Welcome to the new Action for Market Towns website. This is your one-stop shop for all matters relating to the development and regeneration of small towns:news and views, policy and good practice, training and services for town partnerships.
Some parts of the website are open to the public, but others are exclusive to members of [...]
Latest News»
March 1, 2010
Market Towns Awards 2010»
Enter YOUR project for the 2010 Action for Market Towns Awards
February 15, 2010
Town launches revolutionary iPhone ‘app’»The Oxfordshire market town of Thame now has its own iPhone ‘app’ – ithameTM – giving residents and visitors on-the-move details of services, amenities and businesses in the historic town.
Greengrocery co-op saves shop»
The West Yorkshire town of Slaithwaite has saved its local greengrocer – by setting up a co-operative to take it over and run it.
January 25, 2010
Earl Shilton’s Rolling Programme of Events Wins Savvy Sponsored Promotions Survey»Earl Shilton in Leicestershire won a prize sponsored by loyalty specialists Savvy for the most innovative promotion of its town.
January 11, 2010
Shop local seminar»‘Shop Local Schemes’ is the theme of the next North Yorkshire Towns Alive Seminar on Thursday, 25 February 2010, in Knaresborough, North Yorkshire.
December 21, 2009
Post Office financial services plan»A new range of financial services provided through the Post Office could help to save branches under threat of closure.
Hebden Bridge trust takes over town hall»
A community-run charitable trust is to take over Hebden Bridge Town Hall under a 40-year lease from Calderdale Council in West Yorkshire.
Micro-finance helps rural enterprise»
Evidence from a small scale research project suggests that micro-finance schemes have the potential to help people in rural areas who are financially disadvantaged by, for example, illhealth or location, into employment.
December 16, 2009
Your Town as a Department Store»Think of your high street as a department store – and then think through what a department store needs to get right to attract you as a customer. That will give you a pointer to interventions you can make to improve the attractiveness and viability of your town centre.
December 9, 2009
Encouraging Shoppers to Spend in your High Street»In light of the publication of our draft Policy Position Statement on Prosperous Places, and as the credit crunch continues to bite, we thought we’d explore how some towns are developing local loyalty schemes to lure more shoppers into their town centres.
December 7, 2009
Innovative Promotions Get a Chance to Win £100»Suggest an innovative business promotion and you could win £100
AMT welcomes government help for high streets»
AMT stands ready to help towns benefit from new government funding to support high streets.
November 23, 2009
Towns Alive study tour to Settle»Community activists from market towns in Yorkshire and further afield gathered in Settle, North Yorkshire to study the innovative Settle Hydro Project and the Riverside Improvement Project.
November 16, 2009
Ashbourne looks at town branding»Drawing inspiration from the Action for Market Towns Convention in Melton Mowbray, Ashbourne in Derbyshire is looking to develop a brand for the town.
November 12, 2009
Settle Hydro Study Tour – how did it go?»The North Yorkshire Towns Alive Settle Hydro Study Tour – how did it go? Chat about it in our Settle Hydro discussion forum.
October 19, 2009
Empty Shops Conference»Download Action for Market Towns’ presentation at the Empty Shops Conference
October 14, 2009
Try our free Sustainability Toolkit»As part of its BIG Lottery funded Towns Alive programme, AMT is now able to provide free access to its Sustainability Toolkit for community groups in every small town in England.
October 1, 2009
Early success for Faversham loyalty card scheme»More than 1,000 of the new Faversham, Kent shoppers’ loyalty cards have been sold in just two months and organisers are describing the scheme’s early days as a huge success
September 23, 2009
Ambitious Plans from Hornsea Town Council»Hornsea Town Council is to purchase the old Methodist Church Hall in the town, using a Public Works Loan, for council offices and a community centre.
September 3, 2009
Market towns ignored by empty shop fund announcement»Market towns have been bypassed by a £3million government fund to help revive empty shops, which will be mainly directed towards urban areas.
Market towns have been hard hit by the recession, with unemployment overall rising by a third more than in the nation as a whole. Shop vacancies have increased and empty shops are getting harder to let.