TRADERS in west York have given the thumbs-up to a new scheme aimed at regenerating their community's shopping hub.

More than 80 local businesses in the Front Street area are set to benefit from the York Pride scheme, which will try to revitalise the area, dealing with visual improvements, and tackling anti-social behaviour.

Shop owners welcomed the project at a recent meeting at the Acomb Gateway Church, which was attended by senior police officers, City of York Council officers, and business leaders.

The shopping area is to get a revamp with cleaner streets, new street furniture and the installation of CCTV cameras if funding can be found.

Graham Bowdidge, who runs The Cakery, in Front Street, said the scheme was long overdue.

"It sounds like a really good idea," he said.

"The shopping area needs tidying up, particularly round the back of some of the stores. I'm definitely in favour of CCTV cameras being installed. If somewhere looks tidy and people keep an eye on it, then it should help to stop anti-social behaviour."

Coun Waller said "There was a positive feeling at the meeting that the many traders who attended wanted to actively work in conjunction with the Acomb Shops Project to make further improvements in the area. All the speakers made clear that this will be a long-term project which will tackle some of the deep-rooted issues, and will regularly keep the 80 local businesses in touch with developments as they happen."

Adam Sinclair, representing York Business Pride, said: "Improvements needed to happen in parallel so that shops did not feel that they were acting alone."

Police chiefs told the meeting about local campaigns to drive down retail crime, and how there had recently been a significant increase locally in the number of businesses that were part of the RACY (Retailers Against Crime in York).

The initiative is seen a positive step for shops to work together to make it harder for the criminal element to operate in Acomb.

Updated: 11:37 Saturday, October 02, 2004