Businesses in Leamington are hoping to pick up a national award for making the town centre a safer place to visit.

The Warwickshire Retail Crime Initiative is being held up as an example across the country of how a partnership approach should work.

More than 50 members have signed up for the initiative since it was launched last month in Leamington town centre and at the Shires Retail Park.

And nearly 100 businesses are involved with keeping an eye out for trouble with the town’s Retail Radio Link

Paul Smedley, of Sweet Seductions in Regent Street, who was elected to be the first chairman of the group last week, said:

"Our success is down to the hard work of all those in the partnership.

"We are confident that by developing the Warwickshire Retail Crime Initiative this will help Royal Leamington Spa to become an even safer place for people to visit both during the day and at night.

"We hope that all the hard work which has been put in by business, the local authority and the police will result in Royal Leamington Spa being able to claim a Safer Shopping Award being launched by Home Office Minister Charles Clarke on 25 May."

Jamie Christon from House of Fraser was elected Treasurer and Darren Griffiths confirmed as the Warwickshire Retail Crime Initiative co-ordinator and secretary.

Town centre manager Ian Coker added:

"This is an important award which will confirm the work already undertaken in making the town centre a safe place to visit.

"We have just seen a 13 per cent reduction in recorded crime in the town centre which is very encouraging.

“However we already have plans to introduce new measures to hopefully maintain this trend."