Christine Ridley and Michaela Robson of Martha’s Café in Wrekenton making sure that their shop front is immaculate as part of Gateshead Council’s Tidy Business Awards scheme.
Businesses in Gateshead have pledged to help make the town cleaner and greener as part of a Gateshead Council awards scheme.
Café’s and card shops, takeaways and even undertakers have all pledged to help keep ‘your Gateshead’ cleaner as part of an initiative by Gateshead Council.
Over 80 businesses in Birtley, Wrekenton and Low Fell have signed up to the Gateshead Tidy Business Awards scheme by promising to keep their shop front’s spic and span and deal with all of their waste in a responsible way.
Martha’s Pantry on Wrekenton High Street is one of the businesses that are taking part in the scheme. Staff will ensure that litter, packaging and cigarette ends don’t end up causing a nuisance outside of the shop and make sure that their rubbish does not block lanes until a registered carrier takes it away.
Michaela Robson from Martha’s said: “Besides the fact that we all want to make sure we do our bit for the environment, making sure that the area around the shop is clean, tidy and inviting is pure and simple good business sense.
“Encouraging everyone to take a pride in the area can only be a good thing, for ourselves and all of the other businesses in the area.”
Martha’s already has already earned a bronze from the Tidy Business Awards scheme and is now working towards silver and eventually gold recognition by improving the amount of rubbish they recycle and keeping the area around their premises even cleaner.
Gateshead Council cabinet member for the environment Cllr Michael McNestry said: “This is a great example of working in partnership to make a real difference to ‘your Gateshead’. By working together with businesses and residents we can all look forward to a cleaner and greener place to live and work.”
“I look forward to the day when we have hundreds of businesses right across Gateshead with gold Tidy Business Awards.”
The Tidy Business Awards Scheme was launched in the South of the borough in 2007 and is being gradually extended right across Gateshead. The awards are just part of the ‘It’s Your Gateshead’ campaign to encourage everyone in Gateshead to take a pride in and take ownership of their town.
Business in Gateshead which would like to be apart of the scheme should contact Atif Bilal by calling the Gateshead Council on 0191 433 7000.