You are here: Homepage >> About Us

About Us

What is Salisbury City Centre Management?

Salisbury City Centre Management was formed in 1998 and among its founding members were Boots, Sainsbury's and Marks & Spencer together with a host of small independent businesses. Ian Newman, of I. N. Newman Funeral Directors was, and remains, the partnership's Chairman.

Ian is supported by a small yet effective team as well as a Board of Directors who are local business men and women who have a connection with the City and care strongly for its economic viability and success.                                                                               

The partnership also employs a City Centre Manager, Lindsey Brown (Wed - Frid) and Graham Gould (Mon - Tue) and a Marketing Manager, Chris Litherland.

Our membership has increased by approximately 50% over the last three years as the partnership goes from strength to strength. We have over 200 members split between local specialist independent businesses and nationally known 'names' - both large and small.

What does Salisbury City Centre Management do?

Salisbury City Centre Management works to protect its members interests and to help them improve the profitability of their business. We are involved in the key strategic issues such as the Salisbury Vision and the local transport plan. But we are also actively engaged in other important areas such as the provision of parking spaces, the cost of parking, the condition of the city's roads, pavements and other public spaces, recycling and business rates.

Arguably some of our most important work is the work we do 'behind the scenes', lobbying, chasing and generally keeping Wiltshire Council and others aware of Salisbury and of the importance of its business community. All of this activity is aimed at improving the business environment in Salisbury and thus about encouraging more people to spend more money in the city's businesses.

We support the city's business community by working to ensure that Salisbury builds on and expands upon its position as a sub regional centre for retail, business, culture and tourism.

We try to achieve this by encouraging and facilitating sensitive and sustainable development aimed at making Salisbury a vital, vibrant and attractive city that is safe and welcoming. We believe that we need to make it easier for more people to visit Salisbury, be it for a day or longer.

Keeping our members informed

We make sure that we have strong and effective communications with the local business community and in particular with our members.

We issue a weekly e-bulletin which includes news and information, locally, regionally and nationally, that might be of interest to members or which might affect their business.  A popular feature is the Chairman's update which provides a regular update on the big issues that the partnership is working on and on the progress being made. We also issue a weekly E-shot each Monday morning. This contains news, notices and a diary of events. CCM members can use this E-shot to make other members aware of special offers or events that may be of interest.

We also issue a monthly Newsbrief which provides information on new members, events, city news and much more.

Members meetings are held every two months and everybody is welcome. These provide an opportunity for members to discuss issues that concern them and to generally speak to other local businesses. A regular update from the Directors is also given. All members are encouraged to take an active part in proceedings and can also submit items for the agenda.

The latter half of the meeting is an open forum for members to discuss events, promotions, concerns and any other business.

We encourage our members to host a meeting in order to showcase their company premises and to give a small presentation on what their company can offer the other members.

We also run competitions and organise events such as the Christmas Lights Switch-On, St. George's Day celebrations and the annual Charity Duck Race.

What some of our members say...

Businesses join Salisbury City Centre Management for a variety of reasons but one of the key reasons, that people tell us, is because it gives them a voice - a voice that is listened too.

With local government in Wiltshire now based in Trowbridge it is more important than ever that Salisbury's business community has an effective voice. Salisbury City Centre Management is that voice representing local businesses on issues such as parking charges, business rates, highway maintenance, the Salisbury Vision and a host of other key issues which affect businesses in the city.

"'The Old George Mall was one of the founding members of Salisbury City Centre Management.  We continue to support the partnership to help in its efforts to raise the vitality and viability of the city.

Salisbury City Centre Management plays an important role in strategic planning and marketing of the City.  Through its many partners it has been able to form a uniform and progressive plan to enhance the city for all those who live, work and visit."

Jon Osgood, Old George Mall Manager

"I joined City Centre Management because I wanted to have a say in the future of the city. I wanted to make sure that the county's decision makers were aware of my businesses needs and of the concerns that I have about the way in which the city is managed and promoted. I also wanted to help give the partnership a stronger and therefore more powerful voice."

Tom Mettyear, Neals Yard remedies

"Salisbury City Centre Management is a valuable local resource for reaching over 600 businesses. By calling the office, I know that the team will be there with an immediate answer or they can point me in the right direction.

Being on a tight budget I appreciate the benefit of being able to email SCCM members with Festival updates and special offers throughout the year. Keep up the good work."

Cindy Moxham, Salisbury International Arts Festival