Cracking business crime would make Kendal more attractive to shoppers and new traders, says the town's new business crime manager.

Mark Price told the Gazette that the work of the Kendal Business Against Crime Partnership would not only bring added protection to existing businesses but could also attract new business and therefore more money into the Auld Grey Town.

Retailers, who were hopeful the work of the partnership would give the town's flagging economy a shot in the arm, have welcomed his appointment under a Home Office initiative to put a business crime manager in every town.

Mr Price has been appointed by the KBACP, which aims to bring businesses in Kendal's day and night time economy closer together to form a strong intelligence link between them and the police.

The partnership is also to take charge of the Bar Watch scheme, which brings pubs and clubs together to tackle unruly drinkers, and the radio link system, which puts retailers in the town centre in immediate touch with each other and town centre bobbies.

Mr Price, who has a background in business and management, will also be on hand to offer business crime reduction advice and work alongside police officers and traders to establish exclusion orders issued against criminals and trouble makers.

"Business crime affects everyone, from the shop owner to the customer and to the wider economy," he said.

"The partnership is here to bring business together and set up a network to protect them from crime, rather than individual business taking their own different measures.

"Businesses are hit by crime at least once a year.

"People have the right to live without the fear of crime and the work of this partnership will help make the Kendal community a safer place to live, work and visit."

On top of meeting each town centre business individually, Mr Price, together with South Lakeland Crime Prevention officer Terry Belshaw and town centre bobby PC Michelle Tomlinson, are now working towards securing a Safer Business Award' for Kendal from the Home Office.

Around 200 towns have either been given the award or are applying for it.

Mr Belshaw, who has worked with PC Tomlinson and traders over the last year to establish the partnership, said that the partnership would complement a series of successful initiatives already undertaken by Kendal police.

He stressed the importance of bringing together the day and night time economies, in particular in light of a rise in town centre vandalism caused by drunken revellers and often committed against shops that are shut at night.

PC Tomlinson said it was hoped the partnership would be rolled out to cover businesses based elsewhere in the town.

Vice chairman of the Kendal Retail Forum and manager of Elephant Yard Shopping Centre Peter Boyd said the partnership's work would benefit everyone.

"It will tell not only businesses and members of the public that Kendal is a safe place to shop but also the undesirable element that Kendal will not tolerate them," he said.

For more information on the partnership call Mark Price on 01539-722611 or 07971127392 or PC Tomlinson on 07961572259.

The chairman of the Kendal Retail Forum has resigned. Andrew Coomber resigned from the post he has held for a year on Monday. The manager of Wilkinson Camera in Westmorland Shopping Centre said he was resigning because his commitments to the forum were eating into his personal time.

"There are only so many hours in the day and Wilkinson Camera pays my wages," he said.

A new chairman is set to be elected at a meeting of the forum on Tuesday.