Firms get behind tidy-up campaign (From Worcester News)

Firms get behind tidy-up campaign

12:40pm Tuesday 20th July 2010 in Take Pride Headlines By Flora Drury, @floradruryWN #worcsnews

PATROLLING: New Worcester Street Rangers: Eliot Langfield, Karen Massey and Colin Merison in Worcester’s High Street meeting visitors.13462205

BUSINESSES in Worcester are backing our campaign to clean up the city’s streets.

The Take Pride in Worcester campaign was launched in your Worcester News in conjunction with Worcester City Council and VisitWorcester last week and is already gaining momentum, with people getting involved in community clean-ups and reporting their number one grot spots.

But businesses all around the city already know how important looking good is for their shops and restaurants.

Worcester Business Improvement District (BID), which is funded by businesses in the city centre, is the force behind the new street rangers, who patrol the city’s streets meeting and greeting visitors.

Not only this, but the street rangers are able to report issues of litter grot spots to the city council to make sure that any issue is resolved extremely quickly and effectively.

BID manager Adrian Field said: “The Take Pride in Worcester’ campaign is crucial in highlighting and dealing with any areas where visitors and locals will not be impressed.

“We have great businesses and attractions in the city centre but they need to be backed up with streets without litter, graffiti and flyposting so that employees, locals and tourists all have a better time in our great city.”

It is a sentiment echoed by VisitWorcester, the organisation which manages the city centre, develop tourism and run a range of events throughout the year.

Georgia Smith, head of VisitWorcester, said: “Worcester is a great place to live and the city attracts a large number of visitors every year, but we have to work really hard to make sure it stays this way and visitor numbers grow. Making sure the city looks clean and tidy at all times is an absolute must.

“Tackling the grot spots, making sure there is no litter around and that empty premises are not neglected are all important tasks. VisitWorcester does its part to work with Worcester City Council and alert them to any problem areas so that they can be cleared up as quickly as possible, but it would be even better if we could prevent problems rather than spend so much time and money curing them.”

And preventing problems means there is more time to spruce up different bits of the city, which may be in need of some attention such as Pump Street, which is the first to get newly-painted street bollards, bins and highways signs courtesy of BID and their partners.

“It has certainly made the street look smarter and other streets will soon see the benefit as well,” said Mr Field.

And it is not hard to do your part in keeping Worcester tidy.

Ms Smith said: “Everyone can easily take their litter to the nearest bin, or home with them, rather than dropping it on the pavement. That includes cigarette ends which many seem not to regard as litter – and this would help to save thousands of pounds each year.”