More than 50 businesses joined together at Newark College for the fourth Business Engagement Workshop, organised by Newark and Sherwood District Council.

From hairdressers and cafes to accountants and pub owners, Newark businesses joined forces to discuss and put forward ideas that will help shape the town.

Part of the evening was conducted by specialist place-shaping consultancy firm Locus Management Solutions, which has been working with the council to engage with businesses over the past few months. This event was an opportunity for businesses to discuss their ideas with one another and understand collective survey feedback previously submitted by other town centre business owners.

Comments will now help form an action plan which a newly-formed Newark Town Centre Partnership will develop and seek to bring some of the ideas into reality. The partnership was originally created by Newark and Sherwood District Council with the intent to work collaboratively with independent businesses who want to lead change and make a positive difference in the town.

Council leader Coun Paul Peacock said: “Newark is lucky to have so many independent businesses who want to work together and are active in supporting each other. These events are a great opportunity for businesses to speak face-to-face with each other and to let us know what they want to see change in Newark.

“Businesses are finding it extremely challenging  at the moment; people’s change in shopping habits, the loss of big retailers, the cost-of-living crisis and the rise in energy and rent costs means businesses need our support now more than ever. There were lots of great ideas from the meeting and I’m excited to see where the Newark Town Centre Partnership takes them.”

Les Jones, director at INIZIO Hair, added: “The Business engagement meeting gave retailers the opportunity to ‘have a voice’ in where we felt we needed to see change in our town centre. It was encouraging to see that District Council are keen to get it right and invest money in the right areas and were listening to what we had to say.”

The council is providing free car parking at weekends in December in district council owned car parks.

It recently opened the Business Support Hub which provides in-person expert marketing advice every Tuesday from Inspire Buttermarket in Newark, between 11am and 1pm.