I want people across the country to take inspiration from Rotherham and look at what can be done when communities work together."
The projects in Rotherham have been based on a detailed understanding of who their existing and potential customers are and what they wanted from the town centre. Helping to create a different offer and encourage new independent stores to open up has helped footfall to increase by 8% in 2012. Consumer satisfaction with the shops rose from 42 to 92% in 2012 (compared to 2009).
Rotherham town centre website
Images: RMBC
Seven towns will receive a share of the £1m High Street Renewal Award and the £268,000 secured for Rotherham is the largest amount awarded to any town. It will be used to deliver more retail-related business support projects.
A strong proposal was submitted focussing on Rotherham's improved shopping offer, increased footfall and reduced vacancy rate and the bid highlighted the various projects underway including the Business Vitality Grants, Shop Local initiative and the new Pop-up Shop concept.
The business vitality scheme aimed at encouraging new independent retailers to open up outlets in Rotherham town centre has been running since 2008. The scheme has provided discretionary financial assistance in the form of rental contributions, business planning, business advice, and contributions to shop front grants, fit out costs and street furniture. So far 17 grant awards have been made with a further four made through the Street Cafe Grant scheme. Funding has also been made available to help with the fit out costs of High Street retailers and franchises such a Greenwoods and Kebabish Original.
After being named as one of only 27 "Portas pilots" last year by the government, a further £200,000 pot has been made available to support current retailers with grants of up to £7,500 to help them undertake significant business development projects and for training and marketing activity.
Also part of the project, Vintage Dolls became the first pop-up shop in the town offering vintage clothing and furniture after being initially offered a three month licence for a unit in the Imperial Buildings with the option to occupy the shop for up to one year if successful.
Paul Woodcock, director of Planning, Regeneration and Culture at Rotherham Council, said: "This award has come about from the great strides we've made in Rotherham recently and improvements to footfall, new shops and other initiatives as well as listening to what people want to see in a vibrant town centre.
"Over 170 retailers have benefited from work during the last six months and this award is recognition of their commitment and their passion to Rotherham as a place to grow a new business."
Plans for the latest pot of funding include the development of more pop up shops (a minimum of three) and a shared managed retail space that would allow businesses to make and sell their own items.
£18,000 of the money is to be used for disseminating and showcasing best practice. Best practice has been shared with other local authorities by supplying information and visits to Rotherham. This will continue as part of projecting the success of Rotherham as the template for other authorities.
Leader of the Council, Cllr Roger Stone, said: "It seems that hardly a week goes by without some local or national recognition of the strong work that is taking place to show that Rotherham is a town that is serious about business, economic support and recovery.
"This award provides much needed funding but it is not to be taken in isolation.
"It is good practice building on past achievements to make sure that traders in our town get a flying start to developing new and exciting businesses.
"Quite simply Rotherham is becoming the byword for innovation and commitment to town centre development. That doesn't happen by accident. It takes ideas, hard work and a positive can-do attitude that runs through everything we believe in.
"We want other people to come and see how we are bucking the trend and we want to continue not just with the green shoots of recovery but with making Rotherham the place for business development."
Local Growth Minister, MP Mark Prisk, who is pictured on a recent visit to Rotherham to see for himself the local achievements, said: "The High Street Renewal Award has encouraged towns to 'up their game' and put their best ideas to work in order to save their high streets.
"We were delighted to see the high level of applications from all over the country. Rotherham was one of the many towns that came forward, and it is a shinning example of what can be achieved.
"I would like to congratulate Rotherham for the innovative and interesting ways in which it has given its high street a new lease of life.
"It is in everyone's interests to see our town centres thrive, and I want people across the country to take inspiration from Rotherham and look at what can be done when communities work together."
The projects in Rotherham have been based on a detailed understanding of who their existing and potential customers are and what they wanted from the town centre. Helping to create a different offer and encourage new independent stores to open up has helped footfall to increase by 8% in 2012. Consumer satisfaction with the shops rose from 42 to 92% in 2012 (compared to 2009).
Rotherham town centre website
Images: RMBC
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