WHITTON'S new town centre manager says that ensuring businesses are not 'squeezed out' by rising rents is one of her biggest challenges.

In her first interview since taking over the role in April, Bridget Clements said she was concerned about the effects of rent increases on already struggling traders.

"We don't want businesses being squeezed out by landlords putting up rents, some of which are already quite high," she said.

"We already have fairly high business rates in this borough, which are set by the government, so it's particularly important rent is kept as low as possible."

Ms Clements said her other priori-ties included sprucing up the high street, especially the shop fronts, providing a better mixture of retailers and improving transport links to the town centre.

She is also interested in organising more events in addition to the popular St George's Day parade and Christmas lights switch-on already run by her employers, Whitton Business Association (WBA). These could include a market, carnival or even a talent show.

Ms Clements spent eight years working with Richmond Council as a consultation manager, working on the redevelopment of Kew Village and Richmond town centre, among other schemes.

Before that, she was the business director for a global advertising and marketing agency.

"I'm here to listen to people. That's my background. I want people to be genuinely involved in their high street," she said.

"I wanted to work in a place with potential, somewhere I could use my experience and where I feel at home, which is why I took the job.

"Things are already looking up, but I want to make sure the high street fulfils its potential, looks a bit smarter and has a good variety of shops so people don't feel the need to go elsewhere."

A new branch of Lidl is due to open in November in the long-empty former Co-op store, and five new shops have come to the high street in the past two months alone.

Ms Clements, who replaced Amanda Lyndon-Chappell in the role, said Whitton's shops contained a 'treasure trove' of goods but often did not do enough to attract people inside, with unattractive shop fronts letting them down.

Richmond Council has already set aside £230,000 to improve the high street in Whitton and the town is to benefit from even more investment after being chosen as one of five 'Uplift' areas most in need of development.

It could also be in line for some of the £50million the Mayor of London promised in spring to help outer London boroughs.

One of Ms Clements' key aims is to capitalise on the Rugby World Cup, coming to Twickenham in 2015, with better transport links and a sports shop an 'important' part of that.

She is keen to hear your ideas and wants volunteers to come forward to help her with her mission to improve the town centre. * To get in touch, visit www.whitton towncentre.co.uk or email bridget. clements@gmail.com.