Bridgwater on line Newsletter - Spring 2003

Bridgwater Business Profiles

	Boots in Bridgwater is going to have a new look. Boots is confident that now is the time to invest in the town and is pleased to announce that the Bridgwater store will undergo a major refurbishment in August. Store Manager Sue McMillan says “This is a really exciting time for the store, we will have a new style dispensary in a new location in store and better ranges of key products. I feel confident that our customers will love it too!”

	LANE- Hammett Stationers have under various guises, been in Bridgwater for 170 years. More recently other outlets in Glastonbury, Taunton and Weston-super-Mare have been opened.Owner Andrew Bradbury says: “My family acquired the business over 17 years and continue to enjoy doing business in Bridgwater. The commercial and retail parts of the business are both growing steadily. We have a loyal customer base and a wide range of products. On the Arts & Crafts side customers enjoy the opportunity for hands-on workshops, most recently demonstrated as part of the Bridgwater Somerfest Arts Festival. We believe that a good range of products at competitive prices, an on-going marketing campaign, backed up by good service, ensures we receive a consistent level of business and growth in customers. The Town Centre Partnership encourages retailers to get involved with activities outside of the business that will be of benefit to the town. We would encourage all businesses to make a positive contribution to their surrounding area. Hanging baskets, Christmas trees and lighting, Town Guide, Bridgwater Business Security Group (BBSG), Customer Care Training, Marketing Clinics, are a few examples of schemes that help the business and the town. Working together, we can help increase footfall and promote Bridgwater’s unique selling points”.

	Mama Mia opened a year ago to provide something special for the “new arrival”. This business provides the opportunity for parents to collect and save during the nine months of pregnancy. Sue Jenkins says “We have met so many lovely people of all ages who support the business.The cosy couch for baby feeding and the changing facilities have been particularly successful and encourage longer town centre visits which is good for us and other businesses. We provide a warm welcome and it is a privilege to be involved in the excitement from the initial scan photo to the birth and onwards to birthdays. Our customer base is strong in the local catchement area and we attract customers from as far away as Bristol, Devon, Minehead and West Somerset areas. We have been very lucky to acquire to the top franchise of Emmaljunga and Jané. Recently Silver Cross has come back into production and the traditional carriage pram will again be available from a local supplier. Week by week, retail saless targets continue to be exceeded which has resulted in an earlier than expected registration for VAT. We enjoy taking part in Town Centre Partnership events, in particular the Window Dressing competition, which promotes the town in the local media and encourages some friendly rivalry with the other retailers”.

Partnership Working

Councillor Ann Bown

Chairman Sedgemoor District Council

Sedgemoor District Council, along with Boots, Sainsbury’s, Angel Place and Bridgwater Retail Park, are pleased to be a Core Sponsor of the Town Centre Partnership.

I am encouraged to see many more businesses getting involved in particular projects with this partnership. Recent successes include the Bridgwater Business Security Group achieving the Home Office Safer Shopping Award. The third Somerfest Community Arts Festival, Marketing clinics, Customer Care and SafetyTraining Courses, and new Bridgwater Town Guide. Future projects include Heritage Open Day in September, and there is a Christmas Committee who are drafting a range of activities to support this key trading period for the Town. Sedgemoor Commercial Services have been working with the partnership on the Christmas lighting and I hope you will all enjoy the resulting display.

I am very proud as Chairman of Sedgemoor District Council to represent Bridgwater as part of Sedgemoor. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Business Community for choosing to do Business in Bridgwater and encourage you all to join the Town Centre Partnership and support projects that help improve the promotion of Bridgwater as a good place to work, rest and play.