Wirral MP backs town centre campaign (From Wirral Globe)

Wirral MP backs town centre campaign

10:00am Saturday 9th June 2012 in News By Craig Manning

A CAMPAIGN which aims to celebrate Birkenhead's positive attributes has been backed by the town's MP.

The We Love Birkenhead project aims to bring the community and town centre retailers together to underline the area's credentials as a shopping destination.

The scheme is spearheaded by Derek Millar, commercial director for The Grange and Pyramids shopping centres.

Frank Field, who has been the town's MP since 1979, helped kick start the drive by talking about the area's many positive attributes.

He said: "My affection for Birkenhead, since I came here more than 30 years ago, has always been the same.

“I have always had this sense that it is a proper place where people feel a very strong sense of identity.

“The people here are very proud of their town and while they like Liverpool, they love Birkenhead and that message has always been very loud and very clear.

“I can wander round the shopping centres here and people will say hello and tell me things. They have such a loyalty to each other and the town.”

Derek Millar, commercial director for The Grange and Pyramids shopping centres, said: “With so much doom and gloom in the news these days, we wanted to find a way of celebrating the many positive things about the town and community which is a home and workplace to so many people.

“We have very recently had a change of ownership at the shopping centres, to clients of LaSalle Investment Management, and the new company is very committed to looking at a long term and solid strategy for the future of the shopping centres.

“Our campaign is all about celebrating the many virtues of the town and underlining how important the shopping centres are to the community they serve, not only as a place to buy the things you need but also as a social hub and major employer.

“It is an exciting time to be part of the team here and the future is looking very bright indeed.”

The shopping centres collectively employ more than 1,300 people and welcome more than 16 million visitors a year.

Frank Field added: “I can’t tell you how pleased I am to hear there has been a change of ownership for the shopping centres and to hear about their commitment to a duty of care in the long term.

“It is difficult to think of better news for Birkenhead because this is a company which is well known for its ability to think long-term and the shopping centres are such a significant and important part of the community. It is almost an act of God really.”