ALTRINCHAM Forward, the body set up to help regenerate the town, has received a £40,000 cash boost.

The money co mes from the Department of Communities and Local Government BID Loan Fund to set up a Business Improvement District (BID).

A BID, enables businesses to work together to improve their trading environment and drive forward the area’s regeneration. It will operate for up to five years and businesses will be in the driving seat.

These groups aim to influence the trading environment by increasing the number of visitors to the areas they operate in.

Firms will now develop and agree a range of initiatives for a business plan and agree a levy each will pay, before putting it to a democratic vote.

A successful vote will see an independent company, controlled by the businesses, delivering the agreed plan.

Altrincham businesses will decide what they want to see delivered for the town centre and how to achieve this. Initiatives carried out by BIDs around the country have included new events and activities to entice shoppers, extra street cleaning and town rangers to improve the street scene, or more widespread promotion of a town.

Altrincham Forward will be coordinating the development of the BID. There will be an extensive period of business consultation, running until summer 2015.

The BID loan funding will enable Altrincham Forward to enlist expert help with the consultation and support the development of the BID overall. It will ensure businesses are kept fully informed throughout the process and have ample opportunity to have their say.

Martin Duff, Randalls Jewellers said “The development of a BID will enable us, the businesses, to get fully involved and change the future of Altrincham for the better."

Executive Councillor for Economic Growth and Planning and Altrincham Forward Board member, Michael Hyman said: "This is fantastic news for Altrincham Town Centre and reinforces the hard work of all the partners within Altrincham Forward. The development of a Business Improvement District will enable local businesses to further drive Altrincham town centre's regeneration forward. It places local businesses and tradespeople firmly in control so that they can shape the town's future."