Project seeks to tackle shoplifting and anti-social behaviour
BUSINESS improvement group Go Forth Stirling has proposed introducing a crime prevention ‘Shopwatch’ scheme to help the city’s retailers to tackle retail crime.
The project would mirror the current ‘Pubwatch’ scheme in place in Stirling, which offers pub and club owners a fully digitised communications system they can use to share information, photographs and intelligence with each other.
The move would link day-time businesses with each other along with local police forces, the Thistles and the city’s CCTV system – in the same way the night-time venues are linked through ‘Pubwatch’.
Under the scheme, Go Forth Stirling plans to facilitate and subsidise a digital radio system for Stirling’s retailers, café owners and other interest businesses in the area.
Being part of this shared radio scheme means retailers will be able to connect with each other and work together to warn of criminal activity in the area and efficiently communicate between members.
Go Forth has said it would subsidise a network of two-way radios for levy payers in the business improvement district who want to join the ‘Shopwatch’ scheme and organise a training and information session as well.
Stirling retail locations have been encouraged to register their interest now by contacting admin@goforthstirling.co.uk with a view to launching the project in the coming months.
Danielle McRorie-Smith, project director at Go Forth Stirling, said: “We’re planning to launch a ‘Shopwatch’ scheme for the day-time economy that we hope will be just as successful as the ‘Pubwatch’ initiative has been for our night-time businesses.
“This is an important investment that will make a significant difference to communication between businesses, help build confidence in Stirling’s economy and enhance its reputation as a safe city.
“We have a great café culture in Stirling and a wide range of national and independent retailers and they could really benefit from being linked and able to easily communicate any problems with each other.”
