BRAINTREE is one of the few success stories of the "Portas Pilot" scheme, according to traders and businesses in the town.
The £1.2 million Government-funded initiative started over a year ago with 12 towns around the country receiving more than £100,000 each to improve their high streets.
Braintree was involved in the second funding stage, along with 14 other towns, and received a further £86,500 to regenerate the flagging market town's economic prospects.
Last month a survey carried out for Radio 4 revealed that all but two of the first 12 towns have seen a decline in new shops opening in their high street.
Bedford, Croydon, Dartford, Liskeard, Market Rasen, Nelson, Newbiggin-by-the-Sea, Stockport, Stockton-on-Tees and Wolverhampton reported that 700 closed, whereas only 600 opened.
Braintree, as a second-round town, is not on this list, but remains a rare case in that traders and businesses have reported widespread positive feedback about the scheme.
MP Mark Prisk, minister for housing and local government, has visited nine Portas towns as part of his portfolio duties.
He visited Braintree last Thursday and told the Chronicle: "I'm really impressed with the partnership between local businesses and the council.
"I wanted to come and see for myself. Everyone is working together and different ideas are shared on how to improve business and customer experience.
"Braintree is leading the way with their leadership and innovative ideas. It is only when local businesses, councils and retailers come together as they did in Braintree that things start happening on the ground."
Along with the monthly town team meetings, Braintree council introduced a parking initiative called 10p after 3 – which over 12 months drove an increase of more than 44,000 people using the George Street, Manor Street and Victoria Street car parks.
The introduction of the Indi card – a discount card to encourage customers to shop in the town rather than larger supermarkets by offering them freebies and money off – has also been credited with a rise in trade.
Each three months, a new retailer gets the opportunity to showcase their products in the pop-up shop.
Current occupant Tynska Designs is owned by Elaine Newman. She told the Chronicle: "I've never done anything like this before so it was a great way to showcase my work and try out my business idea. My favourite part was dressing the window with all the jewellery displays."
Chris Siddall, cabinet member for prosperity and growth, said: "Braintree has done well because it's been driven by the district council so the key thing is we wanted to bring in local retailers and make it retail-driven.
"We started a town team and allowed local business to take charge. We want to show what retailers are offering and to raise awareness of what's in town."
Initially the interest in the monthly meeting was slow until a "buddy network" event encouraged traders to start working together.
Ignite, a business enterprise centre, has helped new businesses get started and is situated next to the council's pop-up shop.
Managing director Liz Story said: "We provide help and support to new businesses through the pop-up shop with the hope that they can move on to a fixed unit in the town.
Over the next year the panel, made up of councillors and Portas Pilot organisers, will hold interviews for the next three stalls in a Dragon's Den-style pitch.
Gary Woodhouse, from Autoparts of Braintree, said: "We've been in the town for over 45 years and I've been there for 38. In that time I've seen a lot of changes – some good, some bad.
"I think it's good the town has started working together and if we can continue and build on that then it can only benefit the town.
"A lot of the other Portas towns have not responded well to some of the criticism and advice that comes with it. But we've just taken it on the chin and gone with it and listened – and it's got us all talking with each other and sitting around a table and discussing ideas."
Lin Marshall, owner of The Hair Salon, said: "We've been open for around 26 years so the only short term benefit we get is exchanging ideas at the meetings.
"But we think that if we can all pull together and make the town better then it benefits everyone in the long term.
"A lot of other towns could learn a lot from just sitting in on some of our meetings.
