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OX1 delivers battery-powered boost to City centre recycling

Large and small, six Oxford city centre shops and stores are working together in a pioneering recycling scheme. In the latest initiative in its campaign to transform central Oxford into a Business Improvement District (BID), city centre management company OX1 is helping traders to promote battery recycling.

OX1 has paid for each of the six stores to have a ‘BattBox’ to collect old batteries that are returned by customers. Once the boxes are full, OX1 will arrange to have them collected and the batteries in them taken away for recycling.

Those taking part in the three-month pilot project are: Boswells and Wendy News in Broad Street, Ryman’s in High Street, Caspian News in George Street, Ann Summers in the Clarendon Centre and Early Learning Centre on Queen Street.

John Moyle, Chairman of Boswells of Oxford Ltd (pictured) says: "Most batteries just end up in landfill where they can leak poisonous material into the soil. This scheme makes it easy for our customers to recycle their batteries properly - and it doesn't cost us anything - so it is perfect for us and our customers. Thanks OX1!"

OX1 CEO, Oliver O’Dell, says: “This is a win-win. The shops have another way to attract customers to come back, by telling them that they can return batteries they buy there…and together we are boosting recycling in the City. It’s another example of the kind of pro-business projects we could do more of with a Business Improvement District ‘yes’ vote. Again OX1 is thinking outside the box and this time, we are using ones of our own as well!”

OX1 is within the final months of the run up to a vote on its plans to transform Oxford City centre into a Business Improvement District (BID). More than 800 businesses will be asked to vote on the idea which would mean extra revenue of almost £¾m per year would be raised from a levy on business rates in an agreed area. That money would then be invested in agreed business priorities. Businesses will be given 30 days to vote on the proposals, with the result expected on July 7th.

For more details visit www.ox1.uk.com.