The chairman of The Lanes Business Network has outlined the group's strategy for becoming the first port of call for discerning shoppers.

Stuart Wilkie said he wanted the group to promote the area more than its predecessor - The Lanes Traders' Association, which has been disbanded.

He said: "We will continue to look at issues like business rates and rents going up but tackle them from a different, more positive perspective.

"Trying to change things by lobbying politicians and government, if that's possible, could take years and years. As for landlords - who's fooling who?

"The point is if you get more people through the door, more money going through the cash till, you should be able to take care of any increases."

Mr Wilkie, who runs children's clothes shop Charlie Barley in Meeting House Lane, said an influx of younger retailers had reinvigorated the area.

He said: "It was decided that, like any other 21st Century organisations, the old traders' association was in need of a rebrand."

"Our first job is to spread the word and attract as many members as possible, because we only have a small amount of capital to play with.

"Security will be one of the things we will be concentrating on. Increasing CCTV and street cameras to make visitors feel safer and more secure.

"We have seen more a police presence recently and that is what people want. The Lanes does not attract gangs of 'hoodies' and we want it to stay that way.

"Parking is a major issue. It is very short-sighted to assume you are going to persuade people to leave their cars behind by simply tripling the price of parking.

"Not everybody wants to park at the racecourse and catch the bus into town. We have customers who would not come here unless they could park nearby."

A constant irritant of traders in The Lanes is the tendency for people to attach the name The Lanes to North Laine - the larger, more Bohemian shopping district nearby.

"A lot of traders are very, very upset about the confusion that arises and feel very protective of The Lanes as a separate shopping quarter," said Stuart.

"They are very keen North Laine is always spelt with an 'i' and without the 's' because they feel The Lanes retail offer is very different. So perhaps that is something we will have to look at when we look at ways of promoting the area in the future."

More than 60 people attended the launch of the Lanes Business Network at the First Light Gallery in Nile Street, Brighton last Tuesday.

For more information about The Lanes Business Network, call Stuart at Charlie Barley on 01273 774000 or email him via stuartwilkie@hotmail
The committee:

Chairman - Stuart Wilkie, of Charlie Barley.

Secretary - Denise Taylor.

Treasurer - Rebecca Brynin, of the Brighton Lanes' Antique Centre.

Other committee members: Dave Woodward, of Custard.

Sue Addis, of Donatello restaurant chain.

Mark Nelson, of First Light Gallery.

Simon Beale, of Simultan.

David Williams, of The Lanes' Health and Beauty Clinic.

June 7, 2005