Retail club aim to improve shopping experience

Report by NATALIE BOWYER

RETAILERS in St Neots are joining forces to boost town centre trade in the run up to the all-important Christmas period.

The newly formed St Neots Retail Club is aiming to improve the shopping experience for people visiting the town. It also wants to encourage businesses to take advantage of events, festivals and special markets that regularly take place in and around St Neots.

Members already include Elaine Thody, the town centre manager, as well as the managers of the St Neots branches of Boots, Marks and Spencer, Waitrose and the directors of Brittains and Barretts. They will meet regularly to exchange information and opinions on the retail scene in the town and offer advice on how to improve trade.

John Davies, chairman of the St Neots Town Centre Inactivate, who launched the club following a meeting with Elaine Thody and retailers, said: "There is so much happening in St Neots with the potential for redevelopment with the town growing so fast.

"St Neots has so much to offer as a town and has a really attractive market square, but trade is a bit flat and it needs a bit of a push.

"There is so much more we can do by all working together. I would encourage people to shop in St Neots and only go to the bigger towns if they can't find what they need in St Neots."

High on the club's agenda is the issue of congestion in the town centre and Huntingdonshire District Council's proposal to start charging for parking at two free car parks in the town.

A campaign to encourage people to do their Christmas shopping in St Neots will also be launched with the club looking at opening times and promotions around the seasonal period.

A special meeting of the St Neots retailing community was to take place on Monday to discuss a Christmas trading strategy.