SUNNY WORTHING
NEWS

JUNE 2018

Welcome to the Town Centre eNewsletter 

Keep up to date on what is happening in Worthing Town Centre

Highlights in this newsletter
  • Town Centre Regeneration 
  • Business Grants Available 
  • Business Crime Reduction update 
  • Nov 5th Fireworks
  • Adur & Worthing Business Awards
  • Events June / July 

   
TOWN CENTRE REGENERATION
 
Adur & Worthing Council have announced a bold new plan to transform the look and feel of Worthing town centre and have now published the proposals to revamp two main streets.
Up to £5 million has been allocated to redesign South Street and Portland Road to kickstart the Public Realm project, led and initially funded by West Sussex County Council , which will revitalise public spaces from the station to the seafront.
More open continental-style boulevard walkways, pedestrianisation, tree plantings, new contrasting paving designs, courtyards and a new piazza are planned to soften the streetscape of the town.
The county council, working in partnership with Worthing Borough Council, has now decided that the most adventurous options for South Street and Portland Road from last year's options appraisal will be pursued and developed further. Detailed design work will now get underway over the summer and the options will evolve and develop through to an anticipated public consultation in the Autumn.   
 


 
BUSINESS GRANTS 
 
Adur & Worthing Council, in association with the Adur & Worthing Business Partnership, are now taking applications for the Small Business Growth and Apprenticeship Grant.                                   
Micro businesses can apply for up to £2,500 to fund capital purchases, such as new equipment, support with marketing, training or making improvements to their commercial premises.  
 
Small businesses can apply for a one off grant of £1,500 per apprentice (max of 2) to help cover the costs of taking on and training an apprentice.    
 

   
BUSINESS CRIME REDUCTION UPDATE

The Business Crime Reduction Partnership would like to remind businesses not to share any personal information on offenders, including photographs, on any platform other than DISC.  DISC has been developed to follow GDPR legislation and so photographs and other information can be shared between members without the worry of GDPR compliance.  Any Town Centre business can join the Business Crime Reduction Partnership at no cost and access to DISC will be provided once a Data Integrity form has been signed.  We are aware of some people using WhatsApp to share personal information and we have made it clear that sharing personal information in this way could lead to an individual or business being prosecuted under GDPR legislation.  Please ensure your teams are aware they should not share any personal data except via DISC.
 
We have been raising issues with Shoplifting and persistent offenders with Sussex Police for a while now and I am pleased to inform you that a Local Action Team has now been set up to look at the issue and what can be done to reduce the impact  on businesses.  We are told that this is a major issue but we need some specific data to be able to use to develop the plans.  If you have been the victim of shoplifting or other theft from your business please complete our form and return it to steve@worthingtowncentre.co.uk   
 


 
NOVEMBER 5TH FIREWORKS

There has been some confusion from businesses over the event on November 5th following the announcement last week that the Tide of Light will not be going ahead in 2018  While the parade will not be taking place the fireworks will still go ahead on Monday 5th November.
 
In previous years there have been 2 events running in the Town Centre on 5th November.  The Tide of Light which is the popular lantern making and parade and the Lions Fireworks and Funfair on the seafront.
The Bonfire night event has been growing each year and organisers of the Tide of Light Parade felt that they needed to become a stand alone event to enable them to grow and develop their activities. 
 
The Tide of Light will be taking a year out to allow organisers the time to make the operational changes needed but will be back in 2019 but on a different night to the Lions Fireworks.
 
The Lions Firework Display will be going ahead on 5th November 2018 and I am delighted to inform you that the Worthing Town Centre Initiative have agreed to fund the Fireworks this year.  The Funfair will be on the prom and a market and Children's area are also being developed by the Lions; and we will provide more details in the run up to the event.  The Fireworks will be held a little earlier in the evening and those businesses who have stayed open in the past have reported good trade so it is worth considering extended hours on this evening.



 
ADUR & WORTHING BUSINESS AWARDS 
   
The official launch event for the 2018 Adur & Worthing Business Awards will be held on Wednesday 6 June 2018 at Hummingbird Restaurant, Shoreham Airport.
If you would like to attend you can book a place through the Worthing & Adur Chamber of Commerce, please click here.
The Awards are a great way of promoting your business so get your contacts and customers voting for you when nominations launch shortly after the launch.

The Adur & Worthing Business Awards 2018 will be held on Friday 16th November 2018,

 
EVENTS IN JUNE  

Here are some of the main events in June. 

Please note this is not an exhaustive list and more information on events can be found at www.worthingtowncentre.co.uk


Thurs 7th June Debenhams Beauty Event

Sat / Sun 9th & 10th June Art, Craft Design Market 

Sat 16th June Children's Parade   

Sat 16th June Worthing Churches Big Busk  

Sat / Sun 16th / 17th June Rowing Regatta 
 
Sun 24th June Ambrose Place NGS Open Day       

Sat / Sun 30th June & 1st July French Market  

If your business has an event please let us know about it so we can include it on our website and in our listings !! email Sharon@worthingtowncentre.co.uk 



Sunny Worthing logo   
SEAFRONT BUS SHELTERS
   
The Worthing Town Centre Initiative are currently working on the Seafront Bus Shelters and these will soon be transformed from Black to Miami colours.
 
Businesses in this area feel the Town needs to feel more welcoming and the black street furniture is a bit austere .
 
We are hoping to bring some more colour to the seafront now we have he wonderful flowerbeds so once completed let us know what you think !!  
 

    
PUBLIC DEFIBRILLATORS
   
The Worthing Town Centre Initiative are delighted to be working with Neighbourhood Watch and Adur & Worthing Safer Communities Partnership in providing some public defibrillators in Worthing Town Centre.
 
The units have been funded by the Big Lottery Fund and provided by Community Heartbeat.  
 
BT have agreed to remove the phones from two of the Town Centre phoneboxes and the WTCI have adopted the boxes to house the defibrillator units.
 
As part of this initiative training will be on offer for Town Centre businesses to train staff on use of the units.  If you would like your staff to receive the free training please contact us so we can make sure you receive the information once the dates have been agreed.  Please email sharon@worthingtowncentre.co.uk 
 
The units will be located outside HSBC bank in South Street Square, near the Guildbourne Centre and also outside Gala Bingo in Rowlands Road. .
 

The Worthing Town Centre Initiative
12 The Steyne
Worthing
West Sussex BN11 3DS

Telephone 01903 203252