Rotherham Town Centre News

New Bar in Rotherham Town Centre

12/07/2010

Turf Tavern made its return in style to Rotherham town centre last Friday.

New owners Glynn Brown and Sharon Ryan have combined their expertise in the industry and have worked hard over the past few months to transform the former Rudi Blues cafe on Corporation Street into a venue that will immediately place itself at the top of the areas late night clubbing scene.

Glynn said: Turf Tavern is my old stomping ground and i am keen to resurrect it and make Rotherham town centre an even better night out for people.

Its a stylish modern nightclub and we cannot wait to show it off.

The owners say no expense has been spared in making Turf Tavern Rotherhams leading late night venue. The new club boasts luxurious decor and furniture and lavish seating areas as well as state of the art sound and lighting systems.

Glynn continued: We would love for people to visit Turf Tavern that have previously never visited the town. This would benefit not only our business but the rest of the other bars, pubs and clubs.

Turf Tavern will be open six days and nights a week serving food and light entertainment in the day with Karaoke starting at 4pm, before transforming itself into Rotherhams latest music venue until late.

Thursday nights will be student night open until 3am and Friday and Saturday nights will also be open until 3am playing 70s, 80s music as well as the latest chart music. Turf Tavern has joined the Rotherham town centre Shop Local scheme and on showing your Shop Local loyalty card you will receive 10 per cent off their food menu. To register for your card visit: www.rotherhamtowncentre.co.uk

Shop Local as it now pays to stay loyal in Rotherham town centre

29/06/2010

A staggering 60 businesses have joined up with the borough council to dramatically increase shopper numbers in Rotherham town centre for the next six months, so saving money on shopping and meals out couldnt be simpler now with the Shop Local loyalty card.

Manager of Internacionale, Mark Davison, said: The scheme is ideal as it promotes the range of offer available in Rotherham town centre. By the businesses signing up to issuing an offer or discount, they encourage more sales directly to their tills. Hopefully the new scheme, and the advertising backing it, will also attract customers that arent shopping here at the moment as well.

Internacionale is offering 10% off everything when you spend 5 pounds, to Shop Local loyalty card holders.

Rotherham Borough Councils Business and Retail Investment Team will launch the Shop Local loyalty card scheme on Tuesday 13th July in conjunction with the weekly Street Market.

People will be able to visit the Shop Local stall and sign up to receive their card instantly which then entitles them to offers, discounts and other incentives in over 60 shops and restaurants in Rotherham town centre, running until 1st February 2011.

Alternatively people can pop in to the Visitor Centre in All Saints Square, or a participating town centre store at any time and pick up a form to register free for their card. Registration forms will also be distributed around the borough and people can apply online by visiting the town centre website.

Owner of Blush hair and handbags, Marie Barrett, on Wellgate said: I am optimistic about the scheme as so many businesses have signed up including some of the bigger names such as Thorntons. I really hope people that havent visited Rotherham for a while, sign up for a loyalty card and come and see how it pays to shop local.

Blush is offering 20% off when you spend 10 pounds on handbags as well as 5 pounds off a cut and blow dry Tuesday to Thursday.

Director of Planning and Regeneration Paul Woodcock said: Shop Local is the big campaign to increase footfall to the town centre and it is encouraging to see so many businesses signed up and committed to it. The marketing and promotion of this scheme is crucial but we hope we have got the basics right. We have the offer and now it actually pays for people to shop here.

With an increase of free events this year and new shops and market stalls opening up we feel Rotherham town centre has a lot to offer in comparison to competing centres.

Once people have their Shop Local loyalty card, they just need to look out for the Shop Local window sticker in participating businesses and ask what they are entitled to as one of Rotherhams loyal shoppers.

Alternatively people can check out the offers before they make their trip on the Shop Local page by visiting: www.rotherhamtowncentre.co.uk

Marking Developments for Rotherhams Civic Pride

22/06/2010

Rotherhams Renaissance continues to go forward despite the current national economic downturn.

Rotherham Borough Council, their partners Evans Regeneration Investments Ltd, and key Stakeholders joined together on 18th June to celebrate developments which are largely underway for the project which has been in the planning pipelines for the last three years.

