The newly created Stockton Business Improvement District (BID) Company has appointed a Manager to lead the project.
Karen Hindhaugh, from Tynemouth, will be responsible for leading the work of the BID which will see at least £1.2m invested in the Town Centre over the next five years.
She took up her new role on 15th November and work is already underway to develop a programme that will be working to stimulate growth, encourage enterprise and attract more visitors and shoppers.
Karen has had a long-established career in public relations and marketing both in-house for National Grid and Transco as well as agencies working in the leisure and retail industries. She was most recently the Operations Director for GoWarm bringing more than £15m private sector funding into Stockton to improve inefficient housing.
Janice Auton, Chair of the BID Steering Board and Founder of Poppy’s on in the Town Centre, said, “Karen’s appointment marks an exciting first step in getting the BID up and running.
“The BID’s board made up of Stockton businesses are incredibly ambitious about what we want to achieve for Stockton Town Centre. Karen has a superb track record of working with businesses and the community and running high performing organisations to deliver outstanding results. Her skills in raising funds will be an added benefit, as we aim to build on the BID’s existing five-year funding of £1.2m to attract even more investment into the Town Centre.
Karen said, “Work has already started to develop a programme of activities to make the Town centre a cleaner, brighter, safer place with more events, marketing and promotion and a more vibrant evening economy.
“The BID investment and initiatives we will start to roll out in January will act as an important catalyst for positive change.
“One of the first things I’ll be doing is getting out and about to meet with, businesses organisations and traders to hear their views about the challenges and opportunities facing Stockton Town Centre. I want to make sure the BID gives businesses a real voice.”
In May this year businesses voted in favour of setting up a BID which will be funded by a 1.5% levy on business rates to pay for a range of improvement initiatives.