Altrincham has been given the opportunity to be the pilot town for the ‘National High Street Perfect Day’ on Friday 17th May. 

The idea of the ‘Perfect Day’ is for the whole town to come together for one special day to work towards making the town 'look & feel' the best it possibly can!

The BID is coordinating a programme of jet washing and working with Trafford Council's contractors to focus on the appearance of the town centre. The BID is also partnering with six local schools on the 'Eco Schools' education programme and with 'Our Altrincham' on voluntary litter picks.

We all know that great customer service and a tidy environment leads to increased sales but a review of how you're doing can be really helpful.  If your business would like to take advantage of any of the support tools available please see below.  This opportunity is available for all businesses including professional services.

How can your business get involved with 'Perfect Day'?

Footfall

Altrincham's footfall is measured by Springboard independent footfall monitors situated in the town centre.

Quarter 1 +10.7% on the same period last year

Netwalking  Invitation

ATCM Lobby on Business Rates

The BID is a member of the Association of Town & City Management (ATCM) who last week responded to the Treasury Committee's Inquiry into business rates. 

• ATCM recommended the end of a pre-determined tax on non-domestic property, instead allowing the liability of the taxpayers to rise and fall in line with genuine economic performance.
• ATCM recommended that the UK Government considers wider business tax reform to ensure our tax system is more responsive to mobile capital flows to offset any reduced income from business rates.
• ATCM recommended that reform of the business tax system must take into account the whole of the UK and might require international cooperation from bodies such as the OECD to deliver a way forward.
• They recommended that the UK Government reviews and mitigates against the potential disruption to BID income via their levies, depending on the type of reform pursued.
• They recommended that reform of, and investment in, the VOA is an important step towards a fairer system and this reform must take place now prior to the next revaluation.
  
  The BID will keep the businesses updated on this.

Safe Places Initiative

Safe Places for vulnerable people is part of a national initiative. Safe Places encourages shops, businesses and facilities such as libraries, museums and leisure centres to provide a safe place if someone is feeling lost, worried or threatened, whilst out and about.

The scheme aims to help vulnerable groups of people including the elderly, people with dementia or people with learning difficulties or mental health needs.

What Safe Places do:

• Provide a special easy to use Web Site to teach about the Safe Place schemes.
• Encourage badge holders to visit the Safe Places to get to know  more people in  their community.
• Help users with our free-to-use phone apps so they can quickly locate a Safe Place in time of  need.
• Safe Places National Network is a working concept to unite all the Safe Place (and Keep Safe) schemes.  For more information click here 

Trafford Council would like to pilot the scheme in Altrincham and have asked us to gauge interest from the BID businesses.  Please let us know if this is something you would like to participate in by emailing: info@altrinchamunlimited.co.uk