A toast to Chesterfield and a prosperous New Year

Destination Chesterfield, for those of you who don’t know, is a public, private partnership led by an independent board of directors that is raising the awareness of Chesterfield as a place to do business. Member companies of Destination Chesterfield are known as Chesterfield Champions. The scheme has receives grant support via the European Union, and Chesterfield Council

The first year of the project has rapid growth in the number of Chesterfield Champions, from a standing start late in 2010, over 95 businesses of all sizes from all sectors have joined to support the promotion of Chesterfield. Many have said that joining the scheme has created new business opportunities for them, and new contacts have been created

The idea of the project is to discuss and debate what we can do in Chesterfield, to improve the prospects for future business, both from existing Companies, and inward investors. As a result of the views expressed by champions, our projects this year have included ideas for improving the gateways to the town, with new road signage, an updated tourist information centre, new canopies for the markets etc- these suggestions are in the course of being implemented, and you will shortly see physical changes occurring about the Town. Destination Chesterfield has run two major marketing campaigns to drive footfall to our town centre and have been working with the regional media to raise the profile of the town as well as holding regular business networking events for the Chesterfield Champions.   We are working closely with Chesterfield Borough Council’s Economic team, Sheffield City Region, D2N2 and the Derbyshire Economic Partnership to develop the most effective way to promote Chesterfield for inward investment and will launch a major campaign in 2012.

It has been a great year for Chesterfield, we have recently had announcements about the refurbishment of the market hall, the new investment from Debenhams, who are to open a new store in 2012, Toys R Us,  have just opened,  and the planning of the proposed Northern Gateway retail  development is underway. The progress which is being made in the Town was recently recognised at the prestigious Regeneration and Renewal National awards run by Regeneration and Renewal Magazine, where the project for the regeneration of the A61 corridor, which includes Chesterfield Waterside, the new Football ground, Tesco, and Casa Hotel, was awarded Highly commended status, finishing second only to the Olympic Park, a major achievement. There was also the great success of the football club last season and their announcement that Elton John will play here at the B2 Net; we have also been successful in getting Chesterfield selected for the route of the Olympic torch next summer.

Chesterfield is prospering and I urge you all to be confident and celebrate the town and if we continue to all work together to raise the profile of Chesterfield we will all prosper.