NOW YOU CAN MAKE A REAL DIFFERENCE TO THE FUTURE OF YOUR DISTRICT & TOWN CENTRES Vital and viable shopping centres are at the heart of sustainable neighbourhoods, especially in regeneration areas. But retail and transport trends have undermined district centres and independent retailers, reflected in physical deterioration such as vacant units and vandalism. Those retailers that remain often feel isolated and unsupported. But now you can make a real difference by introducing Main Marketing's Retail Survival Courses - a big success story for small retailers. The Retail Survival Courses started in 2001, as an integral part of the District Centres Regeneration Strategy for Stockport Council. In 2002 Main Marketing won a Stockport Junior Chamber of Commerce 'Entrepreneur of the Year' Award and the following year were supported by Stockport to offer the programme to other local authorities as an example of 'best practice of business support for small independent retailers'. Since then we have worked/are working for: Denbigh County Council - Retail Marketing Surgeries Blaenau Gwent County Council - Retail Marketing Surgeries Derbyshire County Council - Retail Marketing Surgeries Flintshire County Council - Retail Marketing Surgeries Fylde Borough Council - St Annes on Sea High Peak Borough Council - Glossop and Chapel-en-le-Frith Market Towns Projects Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council - Regeneration Housing & Neighbourhoods Team Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council - Revitalising Inner Rochdale SRB5 Wyre Borough Council - Garstang Market Town Project Cheshire Community Council - Rural Social & Community Programme Ellesmere Port and Neston Borough Council – Neston Market Town initiative HOW THE RETAIL SURVIVAL COURSES WORK At a free an initial meeting between Main Marketing and the Regeneration Project Officer, a plan of action is drawn up prior to running a Retail Survival Course. The initial meeting enables Main Marketing to assess how much contact is required with retailers in the area, the aspirations of the shopkeepers and the objectives of the regeneration project.   BENEFITS OF RETAIL SURVIVAL COURSES Helps independent retailers compete, boosts morale Successful PR opportunity for Local Authority Change in attitude - Local Authority felt to be supportive of local businesses Opportunity to promote other Council Services Networking between delegates - inter-trading Development of Business Associations Positive attitude by traders towards customers and promotions Encourages other self-help policies among local businesses.