- Times are hard, so come up with a new initiative to bring life back to your town's high street
- Give it the snazzy title Chippenham Alive!
- Advertise the key businesses involved in the initiative
- Wait for a blogger with a camera to notice the sole advertisement in the town centre is in the window of an empty shop
- Et voila!
Chippenham Alive! is the new monthly late night opening initiative, designed to counteract the effects of recent high street closures and massively hiked parking charges. The reaction to the first opening last month was mixed. There was quite a lot of publicity in the local paper, but it would appear not so much on the streets and participating shops themselves. Here's hoping tonight's late night opening which includes the Christmas lights switch on fares much better.
Oh dear it looks like an opportunity for a flop - hope Chippenham gets more lively.
ReplyDeleteHi Catherine - it should be much better this time. The lights switch on is usually pretty lively :)
ReplyDeleteI chuckled -- but it's not a laughing matter, is it? Thank goodness for bloggers with cameras.
ReplyDeleteOh, I so hope the High Streets stay alive. It was one of the best things about English towns and villages. I loved strolling down the High Street and seeing all the different shops...so different from all the bland department stores in the US.
ReplyDeleteFight back!
Helen - exactly.
ReplyDeleteKath - there's an initiative called Towns Alive here in the UK which is looking at how the problem can be addressed particularly in rural areas like mine. In Bristol during the Christmas period there are some 'pop up' shops which are showcasing Bristolian arts and crafts in what would otherwise be empty shops. I've suggested to my MP this kind of initiative would be good for Chippenham as well.