Cheltenham Retail Champion for small shops
Paid position.

We are calling on Cheltenham Borough Council to appoint a "Retail Champion" for small shops to act as a voice for local shopkeepers; to conduct a full-scale review of shopping areas; to create a vision for those areas, and to put in place a strategy to meet that vision.

Be the voice for small independent retailers in the Cheltenham

• Be known and available to every local small retailer
• Publish a Small Shops Newsletter quarterly
• Hold an open meeting on a monthly basis around the town
• Be prepared to lobby the Council on individual cases, above all on planning and licensing applications for small shops.

Gather evidence on the problems and opportunities facing small independent retailers, and bring these to the attention of the Council:

• Contribute towards a wholesale examination of the retail mix of each of Cheltenham’s main shopping areas. List the number of shops in each category, and set out which local needs these shops fulfil.
• Help identify the gaps and proactively attempt to fill them according to local resident needs in collaboration with other Cheltenham business organisations.
• Team up to advise prospective new shopkeepers on the needs and opportunities of the community, and of the planning and business environment.
• Work with Cheltenham Business Partnership, Cheltenham Business Pride, the Chamber of Commerce and local Trade Associations in the town to define an optimum mix to meet each area's needs - what should each shopping area look like in the next 5 / 10 / 15 years?
• Contribute towards a draft Retail Manifesto for Cheltenham Borough Council, setting out mechanisms to fulfil this local vision. This will include looking extensively at the planning system; and at identifying a host of smaller initiatives to encourage local shopping, e.g. grants to improve shop fronts or improved parking and public transport.

Act as a source of advice and support for local small retailers

• The Champion must have a full understanding of the local planning and tax regime, and be available to work with local small retailers to explain this.
• The Champion should provide marketing advice (e.g. by organising ‘small shop’ seminars)
• Support a "Shop Front Grant" scheme, e.g. through a Civic Pride fund to reflect the Council’s Civic Pride programme.
• Set up a www.cheltenhamshoplocal.com website, listing every local shop in the town.
• Organise a Cheltenham-wide campaign to advertise this.
• Contribute towards an independent small shops / eating out mini-guide
• Support an annual "Cheltenham - Shop Local" week
• Position successful small shops for local Retail Awards for local shops, in collaboration with media partners
• Explore the benefit of a local loyalty card for the town’s shoppers