Businesses in Old Town and in the town centre might be looking to collaborate to promote shopping in Swindon as a whole.

After members of Swindon’s growing the economy overview and scrutiny committee heard about plans for the town centre once the inSwindon BID organisation stops operating at the end of the month, including that the popular market will continue, they heard from Kris Talikowski, who runs The Core juice bar in Devizes Road and is the vice chairman of the Old Town Business Association.

He said: “We approached inSwindon about six years ago about a merger of Old Town and the town centre - but they were one year into a new seven-year cycle and it wasn’t the right time – and now inSwindon is closing down.

“Old Town and the town centre are distinct areas, but there are economies of scale in working together and the aim is the same, all about promoting retail getting people to stop shopping on their sofa and to come out to shop in Swindon, whether that’s in Old Town, or the town centre or Gorse Hill, or anywhere.

“Maybe this should have been done years ago, but we are exploring working together now."