Council employee discount for town centre shops

Rochdale Council is undergoing negotiations with local business owners in a bid to introduce Council employee discounts in town centre shops.

It is hoped that the scheme will result in a significant increase in local trade.

Rochdale Council currently employs around 10,000 people across the Borough and the scheme would include shops in Rochdale Heywood, Middleton and Littleborough town centres.

Rochdale’s Finance Boss and town centre shop owner Councillor Greg Couzens said: “We realise it’s important that we as a council work together with local businesses to find ways to support the local economy. The idea of this scheme is to encourage the thousands of people we employ to spend their money in our town centres and not elsewhere.”

Rochdale’s MP Paul Rowen, who has been involved in the negotiations to introduce the new scheme, said: “This idea will not only benefit local shops but also council employees. It is vital for the success of the local economy to keep as much money in our town as possible rather than spending it elsewhere. I know that the Council and I have been working hard alongside the Town Centre Management Committee to get this scheme off the ground. The more shops that sign up the more successful we will be."