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Preston Ambassadors

CITY CENTRE AMBASSADORS SET TO PATROL STREETS

City Ambassadors will be making their presence felt on Preston's streets this month by providing help and support for visitors and shoppers.

The Ambassadors' initiative forms an integral part of the three year Business Improvement District (BID) campaign to increase visitor numbers and boost trade in the city centre.

The use of Ambassadors is becoming an increasingly familiar sight in many towns and cities across the UK because of the added value service that they can provide. A successful vote for a Preston BID will enable business leaders to use the funds raised to provide a similar Street Ranger service for Preston city centre.

The Ambassadors will initially be employed to provide a valuable day to day resource for businesses as well as acting as the public face of the BID. A key part of their role will be to provide a "meet and greet" and information resource service for visitors and shoppers as well as providing a fast track response to dealing with incidents of graffiti and litter.

Ken Williams, Chairman of the Working Group set up to manage the BID, says:

"Businesses have been telling us that they want the Preston BID to deliver a range of activity that increases footfall, dwell time, and spend per head in the city centre. They also tell us that they want the city centre to be a clean, welcoming, and safe place to be.

"We believe that the Ambassadors will be able to play an important role in delivering this activity. The role of the Ambassadors s will be to make a real impact on the city centre in terms of its appearance and welcome by acting as 'meeters and greeters' to visitors and shoppers, providing fast track reporting to the city council on issues that affect the BID area such as litter, graffiti, and damaged street lighting, and helping marshall events and other activity in the city centre.

"Above all their very presence on the city centre streets will send out a very clear message to businesses and investors that things are now starting to happen in Preston".

There are now more than 90 BIDs across the UK with more coming on stream on a regular basis.