A MANAGER brought in to help the county town of North Yorkshire sell itself in the face of mounting competition from out of town outlets and the internet has taken up her post.

Julia Chance is the new manager of Northallerton Business Improvement District. The group was created to put into practice ambitious plans to boost business and encourage shoppers to spend more time in the town.

The BID is paid for through levies on businesses, based on rateable value, going up from £150 on £10,000 RV to £7,500 on £500,000 RV.

The Chair of the Northallerton BID board, Lindsay Judd of Betty’s said: ““Now we’re ready to get underway in earnest. Julia comes to us with a wealth of experience and a real appetite to get stuck in to the task in hand. She’s full of ideas of how to make the town more vibrant and prosperous and the BID is looking forward to working with Julia to make these ideas a reality”

Simon Bailes of Simon Bailes Peugeot, part of the BID team added “It is important that all businesses in Northallerton engage with, and support, Julia to attract more visitors, shoppers and inward investment to the benefit of everyone living, working and doing business in Northallerton.”

Ms Chance who worked for six years with the Southside Birmingham BID said:“I am thrilled to be appointed to manage the ambitious BID programme for Northallerton, which is a great county town with a marvellous retail offer, with its vibrant market and multitude of independents.

“I am eager to start implementing the ambitious programme of activities designed to boost business here.”

The BID say they have also finalised arrangements with Hambleton District Council which will be collecting the levy on businesses.