Helping Redcar to shine at night

REDCAR's night-time economy, already boosted by the arrival of three new bars in the town centre, can now benefit from a new Government initiative that is linking the seaside town with Newcastle.

Redcar and Newcastle are among 20 towns and cities nationwide who will be getting the help of experts to accelerate the economic revival of town centres across England.

Officers from Redcar and Cleveland Council and Newcastle City Council meet for the first time along with North East Lincolnshire, representing Grimsby, under the new concept in Redcar on Friday, April 7, with nightlife high on the agenda.

Redcar Town Centre Manager John Partridge, who successfully applied to join the project, said: "It gives us the opportunity to learn from other towns and cities in the country so we can more effectively manage our night-time economy.

"Since Christmas, three new wine and food bars have opened in the East end of the town - Martha's Vineyard, Barracuda and Blue Lounge - and all of them are offering food and drink during the day as well as high quality service at night.

"We are now enjoying a better mix of premises and we need to try and market this as effectively as possible."

Local business partnerships in the 20 selected areas will receive free management, technical, and communications support from town centre experts, to establish sustainable partnerships between businesses, the public sector and the local community. Lessons learnt will be shared across all town centres to promote best practice.

Existing BIDs have already succeeded in creating safer cleaner greener town centre environments for example by; removing gum from pavements; setting up a graffiti removal hotlines; providing new street furniture; appointing a crime reduction manager; and promoting the town as a visitor destination.

The 20 town centres involved are Grimsby, Lancaster, Lowestoft, Peckham, Redcar, Stockport, Tottenham, Trafford, Wood Green, Worksop, Broxtowe, Blackpool, Newcastle, Bristol, Melton, Taunton, Havant, Colchester, Derby and Birmingham.