Aylesbury Town Centre Partnership, the consortium that aims to grow, support and enhance business prosperity in the town, has recently invited a new member - The Junction, the company that owns and operates Cambridge Close retail park in Aylesbury.

The partnership is made up of town centre stakeholders including retailers, District and County Councils, management from the two shopping centres, and Town Centre Management, who discuss developments, prepare events to increase footfall and profile and share information to safeguard the future success of the town centre.

Lois Williams, Responsible Business Manager at The Junction explains: “We were delighted to be invited to join the Town Centre Partnership. It is imperative that businesses who invest in and operate from the town centre work together to ensure the ongoing success of the town as both a centre for its residents and an attractive destination for visitors. We hope that inclusion within this partnership will allow us to take an even more active role in Aylesbury life.”

The Junction will donate £3,000 on an annual basis in order to be involved with the Town Centre Partnership; funds which will support town-centre events and activities. Since joining the partnership, The Junction has sponsored flower-filled hangiing baskets to support Aylesbury in Bloom. Lining the frontage at Cambridge Street, the baskets are consistent with those hung in the town centre and provide a bright and colourful display for the public’s pleasure.

Lois Williams adds: “The Junction endeavours to work within the community, building bonds with residents and local businesses and supporting local initiatives. The Town Centre Partnership membership is another step in this ongoing process and we look forward to working with other businesses in promoting and supporting Aylesbury and all it has to offer.”

Car crime in Aylesbury is being tackled thanks to the Safer Car Park Award Scheme, an initiative formed by the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPOs) aimed at reducing crime and the fear of crime in parking areas.

The Junction’s Cambridge Close Retail Park has actively sought to achieve this nationally recognised award, which aims to reduce crime on car parks by helping to create an environment where customers feels safe, to encourage repeat custom and ensure customers that their safety is of a high priority.

The Park Mark Safer Parking Award is presented by the British Car Parking Association (BPA), which has granted Cambridge Close Retail Park the award, for meeting the strict requirements of a risk assessment, conducted by the Police. The Junction, working with their on site car park management consultant, Euro Car Parks (ECPfm), put measures in place to proactively deter criminal activity and anti social behaviour at Cambridge Close Retail Park. In demonstrating that these initiatives can prevent crime and reduce the fear of crime in their parking area, The Junction was granted the Park Mark.

Cambridge Close Retail Park is the 11th Junction Retail Park to achieve the high standards required for a Park Mark, with St George’s Retail Park, Leicester awarded one earlier this year, Telford Forge Shopping Park and Slough Retail Park being awarded the Park Mark last year and Imperial Park, Bristol being awarded the Park Mark in 2006.

Peter Collinson, Head of Operations at The Junction comments, “This award, which we are extremely delighted to receive, recognises our commitment to creating a clean and safe environment on our retail parks. The award benchmarks our parking facility and demonstrates our commitment to creating a high quality, family friendly car park environment. We have seen many improvements and upgrades for retailers and shoppers, from better CCTV systems in place to stricter management of the disabled parking bays.”

Police Constable Paul Lilley with Thames Valley Police comments: “Measures that are carried out to deter criminal activity and anti-social behaviour in parking areas help ensure safer communities. Schemes that have the support of local businesses and operators like The Junction are worthwhile and help build a local environment in which most people feel secure in at any time.”

Welcome to The Junction’s Park Life!