Friday 29th August 2008
(ref:
261/2008)
Wigan’s businesses are cleaning up – literally!
And on Monday (September 1) the best of the bunch will be recognised and honoured by the Mayor of Wigan for their efforts.
The Tidy Business Award is a scheme developed by EnCams (Tidy Britain) to assess businesses against a series of environmental criteria. The emphasis of the award is on reducing, re-using and recycling business waste wherever possible.
The council has been working closely with town centre firms and the Mayor will present the first thirteen awards to:
- Singers Outdoors
- AGO Wigan Army Careers
- Acer
- Northern Independent
- Holiday Getaway
- Langville Properties
- Mr Chips
- Café Select
- Premiere Tanning
- Samaritans
- Courtyard Café
- Club Couture
- Serenity
Cllr Rona Winkworth, the Mayor of Wigan, says:
“It is vital that we build working relations with our business community as well as the community and schools in order to make our town centres clean, safe and green. An improved environment leads to a better economic performance and I’m delighted so many businesses in a small area have signed up to this positive scheme.”
So far, 13 businesses have been assessed using the Tidy Business Awards criteria. 7 Bronze Awards, 3 Silver Awards and 3 Gold Awards have been awarded. In order to gain the coveted Gold Award the business has to demonstrate that it is going the extra mile and carrying out work that will benefit the community.
Nick Burdekin, the council’s environmental education co-ordinator, adds:
“It is great that so many businesses in Hallgate and Jaxons Court have signed up to the Tidy Business Awards. By visiting businesses we have already identified ways for them to save resources and work with the community so the benefits of the scheme are already becoming apparent. We’ll be taking the scheme to the rest of our main town centres over the coming months.”
As part of the initiative businesses also received a free hanging basket and a free supply of ‘bags for life’. Customers can pick up a bag if they shop in the businesses that have signed up to the award scheme.
The next step is to make Hallgate and Jaxons Court a “Tidy Business Zone” so that shoppers can enjoy a clean, safe and green shopping experience. 12 more local businesses have recently added their names to the award and will be surveyed shortly. And all businesses in Jaxons Court and Hallgate have agreed to take part in another borough-wide initiative, the Big Tidy Up, later in September which will see staff litter picking around Hallgate and the bus station.
