Grimsby Retailers in Partnership CIC – January 2022 news headlines:-
Micro Member Sustainability Support – GRIP CIC is for all businesses whether large or small
Many of the smaller and micro businesses were still really struggling to restart last summer after a long period of lockdown. Therefore, we wanted to help them by offering some specific support to those that had managed to re-open in order to help keep their staff stay safe by investing in 5 packages of support including promotion in our newsletter and on our website. The crime reduction funding enabled smaller businesses to access the town centre radio network, use our DISC App, and receive 1-2-1 briefings from the security team to help prevent and reduce crime in the shopping centre and Grimsby Town Centre. By joining us as a GRIP CIC member, we can all work together to improve the wider community’s safety and help people to feel safer when using of the shopping centre and town centre facilities.
5 Grimsby town centre micro businesses, their employees, customer and the local shopping community are all better off as a result of this project. Residents benefit from quicker and more direct reporting of anti-social behaviour and shop theft using the new radio system and App which directly link to the centre’s security team who liaise with police and council.
Ayolt Kloosterboer, Chair of the RIP CIC, said: “I volunteered to be the first Chairman of the GRIP CIC as I strongly believe in working together with partners such as the police and the council to help improve our town centre safety and make the place a more vibrant and dynamic place to work and visit and would urge more town centre businesses large and small to join and support our efforts”
Liam Oswin, Head of Security at Freshney Place Shopping Centre commented:
“The DISC App is the perfect platform, with both website and mobile access to share important information between retailers and the police in order for everyone to have their direct impact on reducing crime. Having a direct link to the police via our radios as well as receiving communications from them within the App, provides critical up-to-date information and gives all users the reassurance that they are supported.”
Will Harrison, West Marsh Area Policing Team Sergeant noted:
“the smaller shop owners now feel safer and better connected to the shopping centre security system and our team because of this project. We are now working together on an Operation Shopkind campaign to help reduce anti-social behaviour towards shop staff and need to include as many retailers as possible big and small.”
See photos attached showing security team members demonstrating how to use the DISC App and the 2-way radio network with staff members at Rushby’s Sweets and The Willow Tree:-
