back

'Let's get things moving, Preston'

Let's put the pride back in Preston.

City leaders have unveiled the first step in a masterplan to get stalled improvements to the city centre moving.

The City Thinking group, made up of business leaders led by lobbying group Downtown Preston in Business, is to launch a website allowing Prestonians to sign up to become ambassadors for the city.

DPIB chairman Frank McKenna said he hoped the move would rid "an unhealthy degree of cynicism" he feels is lingering around plans to regenerate the city.

It also said it will use the skills of its members to fast-track improvements to Preston railway station, its major high streets and to make it more 'business-friendly'.

Mr McKenna said: "We all know that Prestonians are still waiting for so many things to happen, so what we are aiming to do is look at these 'quick wins' which I hope we can get moving on by the end of the year.

"This is not another talking shop where nothing gets done, we want to use the experience of our members to get things moving and hope that triggers the good will of others to follow suit.

"The first job is getting a new confidence into the place, if we can get people behind a clear plan then we can move forward quicker."

He said the group would be hosting a number of summit meetings for businesses, focusing on issues including transport, marketing and regeneration, in the next few months before plans go to public consultation by the summer.

The City Thinking group includes architects MCK Associates, Croft Goode, law firm Harrison Drury, accountants Moore and Smalley and marketing firm Freshfield.

MCK managing director Andrew Kirkham said involving the people of Preston in its decisions was crucial to the success of its plans.

He said: "My family has lived in Preston for over 200 years and too often it appears to Prestonians that major decisions are made over and above them which leaves them feeling powerless and uninformed.

"The idea of City Thinking is to find out what people want in 21st Century Preston."