Co-operative boost for town centre transformation

The Co-operative Group is to take a leading role in championing Maidenhead in its bid to transform its high street.

On Friday, Maidenhead was named as one of the first 29 towns across the UK to receive support from Business in the Community (BiTC) which has established its Healthy High Streets campaign with the support of four big businesses.

The initiative will seek to create about 100 jobs, increase people using the high street by 10 per cent and reduce empty properties by 20 per cent over the next three years

The BiTC campaign has received dedicated support from four large corporate partners which also include Boots UK, Marks & Spencer and Santander.

Each one of these big businesses has been allocated a town to champion, with The Co-operative supporting Maidenhead.

The Co-operative Estates' managing director, Martyn Hulme, said: "I believe that as a national organisation we have a wealth of expertise and knowledge which we can bring to the fore at a local level in support of the local communities in which we trade.

"We’re encouraging our colleagues to engage with town partnerships and get stuck in and help find innovative solutions that will encourage increased footfall and business growth in high street locations across the UK."

The campaign is focused on towns which demonstrate a need for the support and have an already established or emerging partnership to improve the town.

High streets Minister, Brandon Lewis, said "It’s great to see some of the biggest names in British retail like Boots UK, the Co-operative Group, Marks & Spencer and Santander using their business expertise and local knowledge to help others on the high street and attract more shoppers."