Published at 09:34, Friday, 29 June 2012

MILLOM traders need to boost their online profiles and keep fighting for improved signage, according to a retail guru.

Bill Smith, known as the ‘shop doctor’, spoke to South Copeland business owners at a meeting of the Millom and District Traders’ Association. The meeting was his second visit to Millom after he criticised the town’s “shoddy” signage in a visit in May 2011.

Since then, Copeland Borough Council has committed £5,000 to South Copeland businesses in the shop front improvement scheme.

Mr Smith said the town centre had shown massive improvement since his last visit, but he urged traders to keep lobbying for improved signage in the town.

He said: “All the shop fronts had been massively improved, in terms of decoration and presentation, since the last time I was there.”

Mr Smith said the town’s traders needed to improve their internet profiles if they are to attract shoppers to the town.

He said: “I left the traders with the fact that Millom hasn’t got the best of profiles online. More of them should be using social networking sites, like Facebook and Twitter, to get Millom more positive mentions.

“If you search for Millom on the internet you tend to find mostly negative stories about the town. It is paramount that, as more and more people research areas online, there is a good online presence for businesses in the town.”

Around 15 traders attended the meeting organised by South Copeland Tourism Community Interest Company with funding from the Rural Development Programme for England.

Mark Holroyd, from South Copeland Tourism, said: “Bill delivered a fantastic workshop on practical ways businesses can improve the town centre and use the internet to create new business.

“The quality of signage is still a clear issue in the town. There is a real need for local authorities to address this. But the local council cannot do everything, there is a clear need for town centre businesses to work together to develop and promote Millom’s retail experience.”

Published by http://www.whitehavennews.co.uk