Since 2023, the Action Group, led by Littlehampton Town Council, has been delivering the Town Centre Strategy – a multi-agency initiative to make the town a safe, accessible, and thriving centre offering a wide range of shops, excellent leisure facilities, high quality office premises, residential opportunities, and a full range of services to attract the local and wider community and visitors.

With a membership comprising councillors from the Town, District and County council, the Police, Littlehampton Business Forum, Youth Provision and commercial landlord agents, the TCAG has delivered a multitude of initiatives in the past two years. Driving change to increase crime reporting and interagency intervention is one of the most effective achievements to date. At a recent meeting of the group, business representatives thanked the police for their efficiency in dealing with recent antisocial incidents with the police adding that it was only possible because businesses had been reporting the issues. This validates the importance of reporting issues which the police and crime prevention teams always remind the public to do as without that key data, they cannot gather intelligence and allocate resources.

Aesthetically, projects such as the installation of shop window wraps in two empty premises on the High Street have improved the appearance of the area and generated great support from businesses and shoppers alike. 

The series of High Street events delivered by the Town Council with support from businesses in the last few years have proved to drive much needed footfall into the town. Another initiative that has generated increased engagement and shoppers is the Littlehampton’s Independents social media campaign highlighting the town’s 85% independent businesses through videos showcasing the fabulous shops in the town. One local business owner has credited the campaign for his customers travelling from Chichester and Bognor Regis because they discovered his businesses through social media.

One of the biggest successes of the TCAG is the creation of a new Littlehampton Business Forum. Bringing together businesses to form a unified voice, the Forum had its first meeting in March 2025 and since then has created an action plan that includes targets such as creating initiatives to increase footfall through discount vouchers, delivering events and increasing online promotion for the town. 

Current Business Forum Coordinator and owner of East Beach Guest House, Rich Groome, said: “There’s a renewed sense of pride in Littlehampton. The stories we tell about new shops, local successes and shared spaces, shape how people feel about our town. Hospitality and retail are at the heart of this transformation as the town centre goes on its journey to find its new soul. When we share positive stories, the community really responds. That’s how we build belonging, boost confidence, and inspire people to choose Littlehampton to visit and invest for the future. The Business Forum helps support owners and their teams to build a stronger visitor economy together. Every business plays a role, and so does the surrounding community.  A shared, positive rhetoric can deliver real, sustained change, and we’re already starting to see that come to life on the High Street.”

Looking to the future, the Town Council’s Policy and Finance Committee will oversee the Town Centre Action Plan that the TCAG will deliver over the next three years. Speaking about the Action Plan, Town Mayor and Chair of the TCAG, Councillor Alan Butcher, said: “As a council and as a collective group of stakeholders, we are committed to drive positive change for the town. The three-year plan is ambitious but if the achievements of the past two years are anything to go by, we are confident that we have what is needed to achieve it. The work that we have been doing has, in our opinion, started a ripple effect with businesses growing their trust in us to do the best we can for our town, but also in the mindset of the community which has recently been far more positive on social media channels than in the not-too-distant past. The commitment from local businesses who have volunteered countless hours to create the Business Forum and support initiatives is absolutely astounding but also proof that owning a business in our town is more than just an occupation for them, it is a passion, a sentiment shared by the TCAG.” 

Littlehampton has welcomed six new businesses in the last few months and a further four are confirmed to be opening this summer. One of the recently opened businesses, FitMFun, is a prime example of how High Streets are changing as more people use it for experiences and services rather than the traditional shopping experience. Offering meditation and relaxation classes, FitMFun is run by owner Marika Shortland, who explained why she chose Littlehampton for her business venture, “I have been running classes for four years and outgrew my previous venue. There is a lot of potential in the town and what better place to expand to than the the heart of the community. People have been so kind and there’s a real sense of community here.” 

The Town Centre Action Plan can be viewed on the town council’s website www.littlehampton-tc.gov.uk/town-centre-action-group