Woolwich, Eltham and Greenwich town centres see new management
Three of the biggest town centres in Greenwich borough are to benefit from new managers.
Woolwich gains its own town centre manage with Kaia Charles taking charge.
Eltham and Greenwich management will be shared under manager Wendy Bell, who was previously CEO of Crawley Town Centre Business Improvement District.
That’s an interesting and relevant past, as Business Improvement Districts are a key way for town centres to gain improvements in a time of limited council funds and Greenwich are now exploring the possibility in their major town centres.
Hundreds of BIDs exist across the country including more than 70 in London. Businesses pay a small charge into a fund which is spent on various measures to improve town centre including cleaning town centres and putting on events,
Nearby town centre
Bexleyheath businesses have just voted to renew a BID for five more years, while they exit in town centre from Ealing to Brxiton and dozens more besides.
That enables councils to supplement town centre funding and keep areas in good condition while putting on events to attract footfall.
And in further positive news Greenwich Council are now actively looking at adopting BIDs in Woolwich, Eltham and Greenwich according to a response given at a council meeting last week.
In response to a question by Cllr Karin Tearle, Cllr Asli Mohammed stated:
“The Council continues to make good progress in exploring the establishment of a Business Improvement District (BID) for Greenwich Town Centre.
“We have appointed Savills Place Management, working in partnership with British BIDs, to undertake a detailed feasibility study alongside similar work in Woolwich and Eltham town centres.”
If adopted additional funds counld be used to keep multi-million pound public realm upgrades in good condition. This has been an issue for some years with projects being undertaken, looking wonderful intially before decline sets in.
A BID can help fund jetwashing new paving, keep new planting in good condition, ensure fountains remain operational and push events to be held on squares and High Streets to name but a few improvements.
With council funding stretched due to ever rising costs due to temporary housing costs and SEND expenditure, BIDs can help.
And in turn healthier town centres mean more shops, more jobs and more income from business rates.
The reappointment of town centre managers is welcome .However the Greenwich post is only part time and twinned with Eltham – both demanding town centres in their own right. These posts used to be full time and based in the town centres they served .Understand the Greenwich/Eltham post is a fixed term appointment due to expire in 2028 ?
Greenwich – a World Heritage Site – needs its own full time, permanent , appointment based in the town .
Good luck with the BID but that is a lengthy process and it needs the support of businesses who may consider their business rates already merit a clean and tidy town.
Wait, Woolwich has a town manager? Someone was actually supposedly managing the town centre? Could have fooled me…
Even with all thee funding cuts, I find it hard to believe Greenwich can’t find the money for a weekly cleaning sweep of Powis and the squares. Maybe make Glaab responsible for it, they seem to have all the cash here abouts.
Well it is our fellow citizens who litter Powis St. However Greenwich Council ‘s street cleaning service is poor and the Council’s political leaders seem incapable of improving it – or just disinterested ? They seem happier talking about big stuff more than the day to day stuff – maybe because the day to day stuff of keeping the streets clean is not glamorous or just too difficult as it means holding staff to account ?
Greenwich Labour made much of its “getting things done ” slogan pre the May election. That slogan is for keeps, not just at election time, and it applies to the daily practical stuff like street cleaning.
I do wish Labour would wake up to these problems and do a better job for local people. Resting on their laurels just because they won the election – in some wards by the skin of their teeth – should be a wake up call. There is a much stronger Council opposition now and all power to them to hold this Council to account.
I think it’s good idea to give Woolwich, Eltham and Greenwich some recognition and other towns in the borough to also be recognized. It does mean a lot to those commuter towns in Southeast London.