Business Plans Set To Enhance Our Border City.

Carlisle is like many other cities around the UK at this time. The state of the economy is having a real impact here on the residents, and therefore the local businesses.


Running an independent shop in Carlisle is no task for the faint-hearted as we’ve already discovered after speaking to Hania McIntyre of Beau Boutique and Jane Coulthard of Jiggery Pokery (see earlier posts).


Kerry Martin is the Economic Development Officer for Carlisle City Council, and after speaking to her earlier today, she explained that a lot of businesses in Carlisle do face struggles in the current economic climate.


“Having a strong web presence is one of the main pieces of advice I could give to any new business. There are still a big proportion of businesses in Carlisle without a website,” explains Kerry.


It doesn’t take a genius to work out the power of the web and social networking; you just need to look at the success of Facebook and Twitter to see how much of an impact it can have and businesses really could use this to their advantage for advertising purposes.


Sue Lamb of Beauty @ SoLo also previously explained to me how her website has brought her a lot of business recently.


Kerry says: “It is all about how you manage it. Independent retailers can really strike back against the big names as they often have a unique selling feature. It’s all about putting out there what you can offer.”


There are now plans in place for a Business Improvement District to come to Carlisle which people hope to enhance the area here. This is potentially fantastic news for the traders of Carlisle.


This scheme is to be funded through a supplement of the business rates paid within the Business Improvement District, and it is estimated that in Carlisle that it will be about 1% of the rateable value of that business’ premises.


This could raise up to £230,000 a year for us here in the border city.


However, this will only be possible if the majority of businesses back the idea. The City Council aims to hold a referendum later this year.


With 120 Business Improvement Districts in the UK, our nearby districts include Newcastle and Preston.


Local and very successful menswear shop in Carlisle, Casanova, has been open for 36 years and they're still going strong.


Owner Terry Foster says: "It comes very naturally to us here. The key is that you have to stay with the times. We have a website, but we don;t trade off it.



"We don't compete directly with the high street either, we stock a wide range of products from fragrance to shoes, through to our clothes but the brands are quite exclusive here."


Another key area that Casanova prides itself on is it's outstanding customer service. 


"We have a very loyal set of customers and we make sure we look after them when they come into store. That's what makes the difference," explains Terry.


A further point Terry made was how Casanova's opening hours have changed: "We really have to work at it here and have now joined many other shops in opening seven-days a week. It's not necessarily a good thing, but it's just the way it's gone. You simply must not get complacent in this job, and never take anything for granted."


Let's hope the Business Improvement District plan is a success and helps a lot of other local independently run business reach the same level as Casanova!