Buy it in Bradford - Your City Needs You!
HEADLINES:
SHOP FOR BRADFORD!

'THIS IS JUST WHAT THE CITY NEEDS’
'WE'VE GOT THE LOT HERE IN BRADFORD'
‘THE CITY WILL RISE LIKE A PHOENIX FROM THE ASHES’
'SHOPPERS HAVE GOT EVERY REASON TO USE CITY!'
'PARKING IN THE CITY IS A REAL BARGAIN!'
NEW BOSS HAS A STEAK
IN ‘A FANTASTIC FUTURE’
'EVERYONE MUST KEEP THE FAITH'

'TRADERS REJOICE AT £450,000 MARKETS BOOST'
Telegraph & Argus Bradford Vision Telegraph & Argus City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council Kirkgate Shopping
LOST YOUR CARD?
About 200,000 Loyalty Cards were distributed as part of Bradford Council’s Telephone A-Z guide to homes across the district. If you’ve lost your card or haven’t received one, please send a stamped, self-addressed envelope to: Helen Turner, Newspaper Sales Department, Telegraph & Argus, Hall Ings, Bradford BD1 1JR, or call at one of our offices in Hall Ings, Shipley, Keighley or Ilkley.
WANT TO OFFER A LOYALTY DISCOUNT?
Are you a retailer based in or around central Bradford? Do you want to be a part of our brilliant Buy It In Bradford campaign to encourage local people to support the local economy during the regeneration? If you want to discuss offering a discount or a weekly Lucky Numbers prize, please contact Helen Turner on 705389.
 
Name and shame them

CRIME: POLICEINSPECTOR CALLS FOR CRACKDOWNONSHOPLIFTERS

by John Roberts

Police are urging city centre retailers to close the door on known shoplifters by banning them from their premises.

Inspector Steve Baker, of the Bradford South force is planning to launch a crackdown on opportunistic criminals in the city centre as part of the Telegraph & Argus Buy it in Bradford campaign.

And he wants members of City Centre Crimebeat to play their part by banning shoplifters from stores.

The City Centre Crimebeat is an organisation comprising of police, community support officers, wardens, retailers and security guards who all work in Bradford city centre.

The group meets once a month to discuss ways of combating city centre crime.

Insp Baker wants to be able to name and shame convicted shoplifters through the T&A and spread information about their identity to retailers to prevent them entering any store within the city. The campaign is part of a drive to make Bradford City centre a safer and more pleasant place to shop.

Last month, the T&A launched its Buy it in Bradford campaign which has been backed by both Bradford Council and the police.

City centre crime has fallen by 30 per cent in the last two years but Insp Baker wants to drive it down further.

Police can prevent prolific shoplifters from entering the city as the condition of an AntiSocial Behaviour Order (ASBO).

However Linton Patz, Bradford South ASBO coordinator, told a Crimebeat meeting yesterday that the police needed to build up evidence that the criminal was a persistent offender before they can apply for an ASBO.

Insp Baker hopes a scheme to bar shoplifters from the city centre will work alongside ASBOs to cut city centre crime.

And he is now planning to hold discussions with West Yorkshire Police's legal team to see if he can launch a naming and shaming initiative.

The idea has been welcomed by Mirko Maric, the head of Kirkgate Shopping Centre's security.

There were 57 shoplifting incidents in the city centre during February, compared with 79 for the same period last year.

Insp Baker also wants more shops to employ uniformed security staff to deter shoplifters.

He said: "One reformed drug dealer said he wasn't bothered about being caught on camera he was only worried about being caught there and then because that would stop him getting his next fix."

e-mail: john.roberts @bradford.newsquest.co.uk

 

 
Testimonials
Buy it in Bradford Campaign Poster
The Council is delighted to be associated with it and let’s just hope everyone takes advantage of the offers. It is certainly something I’ll be doing
Councillor Simon Cooke

I think this is a brilliant idea. Bradford is in the process of change in the city and I think it is extremely important that we make sure we support the city centre
Councillor
Ian Greenwood
You can get everything
in Bradford that you can
anywhere else and the
car parking is much better and it is much easier to get into the city centre than elsewhere
Councillor
Jeanette Sunderland
This is a brilliant idea and we are 110 per cent behind it...This campaign can show that although there is a lot of building work going on, the city is still very much open for business
Val Summerscales, secretary of Bradford Chamber of Trade
What we need here in the city is a catalyst like this Buy It In Bradford campaign to show people why they should be shopping here in Bradford
Roland Clark,
president of Bradford
Chamber of Commerce