Newquay’s retail crime partnership, Shopwatch, is calling businesses to commit and renew their membership in order to validate the continuation of the scheme and prepare for the switch over to digital radios.

The scheme has been running in Newquay since 2007 and is effective not only in reducing retail crime but also creating a safer environment for visitors and residents as it is linked directly to the Town Centre CCTV control room and the Police. It allows businesses to talk directly to each other and convey messages about anti-social behaviour, theft or lost children. The scheme also runs alongside the successful pubwatch scheme.

Membership of the scheme is in decline and the shopwatch team, working with the BID and Newquay Town Council are keen to increase this membership, combine meetings, identify training needs and ultimately ensure the scheme works for businesses by reducing retail crime and promoting a safer environment.

With the forthcoming switchover to digital radios, now is the ideal time for a revival of the scheme, and for businesses to get involved. The new digital installation will be taking place in December, with full switch over in January 2017, when the current analogue radios will become obsolete.

The scheme is going to be discussed at the next Newquay BID Business Forum on Tuesday 25th October from 5.30pm upstairs in Concho Lounge, where you will be able to meet the shop watch team, sign up, ask any questions and find out what’s going on with the digital switchover and what it mean for the scheme.

PCSO, Liz Whitehall says “We really want shopwatch to continue for Newquay but we need commitment from businesses to be able to do so. It’s a great scheme and we are really passionate about it. We want to make resources more accessible for businesses and we are keen to learn about what isn’t working as well as what is so that we can find solutions and change the way we work. We urge you come along and talk to us and sign up to the scheme on the open day if you haven’t already done so”.