Altrincham's Business Improvement District is celebrating its 10th anniversary this week, marking a decade during which the town has become one of the most impressive regeneration stories in the country.
Since its founding, the BID - the organisation behind the Visit Altrincham brand - has overseen a sustained transformation of the town centre, contributing to a string of high-profile accolades including the Great British High Street Award in 2018 and three Sunday Times Best Place to Live in the North West titles - the most recent of which was last month.
Annual footfall has grown by a million over the decade, a figure the BID attributes to a combination of destination marketing, a packed events calendar, and consistent investment in the day-to-day look and feel of the town centre.
Highlights from the past ten years include the launch of the Street Angels initiative, which provides support to visitors on busy evenings, and a year-round events programme that has included the Christmas Lights Switch-On, Lantern Parades and the 2023 Tour of Britain Grand Départ.
The Trooping the Corgis event, staged for Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee, drew visitors from across the country and put Altrincham in front of a global audience.
Altrincham BID has played a key role in the regeneration of Altrincham over the last decade
More recently, the BID launched A Taste of Altrincham in 2025, spotlighting the town's growing food and drink reputation, as well as a dedicated Visit Altrincham app.
The town also holds Purple Flag status for its evening economy and the BID itself has earned British BIDs accreditation and multiple Best BID gongs at the Britain in Bloom Awards.
The BID’s leadership has also been recognised at a national level. Former BID Director Elizabeth Faulkner was named Inspirational Leader of the Year at the Association of Town and City Management (ATCM) Awards in 2019, reflecting the strength of vision and dedication behind the organisation’s work.
BID Director Mandy White said the milestone was a chance to recognise everyone who had contributed to the town's success.
"We are incredibly proud to be celebrating 10 years of Altrincham BID and everything that has been achieved during that time.
"We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who was involved in establishing the BID, as well as all those who have supported us throughout the years particularly the voluntary BID Board Members.
"Our town’s fantastic businesses continue to be at the heart of everything we do, and we are very grateful for their ongoing support.
"We also want to thank our partners, stakeholders, and previous team and board members whose collaboration and commitment have helped make Altrincham the thriving, vibrant place it is today.”
