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Part of The Civic Trust Network

The Civic Trust, Britain’s leading urban environment charity, announced today that Swindon has been selected as the first pilot project for NightVision - an innovative new programme that aims to improve town and city centres at night.

The NightVison pilot project will concentrate on the Fleet Street and John Street area of Swindon, where problems of litter, anti-social behaviour and binge drinking are causing concern.

The NightVision team will be working with Swindon Borough Council, and local businesses in the implementation of an action plan to address the immediate problems of the area, to improve safety and make it a more pleasant destination to visit at night.

The NightVision team will also explore ideas to strengthen the appeal of the area to a wider clientele, such as families, customers who no longer fit into the ‘youth’ bracket and office employees meeting for a drink after work. It is hoped this plan will give a boost to local business, as well as making central Swindon a safe and enjoyable place to go out at night for all its citizens.

Paul Davies, Head of Policy and Development at the Civic Trust said: “This area of Swindon is typical of many of Britain’s town centres in that it suffers from a range of management problems.  Nationally, many people feel excluded from their town centres at night and important cultural and economic opportunities are missed. There is a danger that town centres can become drinking “ghettos”, dominated by a youth-orientated drinking monoculture. We look forward to working with Swindon Borough Council to address this threat and to develop the full potential of the area.”

Councillor Steve Wakefield, Chair of Licensing at Swindon Borough Council added: “The extent of our determination to raise standards has already been demonstrated by our decision to revoke the licence held by a bar in the town centre. A range of new measures sponsored by the newly created Business Improvement District will build on the steps which we have already taken. The future for Swindon is very exciting. I am confident that our plans to reconstruct almost everything now standing in the central area according to a bold vision will make us the envy of cities up and down the country. I warmly welcome the partnership with the Civic Trust, which will help us to communicate our example to others.”

Contact: Steve Rackett 020 7539 7910 or 07913 833302 (srackett@civictrust.org.uk)

Background information:

NightVision
NightVision is an initiative that springs from the Civic Trust’s influential research publication NightVision: Town Centres for All, produced for the Department Communities and Local Government in autumn 2006. In it The Civic Trust set out three imperatives and ten principles for success.

This year, the Civic Trust will be working on four pilot projects with local partners to put these principles into action, leading to local improvements and the development of good practice for national replication.

The Civic Trust
The Civic Trust is an independent, national charity, founded in 1957. It works with people to promote thriving towns and villages, developing partnerships between communities, government and business to deliver regeneration and local improvement. It is the umbrella body for 850 civic societies across the country, representing over 250,000 individuals committed to improving and caring for places where people live and work.