Falkirk BID - Objective 2 - It’s Friendlier in Falkirk

objectives»It’s Friendlier in Falkirk

Objective 2 – It’s Friendlier in Falkirk (Safe and Secure)

To address the issue of safety and reduce the potential for crime and anti-social behaviour, we identified the following projects and are currently working towards implementing each project:

Taxi Marshal

• We introduced the Taxi Marshall scheme to help reduce alcohol related problems for late night users of the town centre trying to get home safely and quickly. The benefits of this scheme have been identified by the community safety partnership as, reduced calls to Central Scotland Police with regard to disturbances, reduced number of crime reports raised, improved flow of congestion from premises on closure, improved marketing of Falkirk as a safe place to have “a night out” and improved perception of the night time economy in the Falkirk area. The service runs every Friday and Saturday night 52 weeks a year, with 1000’s of people making use of the taxi rank in Newmarket Street. The BID has funded this service since August last year and has been successful in obtaining additional funding from the Governments Safer Streets initiative as well as extra funding from Falkirk Council to allow the service to be maintained throughout the year.

Street Ambassador

• In July 2009, three Street Ambassadors (our all new faces of Falkirk) will be introduced, working in the BID area 7 days a week. The ambassadors will assist visitors to the town centre by providing tourist information and orientation. Drop into your business on a regular basis; report any issues within the town centre to the appropriate council department. Each ambassador will be customer care trained; first aid trained, fully qualified with a SIA license and will be linked to the Radio Link Scheme.

Best Bar None

• Best Bar None (BBN) was introduced in the summer of 2008, where 12 licensed premises took part and achieved a BBN award, the awards ceremony was held in City Nightclub October 2008. BBN 2009 was a huge success with a further 8 premises given an award. The award ceremony was held in Behind the Wall. If you would like any more information and would like to take part in the 2010 Best Bar None scheme, please contact Sarah McKenzie on 01324 611293.

Crime Reduction

•Crime Reduction Partnership meetings are now held in the Mall management suite on the first Tuesday of every month where businesses within the BID area meet with representatives from Central Scotland Police and the Scottish Business Crime Centre to discuss relevant retail crime issues. If you would like more information on how to get involved please contact Bill Wilson, Operations Manager at the Mall Howgate on 01324 631985.

Child Safe

• Child Safe was launched in October 2008 to promote safety for children in Falkirk town centre and has proved to be a winner with parents of young children. The Mall Falkirk, Callendar Shopping Centre, McDonalds, Waterstones & ASDA have a supply of wristbands available. If you would like your business to be part of the Child Safe scheme please contact Sarah McKenzie on 01324 611293.

•The BID are working with Falkirk Council to improve levels of lighting in the town centre in areas which evening/late night users of the town currently feel less safe.

•We are working with Falkirk Council and Central Scotland Police to adopt a policy of illumination of certain buildings within the BID area of the town centre to create additional safety for night time users to the town centre.

Radio Link

•The town centre Radio Link scheme currently has over 60 members throughout the town centre and plays a major role in sharing important information between businesses, the Police and CCTV headquarters in Alloa. We would like as many businesses as possible to be a member of this important network and the BID are offering businesses a radio on loan for one month to trial the scheme and see the benefits for yourself. For more information please contact Sarah McKenzie on 01324 611293.

This website is provided by the Falkirk BID Team.
The Old Burgh Buildings, 12/14 Newmarket Street, Falkirk, FK1 1JE