The steel structure emerging from the ground for the purpose built 172,000 sq ft or 16,000 sq m, civic office building, on the former Guest and Chrimes site, is a major step forward for the 2 billion Renaissance plan to regenerate the heart of Rotherham town centre.

Guests at the event heard from the Leader of Rotherham Borough Council, Cllr Roger Stone: This development will go a long way to further boost the town centres Renaissance programme by not only regenerating this site and encouraging further major players, but by also freeing up several valuable town centre sites to allow further redevelopment works to take place.

This project, in fact, really highlights Rotherham Councils commitment to pushing the town forward by forming one of the most significant public sector property transactions outside of London in the last year.

We must not let today ruin tomorrow for the people of Rotherham.

The Renaissance programme can boast significant achievements over the past three years. For example, the 11 million pound Leisure Complex open in the town centre, a state of the art walk in healthcare facility, over 120 apartments in the town centre which are all let, as well as quality, niche independent shops starting to open in Imperial Buildings, along with Rotherhams first mini arts hub.

Chief Executive for the council, Martin Kimber, added: It will provide the town centre with a modern building that will greatly improve the services we provide to Rotherham people.

By housing all services under one roof, the council will become even more efficient and will continue to provide an excellent standard of service to our residents from a single building, rather than dispersed across the town.

Artwork for the 85m stretch of hoardings surrounding the development site along Main Street was also unveiled by local artist, Adam Mileusnic.

Multi disciplinary artist and designer based in Yorkshire, Adam, won the commission set by Rotherham Borough Council, in partnership with Rotherham Open Arts Renaissance, on the basis of his strong design and ideas of how to engage with members of the public and young people to ensure their ideas were also incorporated in the finished piece.

The finished public art aims to reflect the history of the site whilst also raising awareness and celebrating all of the public services the council offer coming under one roof due to this exciting development.

Bloomin' Marvellous!

16/06/2010

Central Rotherham was given a boost today with the introduction of 100 hanging baskets and over a dozen tiered floral displays concentrated on key shopping streets.

The move was made in light of shoppers feedback that they wanted to see more planting and greenery in the centre.

Business Development Manager Tim O Connell said: Shoppers and businesses have highlighted the importance of a pleasant and attractive environment in bringing people into the town centre. This, along with our efforts to improve vacant units, will create a more welcoming environment for our shoppers and visitors and encourage repeat visits.

This is one of a number of measures aimed at making the centre more appealing, including the introduction of free Saturday parking, free parking after 3pm during the week and an extended events programme.

The councils Business & Retail Investment Team have also tried to engage town centre businesses this year by resurrecting the Rotherham in Bloom competition encouraging businesses to take pride in their properties and install their own hanging baskets to add to the overall planting scheme.

The team continues to improve the appearance of vacant units in the centre and artists, Urban Canvas, recently won a commission to improve the look of the empty shops on High Street.

Meanwhile professional landscape photographer for 30 years, Barry Payling, has worked to create a striking window display of some of his best work in the former pet shop on Corporation Street.

Rotherham Shopmobility Scheme

21/05/2010

Members of the Rotherham Access Group have learnt from speaking to people who used to use the Shopmobility scheme in Rotherham town centre that there is still a big need for a Shopmobiity scooter loan scheme. The previous scheme ended in 2007.

A similar need was identified in Parkgate Shopping centre so people with limited mobility can get around the shops and facilities more easily.

In addition to meeting peoples mobility needs, the local economy will benefit from more people being able to access shops and local services which will increase income in to the town centre and Parkgate Shopping centre.

The pilot scheme is due to begin on 7th June and ends on 28th August, 2010.

This service will be run from a specialised mobile unit based in Effingham Square during the pilot and will be making mobility scooters available to those who may not have been able to access the town centre services and retail previously. The town centre scheme will run on Wednesdays and Saturdays, from 10am to 4pm.

The town centre pilot scheme has been kindly funded through the Local Strategic Partnership in Rotherham.

The scheme is being delivered by Rotherham Access Group, in partnership Barnsley Dial A Ride, SCOPE Rotherham Day Service and Parkgate Mobility. The scooters for this twelve week pilot project were kindly given by Parkgate Mobility.

Call 07511 185520 for more details.