Quietly working to create better future

While it may not have the obvious headline-grabbing impact of multi-million pound water sports centres, seafront development or major retail and residential development in the town, there are strong signs of progress.

That's the case as far as Arun's Regeneration Task Force is concerned, which is liaising with the diverse range of commercial investors, university and major commercial developers delivering schemes in the town over the next few years.

There are a number of key aims which the task force's charter is hoping to achieve '“ most notably to assist in increasing business opportunities within the town by enhancing links with key regeneration players including housing developers, a retailer (Sainsbury's), leisure providers (such as Butlins) and educational attainment and skills development, through investment in the new Bognor Regis Community College.

The major investment programme and expansion of facilities at the Bognor campus of the University of Chichester is also set to offer significant links with local businesses.

As Richard McMann, head of the task force explains, its charter has been set up as a guiding principle for commercial progress.

Rather than consisting of a legally-binding set of rules, its broad scope of ambitions aims to foster a greater level of partnership working between existing businesses in the town and those planning major investment in the area.

Mr McMann said: 'My starting point for creating the charter was the fact a number of the schemes which are part of the regeneration may be three or four years away from being created.

'So I thought we should be looking at ways in which businesses in the area can be looking ahead to be aware of what opportunities there will be for them.'

Richard revealed organisations within the partnership, including Bognor Regis Chamber of Commerce, Butlins, the University of Chichester and Business Link, were now working closer than ever with each other.

He added: 'At the centre of what we are trying to do is find ways of making the town's businesses more profitable as figures have shown we have a far lower average spend per visitor in the town than in other areas along the south coast.

'One of the main things we are doing now is starting a series of retail workshops. The first of these was held last week which looked at how local businesses can maximise their sales.

'Next week we're having one with Butlins which is already doing plenty with local businesses, but there is more that can be done. In January there will also be a workshop with Chichester University.'

One of the key areas of regeneration to be seen on the ground over the coming months will be an introduction of the vacant shops initiative.This scheme, which is expected to launch in January, has already received a 35,000 grant.

The funding will enable Arun District Council to create small business opportunities for high-quality tenants which will counter a perception the town lacks quality in its shopping experience.

"We want to rent out units in the town centre for short lets of three or six months to creative businesses which will give Bognor something that is unique and will attract people to come to the town.

"We'll pay the landlords to take a vacant shop off their hands for around six months and fill it with a creative arts tenant. We have already had interest from one major landlord who was drawn to the quality of the scheme."

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