Northwich leads the way - Lessons from a Visa award-winning community

As part of its continuing commitment to sharing best practice in place management, the Institute of Place Management  recently hosted a webinar with Lindsay Smith, Economic Growth Programme Manager at Cheshire West and Chester Council, to shine a light on Northwich’s success in the Visa Let's Celebrate Towns Awards.

Hosted by Ian Harvey, Head of the IPM, the session formed part of IPM’s ongoing series highlighting how local places are transforming their high streets through innovation, collaboration and resilience.

Northwich was one of just eight towns nationally to be recognised in the 2024 round of the Visa-supported Let’s Celebrate Towns initiative. The town received £15,000 in the People and Skills category, a reflection of its deep commitment to community-led regeneration, employment pathways, and partnership-based delivery.

While large-scale capital projects in the town are still in development, the judges were particularly impressed by Northwich’s creative and inclusive approach to local economic development, especially in supporting local people to gain skills, access work, and feel connected to the town centre.

Lindsay emphasised that Northwich’s strength lies in its multi-stakeholder partnership working, which IPM’s own High Streets Task Force research has identified as a key factor in place resilience. Key partners include:

  • Northwich Business Improvement District (BID) – leading events and promotional campaigns such as the popular Pina Colada Festival.
  • Northwich Town Council and Rotary Club – instrumental in local placemaking, cleanliness, and well-attended community events like the River Festival.
  • Council employment and skills teams, working in partnership with Jobcentre Plus, NHS services, the Youth Federation, and ESOL providers to support employability, particularly for underrepresented groups.

Northwich’s award-winning entry stood out not only for its partnerships but also for its practical innovations, including:

  • Tailored programmes helping residents into work, developed with local employers and Jobcentre Plus.
  • Integrated health and employment support, including mental health referral pathways.
  • The “Business Tapas” initiative, a flexible online platform funded by UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), offering digital training modules for SMEs.

The prize money has already begun making an impact. Northwich has taken a flexible, small-scale investment approach to spark activity and promote town centre engagement, including:

  • A Christmas trail that encourages residents and visitors to explore the entire town centre.
  • A partnership with Men in Sheds to produce reusable “advent boxes” for shop window displays and future seasonal events.
  • Support for the reimagined Northwich Library, including new outdoor games and social spaces designed to boost dwell time and family-friendly use.

Lindsay encouraged other local authorities and community groups to apply for the 2025 round of the Visa awards, with a simple message:

“Start early. Think beyond your own team. And bring as many local partners as possible into the process.”

She added that the real strength of their bid came from celebrating work already happening across departments and with external partners, including often-overlooked employment and wellbeing initiative

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Formed in 2006, the Institute of Place Management is the international professional body that supports people committed to developing, managing and making places better.

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