1. Membership for the Trade Forum is free
2. Any future membership rates will be set by the Management Board.
3. To build firm connections between all of the retailers within Shrewsbury Town Centre and the councils and public sector support agencies within the locality.
4. To support and promote the independent traders who elevate Shrewsbury 's retail offer, adding individuality and sparkle to the town centre.
5. To exchange ideas and allow retailers to work directly with local authorities on issues of mutual interest and concern.
6. To promote the enhancement of the town centre environment by acting collectively and enabling business operators to realise their full trading potential and return on investments in Shrewsbury Town Centre.
7. To act as a forum for the discussion of matters to generate more visitors and shoppers and to attract appropriate and attractive retail chains and other businesses to the area.
8. To provide a central point of co-ordination for business support services, that have a real business benefit for all town centre retailers.
9. To research issues that affect the town centre and to make this research available to all town centre retailers.
10. The scope of the groups work will cover:
  • Business Crime Prevention
  • Condition and quality of the street environment – including public art
  • Skills Development & Business Support
  • Tourism and visitor services
  • Marketing strategies and campaigns
  • Events in the town centre
11. The group will meet at least 6 times a year or as appropriate.
12. E-mail is the agreed means of communication.
13. 1 member will represent each retail zone unless agreed by consensus with all other members and 2 members will represent Zone 3.
14. The member of the Forum will nominate a second to attend in their absence.
a.  Members are committed to attendance whenever possible, so as to maintain the integrity of the Forum.
b.  No other attendees should attend a Forum meeting other than the member or his/her second unless agreed in advance with the Forum.
15. Minutes will be taken at each meeting and circulated to all members. The minutes will also be placed on Retailers United Website [ www.retailersunited.co.uk ] for agreement of the Forum members. A review of the Forum will be conducted each year and a decision will be made whether to continue for the next year. This will include a review of the terms of reference and consideration to forming alliances with Business Chamber in Shrewsbury.
IDEAS AS TO HOW RETAILERS UNITED CAN BEGIN TO ACHIEVE ITS AIMS:
  ESTABLISH WHERE WE ARE STARTING FROM:
Ideally, the starting point would be a ‘town centre health check’ – this looks at all the issues affecting the trading environment including:
  • Parking issues
  • Transport and traffic issues
  • Accessibility of the town centre
  • The quality of the 'pedestrian experience’
  • Condition of the street environment
  • Retail & town centre services
  • Local developments relevant to the trading environment
  • Skills development & business support available to businesses
  • Tourism & visitor services including public toilets
  • Crime levels and CCTV service and efficiency
  • Festive lights, local events/festivals and more
    		•
      The next stage is to incorporate the relevant data from the Retail Capacity Study and the Visitor Economy Study to summarise the information from those who use the services in the town, under the following headings:
    1. Who shops in the town?
    2. Why they shop in the town and what products/services they buy
    3. How much they spend on different products and services
    4. How they travel to the town
    5. How far they come
    6. Where else they shop
    7. What they like and don’t like about the town
    8. What would improve the shopping environment
    9. Where else they shop and why
      Other bite sized surveys undertaken by the police and Safer Shrewsbury Management Board can provide statistics on:
    1. Fear of crime
    2. Actual crime
    3. What crime reduction opportunities are available to retailers/businesses
    4. What local skills support is available to help businesses, local retailers and their staff to deal with crime
    Based on this focused intelligence - the forum will then discuss the issues affecting them in the given area and decide upon which activities they wish to pursue, such as:
    ***Marketing Shrewsbury as a Retail Destination *** Seasonal campaigns *** 2006 Street Theatre*** Pride Hill refurbishment and spreading footfall around the town centre*** The Park and Ride service*** Retail Oscars ***Retail Academy*** Hidden Treasures***
    16. The secretariat, on behalf of the forum, will then enter into discussions with the relevant organisations/bodies to find ways to improve the town centre on the matters that are most important to the forum members.
    17. The secretariat, in conjunction with public sector organisations, also looks at what funding opportunities there are to support the forums chosen activities.
    18. It is important that any research material is made available to all forum members for use within their own business .
    		 
     
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