Member Article

Castlegate backing the future of Stockton

A STOCKTON shopping centre is backing the future of the town by supporting the BID.

Castlegate Shopping Centre, one of the town’s biggest stakeholders, are enthusiastic about the Business Improvement District (BID) campaign.

Tracey Surtees, Acting Centre Manager, said: “Stockton is a great town, but it could be greater and greatness can only be achieved by working together.

“I’ve lived in the town all my life, shopped in Stockton all my life and have always supported the town and its fantastic range of stores. People are very nostalgic about Stockton but we need to look to the future and in my opinion the BID is really our one chance to make it happen.”

Shops included in the BID process are those retailers with a rateable value of £5000 and over with a levy of 1.5% if the BID is successful. In a shop unit that has a rateable value of £5000 that works out at £75 per year.

For that small investment their voice can be heard on matters ranging from town centre promotions, making the town more accessible and convenient and tackling the town’s perception problems.

“We need to do something and we need to do something together, being apathetic and just talking about problems doesn’t solve anything. Having been a small business owner in my past, I understand there can be a self-preservation mind-set from small independent businesses, but we’ve got to join forces,” added Tracey.

“Here at Castlegate we are looking at the bigger picture and looking at it strategically, if the rest of Stockton do well, we do well.”

Voting closes on Thursday 19th May so there’s still time to make your voice heard. For more information visit the Stockton BID website.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Chantal Taylor .