The work of the team from Stockport’s Business Improvement District – Totally Stockport – has been acknowledged in the assessors’ report that resulted in Stockport town centre being awarded Purple Flag status.
Only the second town in Greater Manchester to receive the coveted award, Totally Stockport’s contribution has resulted in Stockport town centre offering a safer and more secure environment for visitors and businesses enjoying and contribution to an ever evolving evening / night-time economy.
Towns and cities awarded the Purple Flag are recognised for their vibrant and diverse mix of dining, entertainment and culture while promoting the safety and wellbeing of visitors and local residents.
Rated for safety by the assessors as being ‘above standard’, the Storenet / Nightnet radio system part-funded by Totally Stockport ensures that reports of incidents are instantly relayed between the businesses and any perpetrators dealt with swiftly. The introduction of monthly meetings of the Business Watch and Licensed Watch groups provide an opportunity for knowledge sharing and have proved popular among BID levy-paying members.
Information is also shared among stakeholders and agencies via the DISC system, a secure, online crime reduction partnership administrative system introduced by Totally Stockport and based on an App used as a hub to share intelligence on banned individuals, crime trends and identification-sought images.
Totally Stockport’s Giant Leap Frog art trail was also highlighted as creating a ‘positive presentation of the area’ adding to Stockport’s arts and culture offering described as ‘a vibrant, inclusive arts and cultural scene’.
According to the assessors’ report:
“The installation of 19 decorated frogs added to the visitor experience via an interactive art and was extremely popular with both members of the public and obvious users of the early nigh time economy throughout the inspection period.
“The art trail is hugely popular in both the daytime and the night time adding colour whilst promoting dwell time across the town centre.”
Totally Stockport’s BID Manager Paul Taylor said:
“As Stockport’s Business Improvement District, the team at Totally Stockport are focused on creating and supporting initiatives that will enhance the ‘Stockport experience’, influence change, educate out-dated perceptions, support the businesses in the town centre and attract new business to enrich the local economy.
“We are delighted to have contributed to the work with Stockport Council and to have played our part in Stockport being awarded the Purple Flag. We look forward to continuing to work with our partners to influence more positive changes in the future.”
An article written by Totally Stockport’s PR and Marketing consultant Helen White and published in Cheshire Life in May 2019, was also acknowledged in the final report in summing up Stockport town centre of today:
“After years of being the poor relation to Manchester City Centre the town was recently revealed to have the fastest growing economy in the North West. Massive investment, not to mention new restaurants and shops arriving on the high street, are helping to create a real buzz about the area”.
People are definitely seeing Stockport in a new light.