Fleetwood businesses form alliance

Local businesses in Fleetwood have teamed up in an initiative which aims to regenerate the town by joining forces in a group aptly named Fleetwood Together.

Born out of the ‘Shop Local’ scheme, the Fleetwood Together group intends to link up local businesses so they can work together for the benefit of the town as a whole. The group aims to improve tourism, increase the number of visitors, cultivate the perception of the town and refresh the look and feel of it.

As attention turns to the Town Centre, the central government’s Coastal Communities Fund (CCF) has already awarded £10,000 for Fleetwood’s regeneration and is working with Fleetwood Town Council, Regenda and Fleetwood Together to improve the appearance of shop fronts in Lord Street. This is a short term which forms part of a larger ten year plan to work on further regeneration across the whole town.

One Fleetwood high street store, Uncle Bulgarian’s located on Lord Street, has already benefited from the Fleetwood Together group by using some of money awarded from the CCF to refresh its shop front appearance.

The current Fleetwood Together members are now hoping to grow the group’s network and are currently inviting more local businesses to come on board. Last week (Wednesday 24 February) an open meeting was held to attract new members to the group. The meeting was hosted by Fleetwood Town Football Club in the Parkside Suite.

As well as more than 30 local business owners, there were also representatives from Freeport Fleetwood, Fleetwood Town Football Club, Lancashire County Council, Wyre Council, Fleetwood Town Council, Natural Energy Wyre and The Federation of Small Businesses present. Speakers included the Chair, Ben Pitches, owner of Pro Wash Valeting Centres, Cllr Pete Murphy (Wyre), Cllr Terry Rogers (Fleetwood Town Council) and Susanne Johnson (Federal of Small Businesses).

During the meeting members also discussed how to include some of the more niche Fleetwood businesses, to add to a unique Fylde Coast business trail, as a way to join up shopping along the coast.

Councillor Peter Murphy, planning and economic development portfolio holder, said: “Now is the time to get the town in order, with a new enterprise zone in force, the Fish Park planning permission granted, and the plans afoot for the tidal barrage that could attract 600,000 visitors a year to Fleetwood upon completion in seven to eight years. This is an exciting time for the town and we want everyone to be part of it.” John Magee, centre manager at Freeport Fleetwood, said: “I’m delighted to be part of the Fleetwood Together group and I’m excited to work with other local businesses to see how we can help to improve the town’s reputation together, to really put it back on the map.”