A range of ambitious projects to help Chippenham realise its “huge potential” were announced today – from a new brand for the town to free wi-fi and its own app.
The Chippenham Connected brand was officially unveiled at the Chippenham Business Improvement District’s (BID) first event, which brought together businesspeople from the town to hear about its plans. 
Half the BID’s five-year £1.5m budget will be spent on marketing and promoting Chippenham regionally and nationally – the first-ever coordinated campaign to raise its profile as a vibrant business centre and visitor destination.
And town centre firms are being urged to use the branding – which features Chippenham’s iconic, Brunel-designed Western Arches – and, when in operation, the app will become a promotional tool for businesses, including a loyalty scheme to boost local spending.
Other areas to be funded include keeping the town centre clean, safe and welcoming – the BID has already appointed three ‘welcome hosts’ – helping resolve the town’s car parking issues and helping businesses reduce costs.
Free, wide bandwidth wi-fi will be introduced in the town centre and the area around the railway station, BID manager Carolyn Brownell told the meeting.
“It’s something visitors to a town now expect,” she said. Improved signage will help visitors find their way around, particularly to car parks. Wiltshire’s largest town – with a population of 45,000 – Chippenham is the county’s only centre with a shortage of parking spaces.
BID chair Melody Thompson, pictured above, added: “Parking is a big issue. It was mentioned by 99% of businesses in our consultation. We don’t have the budget to build a multi-storey – but there is a lot we can do.”
Other projects will include an ice rink at Christmas – “a huge draw for an area. Salisbury’s one attracted between 15,000 and 20,000 people” Carolyn Brownell told the meeting – and a higher-profile Christmas lights switch-on ceremony.
The BID will also aim to achieve ‘purple flag’ status for the town centre – which demonstrates it is a safe place in the evening – strengthen the existing Pubwatch scheme and tackle growing levels of rubbish.
The Chippenham Connected branding, created by agency Sheard & Hudson based in nearby Lacock, will be used to show that the town is connected not just through its location on the M4 and London-Bristol railway line, but through its history, its businesses, its culture and its future.
The brand will now be rolled out across social media, a new website, a Facebook page and in more traditional ways such as window stickers for town centre retailers.
“It had never been done before,” said Carolyn. “We asked people what was our unique selling point. While our location is important being close to the M4 isn’t our USP.”
Melody Thompson added: “The potential in Chippenham is huge but has never been promoted nationally before. We need to talk to inward investors and developers to get them interested in the town.
“In retail terms we are a great success. We have very few empty shop units but we do need a better mix and a better food offering.”
Around 75 people attended the event at the town’s Rivo Lounge café/bar, including many from the business community and regional organisations as well recently elected Chippenham MP Michelle Donelan, who said it “showcased just how passionate people are about Chippenham and the fact we have so much potential, not only in what we can offer, but also in our people”.
She added: “I’ve always thought Chippenham doesn’t market itself very well and there has never been a coordinated effort to address this.
“The BID is challenging that problem and giving Chippenham a voice, while at the same time putting the town on the map. We are the gateway to the South with wonderful transport networks and we have a lot to offer, but not enough people know that.
“The best way the town can work is by listening to the business community and their ideas. The BID can bring it all together to give people the town they want, which in turn will create jobs and bring more people in.”
Pictured: The Chippenham BID team with Carolyn Brownell, third from left. Photos by Paul Gillis paulgillisphoto.com
