Business and the Economy

“Without Peckham Programme’s energy there would be no Peckham Town Centre Management Group (PTCMG) and that’s a fact. We’re effectively an association of Peckham businesses whose aims are to improve economic wellbeing, act as an advocate to improve the town centre and increase opportunities for businesses to flourish. We’re independent but we work with the council, the police and schools.” Sumit Chadha, chair of the PTCMG

Supporting local businesses

Creating a thriving town centre and supporting existing traders is an important part of the work Peckham Programme is doing to improve local prosperity.

Peckham’s food traders sell fruit, vegetables, rice, spices, meat and fish from all over the world and they attract customers from all over London. They create the atmosphere that Rye Lane is known for. The weekly farmers’ market also sells a range of organic food.

Peckham Programme is working with the food traders to encourage them to promote themselves through events, such as Flavas of Peckham, an annual food festival showcasing the best produce on offer locally.

Flavas 2006 in December had an arts and craft market and fair trade marquee in addition to its well established cookery demonstrations, healthy eating messages and events for children.

Peckham Programme has also commissioned an environmental health project. Traders from other countries often need help getting to know any regulations they need to follow to ensure standards – and consumer confidence – are maintained.

More than 50 of the Rye Lane food traders have already done a special food safety certificate.

Crime prevention

Smaller independent businesses without security floorwalkers are often vulnerable to shoplifting and antisocial behaviour. Peckham Programme has issued 180 town centre businesses with alert boxes connecting them to each other and the community safety team. More businesses are signing up every day.

There is similar support for the nighttime economy with two-way radios for take away shops and cab offices. In summer 2006 Pub and Club Watch was set up for owners, landlords and licensees to keep in touch.

Supporting employment opportunities

An important aspect of improving local prosperity is removing barriers and increasing access to employment.

Over the next two years Peckham Programme is leading a project to train and support unemployed people in the Peckham Neighbourhood Renewal Fund area to find work as security guards, mini cab drivers and construction workers.

We work closely with Southwark’s credit union to promote community banking for the thousands of Peckham residents who don’t have access to mainstream financial services and are, in many cases, reliant on doorstep lenders charging punitive interest rates.

We also work with Southwark Works, a service that helps people who have had drug or alcohol issues, single parents and long-tern unemployed people get back to work. This includes anything from help with CVs to helping people sort out their child tax credit.

For more information

Peckham Programme
Tel: 020 7525 1021
getinvolvedinpeckham@southwark.gov.uk
Sumner House
Sumner Road
Peckham
London SE15 5QS