Stockport BID launches new town centre website

Stockport’s Business Improvement District ( Stockport BID), Totally Stockport, has launched phase 1 of a brand new town centre website – www.totallystockport.co.uk

The website, which will evolve throughout the lifetime of the BID, has been designed and developed by Future, whose team of creatives and web builders are based in Stockport’s historic Market Place, at the heart of the BID area.

Future were originally commissioned to create an identity for the Stockport BID and came up with the more consumer friendly Totally Stockport branding which is being applied to the BID’s marketing and publicity materials.

Future’s managing director Nick Yates said:

“We were delighted to be appointed by the BID team to develop the new branding which reflects the changing face of Stockport into a town with a bright future.

“The website is a vibrant and informative central source of information where businesses, shoppers, visitors and residents can find out more about what’s happening in the BID area, where to shop, what to eat, where to go and how to get there.

“Like all websites, Totally Stockport will evolve as the BID team gets down to the business of improving the town centre offering.”

AS well as the website, the Totally Stockport team are busy working on producing a town centre map, a quarterly magazine and a town centre App.

Stockport town centre businesses are looking to the new Totally Stockport’s Business Improvement District company to drive forward projects to attract more visitors, workers and residents into the town centre.

The Stockport BID will generate almost £2.5m of additional funding over the next 5 years, specifically ring-fenced for projects that will enhance the town centre’s offering.

First priorities are to make the town centre a safer and better place for customers and employees; to improve choice; to improve the marketing of all areas of the town and to make it easier to do business in Stockport.

Interim BID manager Paul Taylor has created steering groups to help deliver initiatives and events set to enhance the town’s offering, for everyone.

Paul explained: 

“As well as improving the marketing of the town, we are already planning events to attract more people in to the town centre; on 30^th June and 1^st July, a Totally Food and Drink summer weekend will set the scene for future events, including a Strawberry music festival in September.

“The website will be a one-stop-portal where everyone, anywhere can find out about business, shopping and events; whatever is happening, the website will be the go-to place.”

About Stockport’s Business Improvement District, BID

In October 2016, Stockport businesses voted in favour of Stockport Town Centre being designated a Business Improvement District, generating funds from 1st April 2017.

Supported by Stockport Council, the Business Improvement District is a defined area in which a levy is charged on all business rate payers in addition to the business rates bill. This levy is used to develop projects which will benefit businesses in the local area.

There is no limit on what projects or services can be provided through a Business Improvement District. However, projects must be in addition to services provided by local authorities. Through Stockport’s BID, an additional £400,000 of funds will be generated each year from the business levy and because each BID runs for a minimum period of five years, that’s a total of £2m that will be used to deliver projects to improve the offering in Stockport town centre for everyone – visitors, residents and businesses.