Page 16 - index

THIS IS ROCHDALE
‘This is Rochdale’ is an independent organisation
that promotes Rochdale as a destination for
business. Its Ambassador programme supports
Rochdale’s strategy to encourage inward
investment, stimulate local pride and attract
talent, by utilising the national networking
activities of well-connected business people
from across the borough.
Paul Dixon, chairman of ‘This is Rochdale’, and a
partner at Molesworths solicitors, spoke to Real
Rochdale about his ambitions for ‘This is Rochdale’
and its network of ambassadors.
What is the new project about?
We want to encourage investment and pride within
the borough. The group is a voluntary association
made up of members of the local business
community, and representatives from Rochdale
Development Agency (RDA) . It is those business
leaders that join us that are our Rochdale
Ambassadors, this is what our members are called.
What are your objectives?
Our objectives as a group are simply to promote
Rochdale as a destination for business and primarily
to promote Rochdale to people and organisations
outside of the borough as a destination for business. factories or warehouses, is more competitive in
We feel the best people to promote Rochdale are
the businesses, as there a huge number already here
that are successful. Their role is to be ambassadors
for Rochdale and to communicate to businesses
thinking of relocating, to say: “Come and see
Rochdale, it is a great place to do business.”
Our location is important – on one side of the
borough we have fantastic motorways, we have
Metrolink to Manchester, and business parks with a
lot of demand. On the other side of the borough, we
have fantastic countryside and it is no more than five
minutes away from the centre.
REAL ROCHDALE - SPRING 2019 16
How do businesses benefit by
We have got a huge amount of development going
on in the town centre, which will bring a lot of new
people into Rochdale. The retailers that have already
signed up for the shopping complex are good
household names and very strong businesses, the
likes of which will attract a lot of shoppers. The
leisure facilities will be first rate; it is next to the
transport interchange, so you can step off the bus
and tram and go straight into the centre.
We have a project to refurbish the Town Hall, which
is going to take time, but when finished it will be
even more spectacular than it already is.
Around the borough, we have lots of leisure
facilities, for example Hollingworth Lake which has
produced Olympic standard rowers and sailors. We
have a variety of sports clubs that play to a very
high level in both local and national leagues, such
as Rochdale Football Club, the rugby clubs, hockey
clubs and cricket clubs.
We also have great restaurants and bars; a lot of
people don’t realise how many good places and
locations there are in Rochdale.
If it comes to hard commercial decisions for
businesses wanting to relocate, the cost of
commercial real estate, whether it be offices,
Rochdale than it is in many places around us. We
have got great housing developments and a lot
planned, which is more affordable than other places.
There is so much going for Rochdale at the minute
and that is what we intend to prove.
What success has there been encouraging busi-
nesses to relocate here?
We work closely with RDA and the Council, who are
doing a fantastic job with a whole host of new
businesses that have come into the town. An
example of a high-profile business that has come to
Rochdale is Tetrosyl, which has refurbished a large
office space that was empty for a long time.
joining ‘This Is Rochdale’?
An important part of what we do is bring-
ing local businesses together. We are
committed to giving value back to them
for the time and effort that they give to us.
Every quarter or so we organise an event
for our ambassadors, where we introduce
them to speakers who can add value to
their business and the way they perceive
themselves. At our formal relaunch in
March 2018, over 100 local businesses
attended. At each event we will provide
an update on developments across the
borough which our ambassadors will hear
directly from the Chief Executive of
Rochdale Council, Steve Rumbelow.
Why are ambassadors important to
‘This Is Rochdale’?
As leaders of successful Rochdale
businesses, our ambassadors can share
their experiences and tell others why it is
such a great destination for business. ‘This is Rochdale’ chairman Paul Dixon
By way of example, the government has Why do you think it is important that Rochdale’s
provided a fund, available to businesses as identity is developed?
grants to help them improve their manufacturing
processes and in particularly digitalise them as We have a proud history and throughout this history,
much as possible. This initiative is called Rochdale has had various aspects that have pro-
‘Made Smarter’. vided a unique identity; the most obvious being the
cooperative movement starting here at the Pioneers
The UK CEO of Siemens is one of the leaders of it. Museum. Rochdale was also very much a part of the
The project is aimed at the North West and one of industrial revolution when textiles were brought in.
our ambassadors, Richard Hagan, of Crystal Doors,
spoke at the launch event in Liverpool in November. We are a borough that sits very much on its own in
Greater Manchester, so we have our own identity
This Is Rochdale, with our ambassadors, will be geographically, and it’s important that we maintain
putting on an event, in conjunction with RDA, to tell that identity moving forward.
local businesses about the ‘Made Smarter’ initiative
and the funding available to local businesses. This is Developing this identity gives everybody within the
an example of how we go outside of the borough and borough an opportunity to identify with the town
bring knowledge back to benefit local businesses. and take pride in it.
If our businesses are able to evolve and improve, The amount of pride that most people in Rochdale
then that in itself will attract other similar have for the place they call home, whether it be for
businesses into the borough. We want to help the their business or the place that they live, should not
town develop a positive identity. be underestimated.
17 REAL ROCHDALE - SPRING 2019