CHIPPENHAM is to receive an £80,000 boost to spend on family events drawing people into the town centre.

The town council is investing an additional £40,000 and this will be match funded by the Business Improvement District.

They twill increased funding to both improve the promotion of existing events and develop a programme of new ones.

They have not named anything specific, saying this will be discussed by businesses and other stakeholders, but have said they would be music and family orientated activities that would boost town centre visitors and profile.

There is to be a particular focus on events in the run-up to Christmas.

The town council's budget for events last year was £93,387. It already organises popular events, like the Chippenham Winter Festival, and has a fun day at John Coles Park planned for Saturday July 4, alongside ChippFest’s Rockin’ in the Park day.

But many businesses in the town centre feel events need to be stronger, according to the BID.

Manager Carolyn Brownell said: “We are delighted to be working in partnership with the town council to improve and build on town centre events. Through my conversations with businesses, one of the overwhelming opinions expressed was that Chippenham’s events were good but not as strong as they could be in order to encourage new people into the town and put Chippenham on the map.

"With this investment from the town council and match funding from the BID I am very excited about the events calendar over the next five years.”

Over the five years of the Chippenham BID term, £1.5m will be generated to be spent on the BID area, on projects that the town centre businesses voted for and which will focus on five areas - image, marketing and events, ensuring the town centre is welcoming, safe and clean, car parking and accessibility, and backing business.

Town council chief executive Sue Wilthrew said: “The council has been involved with the BID process from the beginning as we believe, both as a local authority and as BID levy payers, that it is the vehicle to ensure positive change to our town centre.

"In the past we have produced some strong events that have received fantastic support from local people and businesses, and through this partnership with the BID we will only be making these events bigger and better.”