October 20, 2004

Kingston stood on the brink of reversing its six-year decline as a shopping district.

In 2003 it tumbled from 12th to 17th in the Experian UK town centre super league – the second-sharpest fall in the top 50 UK towns.

And the number of shoppers, which stood at 19m in 1998, had dropped to 18m.

Ten years ago the town’s key business players prepared to fight back, with the launch of the country’s first business improvement district (Bid).

The Bid – called Kingstonfirst – was the brainchild of town centre managers.

It came into being in January 2005, after more than 51 per cent of businesses voted in favour.

The yes votes also had to add up to a majority of Kingston’s business rates.

The town centre management team had just one month to convince the town’s 630 businesses to accept the plan, and spent two weeks on a publicity campaign.

Top of the wish list for business owners was rapid response units and extra street washing.

Kingston and Surbiton MP Edward Davey said: “We will have cleaner streets, safer streets and Kingston will be one of the leading retail sectors in the whole of the country.”

Bentalls deputy chairman Adam Fenwick said: “Visitor numbers have declined over the years – it is all about getting more visitors to Kingston.

“There is a lot of choice out there and we are competing against other centres, but people are now talking about Kingston.”

Town centre manager Graham McNally said: “I have seen the Bid system work in north America and I am a big convert.

“As well as encouraging people to the town, making it cleaner, more accessible and safer, it will really enhance the night-time economy, reducing crime, graffiti and antisocial behaviour.”

Councillor Barry O’Mahony said: “We are heading towards a 24-hour economy in Kingston and need to be able to cope with the demands that brings.”

Surrey Comet:

The business improvement district became Kingstonfirst - still going strong after 10 years

50 YEARS AGO

October 17, 1964

Lawrence E Fedder, of Orchard Rise, Kingston, returned from a 3,000-mile trip to Moscow as the guest of a firm importing Russian cameras into Britain. Mr Fedder, managing director of a chain of 14 photographic and chemists’ shops, was one of 50 who made the trip.

25 YEARS AGO

October 20, 1989

An ambitious plan to create a footpath from the Thames at Kingston with Malden Rushett was unveiled. The route was to follow the Hogsmill River for eight miles, and parts of the route were already open. Countryside areas of the walk were paved with “hoggin”, a hard-wearing, loose stone.

10 YEARS AGO 

October 20, 2004

Kingston’s Korean community pioneered the borough’s first dual-language anti-drink-driving poster campaign. The posters were created by Korean children following calls from the community’s leaders to spread the word about the dangerous practice, and address cultural differences with the UK.

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