11/05/2012

DSD Taskforce To Hold High Street Meetings Across NI

Nelson McCausland Social Development Minister, has announced that his Department’s High Streets Taskforce is to visit a selection of cities and towns across Northern Ireland this month.

Mr McCausland said: "I have asked the taskforce to meet with retail traders and business people across Northern Ireland to hear their views on how to improve the performance of our local high streets, town and city centres before it reports to me next month.

"I announced in February 2012 that I had established this taskforce in response to Mary Portas’s report on how to halt the decline of Britain’s high streets. The taskforce will review the support which my Department already provides to regenerate town centres to see whether this might be further strengthened in light of the recommended actions identified by Mary Portas, and also reflect Northern Ireland’s trading circumstances."

The Minister also said that he and the taskforce have met with stakeholder business representative groups to hear their views. The taskforce is now working with the Association of Town Centre Management, Northern Ireland Independent Retail Trade Association and district councils in arranging the ‘High Street Meetings’ during May 2012.

The first meeting will be held in Bangor Town Hall on Monday 14 May with further meetings to follow in Antrim , Armagh, Ballymena, Banbridge, Belfast , Carrickfergus , Coleraine, Cookstown, Downpatrick; Enniskillen Larne, Londonderry, Limavady, Lisburn, Lurgan, Portadown, Newry, Omagh and Strabane. Dates and venues for these meetings will be announced during the course of the month.

(CD/GK)

Related Northern Ireland Business News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

17 May 2002
SDLP back move towards adoption of euro
The Finance Minister Dr Sean Farren has welcomed the strong indication that the Labour government may be moving closer to recommending entry into the Eurozone. Dr Farren said: “The SDLP has long been committed to the Euro and believes that Northern Ireland increasingly loses out the longer we remain outside the Eurozone.
12 December 2001
Economic Development Forum meets to discuss strategies
Dr Seán Farren, Minister for Employment and Learning, has co-chaired the tenth meeting of the Economic Development Forum (EDF), which took place in Ballymena, with Bruce Robinson, Permanent Secretary of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment (DETI).
07 January 2002
Changeover to the euro will have widespread effects on NI businesses
The Republic of Ireland has joined the new European currency revolution by exchanging the Irish Punt for the euro, but what will this mean for Northern Ireland businesses? Businesses on both sides of the border are busy coming to terms with the currency changes, but it is only now becoming clear how drastic the changes will really be.
03 May 2013
Newtownabbey Street Furniture Business Opens
Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster has officially opened the new premises of Environmental Street Furniture Limited in Newtownabbey. The Co. Antrim business designs and sources bespoke street furniture products and recently invested almost £200,000 as part of plans to target sales opportunities in Great Britain, Europe and beyond.
27 November 2002
FSB NI welcomes cross-border fuel report
The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) in Northern Ireland has given a warm welcome to the Northern Ireland Affairs Select Committee Report on 'Cross Border Fuel Duty Differentials'.