Ealing’s High Streets Taskforce (EHST) is the first of its kind in London.
This unique partnership consists of an enthusiastic group of individuals who represent and provide support to businesses across Ealing’s high streets and town centres, involving:
- Local Traders Group representatives, including Pitshanger Village Traders Association, North Ealing Traders (NET) and Southall Enterprise Group
- Ealing’s three Business Improvement Districts (BIDS):
- Ealing Council teams, including key officers from street trading, regulatory services, highways, community safety, parking, communications, regeneration and business growth
- Met Police Officers and Safer Neighbourhoods Teams
- Local Ward Councillors and Cllr Louise Brett, Portfolio Holder for Decent Living Incomes
The ambition of EHST is to strive to make Ealing’s high streets and town centres successful and welcoming place for people to visit, work and spend time in.
The Taskforce focuses on driving improvements and activities to nurturing existing businesses, enhancing the trading environment, increasing footfall, attracting new businesses while creating many job opportunities and seeing businesses succeed.
The group meets monthly to discuss key issues and plans to help the borough's high streets thrive and remain successful, vibrant destinations.
John Martin, Chair of Ealing High Streets Taskforce stated that:
‘I am extremely proud of Ealing’s High Streets Taskforce, the hard work the group have put in and all we have achieved from when we started. Throughout COVID-19 we made sure all businesses had the information and support they needed including guidance documents, posters and social distancing stickers and since then we have carried on working on shop local campaigns and events to keep energy and spirit on our high streets. As a trader myself I know first-hand how hard it is for businesses operating on high streets and how important it is for businesses to work together to ensure the trading environment is the best it can be. The value of businesses working together is immense. I am also Chair of the Pitshanger Village Traders Association and as I association we were able to secure The Great British High Street Award in 2015 for Pitshanger Lane. In my role as Chair of the Ealing High Streets Taskforce my goal is to pass on my experience and support to all businesses and traders’ groups across the borough to ensure we work together and thrive as one big community.’
The High Streets Taskforce was originally formed during the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure that high streets across Ealing could reopen in a safe and COVID-19 compliant way, aided by funding through the Reopening the High Streets Safely fund. As COVID-19 restrictions relaxed further, the High Streets Taskforce successfully obtained further funding through the Welcome Back fund and has been delivering a large number of projects to help improve high streets across the borough and encourage people to support local businesses through a “Love Ealing Love Local” campaign.
Councillor Louise Brett, Portfolio Holder for Decent Living Incomes stated that:
‘I am very proud to be involved with all the great work that the Ealing High Streets Taskforce does across our 7 towns. Our high streets and town centres are not only economic but social hubs for our communities and it’s essential that we continue to support local businesses and the wider communities they serve. It’s great to have secured UKSPF funding to help roll out a variety of projects to help our high streets become vibrant places for our residents to enjoy and thriving places for new businesses to flourish. I look forward to continuing our great work on encouraging jobs led growth in our borough.’
To find out more about the EHST or to get involved contact email the High Streets Taskforce.