BOLTON town centre started its fightback against the Trafford Centre with the successful introduction of permanent Sunday trading in September.
Other measures planned in the new year include a scheme to encourage service excellence in local businesses and a customer loyalty initiative.
Town Centre manager Maria Appleton acknowledges the real threat to the local economy from the Trafford Centre and the effort needed for a successful defence campaign.
"Bolton will survive - there is no doubt about that," she says.
"But the businesses in Bolton will only survive if they realise the magnitude of the threat and respond."
She went on: "Every business needs to think about how it operates.
"If a new shop front is needed, now is the time to do it."
She said it was accepted that a lot of people would go to the new Centre to have a look.
But she thought many would then stay with Bolton - especially if the motorway system became overloaded.
"Let's just say that grid-lock will happen," she said.
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