Clackmannanshire Council Online

Clackmannanshire Goes For Second Business Improvement District

This week a proposal for the future of Alloa town centre is launched, using the successful Business Improvement District (BID) model as a catalyst for the development, long-term regeneration and competitiveness of the town centre.

The Alloa Town Centre BID could be the second business improvement district in Clackmannanshire, following on from the successful Business Parks BID, which is addressing business needs in Clackmannanshire's business parks. It would also be the seventh in Scotland, coming after BID projects in Edinburgh, Inverness, Glasgow, Bathgate and Falkirk.

This eagerly awaited creative proposal has been developed by local businesses within Alloa town centre and Clackmannanshire Business in partnership with Clackmannanshire Council. It will highlight what can be achieved if businesses decide to take ownership of their local trading environment and lead the changes.

Clackmannanshire Business has conducted surveys of businesses and shoppers in the town centre to establish what developments are seen as being most important for Alloa. These include:

• a shop front improvement scheme
• a uniform branding scheme for Alloa and the outlying villages
• increased police presence
• cleaner streets
• regular street events
• improved functional street furniture
• a town centre manager
• targeted business support
• national and local marketing campaigns to increase footfall and average sales.

If the BID is successful, the proposed projects will be delivered through close working with businesses and Clackmannanshire Council.

The Clackmannanshire Business BID Team will contact businesses in the Alloa Town Centre BID area over the coming weeks to discuss the proposal and to give local businesses more opportunity to have their say in shaping the future of Alloa town centre.

BID Project Leader Andrew Mitchell stated, "Over the past six months the level of commitment demonstrated by the BID steering group, Clackmannanshire Council and the BID team has been outstanding. We all have the same common goal which is to improve Alloa town centre, through projects which will make Alloa more competitive; attract more visits by local people; and also attract more visitors from outwith Clackmannanshire."