Southport BID, together with Marks & Spencer Southport, have been successful in its application to be part of the Healthy High Street scheme.

The scheme, run by Business in the Community (BITC) is part of the Prince of Wale’s Responsible Business Network charity. Launched in 2014, the Healthy High Streets programme provides intensive support for high streets, helping to revitalise them and to engage large businesses in their local communities

Healthy High Street helps big businesses work with smaller businesses with the aim of everyone benefiting from each other’s success and resources. The scheme, amongst other things, will enable access to landlords to address issues around empty and unsightly properties, assist in creating high profile events to drive footfall, help to improve customer service & provide expert help and resources to businesses.

Towns already benefiting from the Healthy High Streets programme have outperformed other UK High Streets nationally by 0.8%. They have also seen a 5% drop in empty units since the start of the programme, comparing favourably to the national average drop from 12% down to 11.7%. BITC also reports that over 1,700 jobs have been created nationally as a direct result, since the programme’s launch.

“We are extremely pleased to have been accepted into the Healthy High Streets programme” says BID Manager Andrew Sloman, “It is great news for the town centre, and it has a proven track record of success. The programme is about building on established or emerging partnerships between businesses, and bodies such as ourselves to best serve the interests of the town, providing opportunities for collaboration for the benefit of all”

The charity committed to helping 100 British high streets, and Southport was lucky to be accepted before the scheme stopped taking more applications. Major business partners such as M&S, Wilko and others will work in partnership with the bid to create a healthy and sustainable high street for the future.