Southend town centre managers have launched a new project to win back shoppers.

And they announced that they had already signed up 15 stores to the scheme to improve shop staff skills.

The European Union funded scheme, called Talking Shop, will feature a series of workshops on everything from customer care to environmental issues.

Town centre manager Tony Foucher said it gave smaller independent stores the chance to take part in the same kind of training bigger stores would already have established.

The ultimate aim of the six month project is to improve customer skills in a bid to win back shoppers from huge centres like Bluewater and Lakeside.

Mr Foucher said: "It's about improving the town centre by improving the knowledge and skills of staff."

Mr Foucher was joined by retail bosses and the co-ordinators of the scheme Paul Hewitt and Lucy Warren for the launch.

He said: "The early take-up has been very encouraging. We have about 15 stores showing an interest and we are attempting to build it up to about 50 for the entire project."

For more information about how to participate in the scheme, call 01702 465385.

Time for change - store bosses look forward to the benefits of staff training, thanks to the EU

Picture: ROBIN WOOSEY

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