Longridge Town Team was launched on the 15th September 2010 at the Longridge Civic Hall before the Mayor of Longridge, Councillor Jim Rogerson and Ribble Valley Mayor Councillor Lois Rimmer .It was set up by the Ribble Valley Borough Council in co-operation with the Lancashire County Council , Longridge Town Council, Longridge Business Group, and local voluntary organisations.
Attended by 100 representatives of Longridge business and local councillors the launch set the new project off to a flying start . Representatives of Lancashire Commercial Developments LImited , Business Link ,Pennine Lancashire and other organisations were on hand to give advice and help to the 50 local businesses represented.
Alistair Sheret Chairman of Longridge Business Group commented '' In 2009/10 local businesses received finance and grants from a variety of government agencies amounting to over £4 million. Many businesses do not know that this money exists or if they do know of its existence then navigating through the various bodies and their paperwork can be daunting. Whilst there are no guarantees of the money being available in the current climate, access to funds to improve business, train and recruit staff and invest in capital equipment is economic development at its purest. We want Longridge businesses to have the best chance of securing any government funding that is available. and advise them how to get their hands on the money ''
Councillor Ken Hind commented ''Town Team'' will look at the retail centre , manufacturing and leisure industry with a view to improve it in the long term. In the medium and short term we will look at a review of the land use for business, retail and industry looking at identifying potential sites for development. We need to see how mobile and broadband signals can be improved and put Longridge on the map by pressing for the motorway and ordinary road signs to be increased in number and improved.
''We see ourselves as a recession busting organisation , facilitating help for local existing businesses to grow and attract new businesses to increase the jobs and opportunities for local residents. This is one of the main features of the launch. ''
The Team is a partnership between the public and private sectors .It results from an initiative from the Ribble Valley Borough Council . The team includes County Councillor David Smith, Lancashire County Council, Councillor Ken Hind - Ribble Valley Borough Council, Rupert Swarbrick, Stuart Carefoot - Longridge Town Council, Alistair Sherret Chairman of Longridge Business Group and local business people and is supported by the Economic Development department of the Ribble Valley Council.
At the presentation businesses businesses were invited to join the Longridge Business Group the organisation that speaks for local business and to visit the unfinished station rooms that will contain a heritage centre , IT centre ,which can provide extensive services for local businesses both existing and start ups, restaurant, meeting rooms and the headquarters of the Longridge Town Council.