The Portas review has begun to have an impact on the town centres of Britain, with retailers using funds from the government to repaint facades, organise events to draw in consumers and generally bring a feeling of community back to the high street. However, there is a very real concern that retail areas which experience a period of success will simply regress when regeneration funds are no longer available, once more putting the future of Britain’s high streets at risk.
In a bid to combat this, Local Government Minister Brandon Lewis has announced the launch of a brand new qualification. The Certificate in Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) management, aims to educate future business leaders on the intricacies of the retail industry. This, the Government hopes, will allow for innovative new ideas to come forward, therefore boosting local economies and ensuring the existence of thriving town centres.
At the official launch for the new certificate, Mr Lewis met with representatives from Business Improvement Districts across the country and praised the hard work they and their teams were contributing to town centre rejuvenation schemes.
He said; “Business Improvement Districts are a force for good on the high street as they bring local businesses and councils together to make it easier for businesses to grow.
“I’m delighted to launch this new professional qualification which will train the next generation of leaders that will bring their town centres back to life and boost their local economy.”
Business Improvement Districts have become hugely popular schemes for areas needing a little help, due to the fact that the majority of business partnerships which lead them have a stake in the local community and therefore have a huge incentive to make projects succeed. It is hoped that this qualification, which takes the form of a short postgraduate course delivered by industry experts and key players in the retail industry, will enhance the good work already being done on the UK’s high streets.
Dr Julie Grail was one of the project leaders and, in association with the University of Westminster, laid down the various aspects of the course. She believes that, in recognising the certificate as a true qualification, the Government has highlighted the need to protect town centres.
She says; “To receive recognition from the Government not only validates the importance of this professional qualification but underlines the importance of effective place management on the national agenda to rejuvenate town centres.”
With the retail industry taking tentative steps towards recovery and high streets overtaking shopping centres and retail parks in terms of footfall, it certainly seems like the public are once more prepared to embrace a more traditional method of retail. Yet this qualification could well prove to be the missing piece of the puzzle required to boost sales and rescue ailing small businesses from the tough economic times we live in now.
Do you think the certificate will prove popular with young graduates seeking to improve the retail scope of their home towns?
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