Mandy White, the director of Altrincham’s Business Improvement District (BID), is both personally and professionally committed to increasing the footfall and ‘dwell-time’ in Altrincham, her hometown since 1977.
Altrincham was granted its Market Charter in 1290 and enjoys a rich history as a bustling market town. Sadly by 2010, after the opening of the Trafford Centre and the increase in online shopping, the town was shamed in the national press for having the most vacant units in the country.
Change was essential and it was fortuitously on its way. In 2013, Trafford Council’s leader Matt Colledge and Urban Splash’s former owner Nick Johnson MBE, now co-owner of Altrincham Market, devised a plan to reinvent and regenerate it and to position Altrincham as a ‘modern market town’. Via the public and private sector partnership ‘Altrincham Forward’, it was decided a more formal arrangement to further support the town was needed. So, in 2016 the Altrincham Business Improvement District was established.
BIDs originated in the 1970s in Canada and were introduced in 2004 into England and Wales. The UK now boasts 330 business-led and business-funded BID schemes. These work towards improving defined areas such as town centres by providing new initiatives, projects, events and services. Business contributions are based upon each enterprise’s rateable value. Altrincham is presently enjoying its second term of the BID, and via its members, over £2.3 million has been invested in the town.
Mandy says: “Altrincham’s businesses fund the BID, and we fund whatever projects have been approved by the BID board. This is made up of representatives from Altrincham’s business community, Trafford Council and Transport for Greater Manchester. Our key objectives are to increase the town’s footfall and its ‘dwell time’, to send out positive PR and to provide business support in whatever form is needed.”
The BID’s undertakings are additional to those of Trafford Council so BID members, as local businesses, can influence the long-term economic development of their own area.
The BID’s efficacy lies in its adaptability and swift responses to the ‘here and now’ in supplying what is relevant and required. The scheme has helped finance a diverse range of projects and events. These range from the town’s Christmas Lights, its annual Switch On event and the Lantern Parade to providing extra street and ginnel cleaning plus seasonal planting at the Altrincham Interchange to enhance the town’s welcome to visitors.
Earning an international accreditation similar to the Blue Flag for beaches and the Green Flag for parks, the BID recently led on the Purple Flag Award for Altrincham’s night-time economy. And earlier this year, in Visa’s ‘Let’s Celebrate Town’ awards, the Sustainability Award was won by the BID on behalf of Altrincham. Altrincham, with BID’s input, has twice hosted the Tour of Britain and for its Grand Depart 2023, 50,000 locals lined the streets. Other large-scale events include the annual Altrincham 10k run.
Resident here since 1977, when the busy town abounded in independent shops, Mandy White relishes her role adding, “I live here in Timperley and have a vested interest in Altrincham. I have enjoyed seeing it regain its position and watching it grow from strength to strength. Yes, I do remember clearly those bad old days of 2010 when stores and premises were shut. Altrincham had lost its way. It had lost its heart and its identity. The Trafford Centre and the emergence of online shopping had turned us into a ghost town, so people moved away from buying here.”
She continues, “Altrincham needed investment and regeneration and has been fortunate enough to receive both. I believe our success story has been down to working in partnership with our strong, visionary business owners and council members who had faith in the town and what it could offer. They acknowledged its potential. Now, I’m proud to say we are easily 10 years ahead of many local towns in terms of our regeneration.”
Voluntary member of the Altrincham BID, Altrincham Football Club writes, “We’re the town’s football team and have been around for over a hundred years. Being part of the BID has enabled us to grow with the rest of the town and reach out to local businesses. This has endorsed our position as an integral part of Altrincham. The BID is an important part of our inclusion motto which is ALTY4ALL. The BID team works tirelessly to promote our town and attract new businesses here which benefits us all.”
For more information about Altrincham BID, please email info@altrinchambid.com
By Fay Wertheimer
