Bid to revive ‘failing’ high street businesses in Romsey (From Daily Echo)
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Bid to revive ‘failing’ high street businesses in Romsey
8:16am Friday 3rd September 2010 in
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- By Julian Robinson » Eastleigh Chief Reporter
TRADE and civic bosses are to hold talks in a bid to turn round the fortunes of a Hamsphire town’s “failing” high street.
business leaders, councillors and residents have all been invited to give their opinion on how to breathe life in to Romsey’s retail offering.
It comes after a study revealed there were ten charity shops operating in the town centre as well as 20 hairdressers and nearly 20 eating establishments.
Civic chiefs say a broader range of businesses are desperately needed to encourage the kind of thriving trade found in other Hampshire market towns such as Lymington and Petersfield.
The meeting later this month, was organised after former town mayor Dorothy Baverstock voiced concern over the increase of empty shop fronts and charity outlets.
She said: “This to me is a sign of a failing high street when commercial operators cannot compete with subsidised rates, free labour and goods as well as being able to sell a proportion of new stock under these conditions.
“A succeeding town needs a variety of shops to be attractive and to encourage custom.
“We are in a recession and the town centre looks as if it is in a recession. We have some really nice shops but we just don’t have enough of them to attract people to come back on a regular basis.”
Meanwhile, the town’s Chamber of Commerce has welcomed plans for a meeting.
President Ruth Gower-Smith said she had discussed the matter with Prime Minister David Cameron when he was campaigning ahead of the General Election.
She said: “I told him (David Cameron) that we have a lovely market town that needs to keep its cultural history and its sense of individuality and that there is a danger to that through rent and rates being very high within the area. I said that small individual shops are struggling to afford these things in the economic climate.
“I think it is right to have a discussion about the way forward for the town.”
The meeting, open to all those concerned, takes place on September 20 at 7.30pm in the Town Hall.
Comments(12)
Saintbob
says...
8:46am Fri 3 Sep 10
Condor Man
says...
9:12am Fri 3 Sep 10
moulefanggoule
says...
10:59am Fri 3 Sep 10
Rob444
says...
11:03am Fri 3 Sep 10
Saint Bean
says...
12:17pm Fri 3 Sep 10
Day Dreamer
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12:34pm Fri 3 Sep 10
Sick_soton_dj
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1:08pm Fri 3 Sep 10
The current stores hold no attraction to anyone really.
There should also be some thought into youth provision. There's nothing for the kids to do in Romsey which drives them into the Tudor Rose, which is that last place we want to build up of chavs!
All my opinion of course - but Romsey is such a nice place that tainted with rubbish stores!!!
Walter K
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2:41pm Fri 3 Sep 10
MartinWellbourne
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6:36am Sat 4 Sep 10
.
They arrived at that mix during a period of boom - because they are so stuck up and will not allow some of the more downmarket retailers in.
goard
says...
12:40pm Sat 4 Sep 10
goard
blueberrykid
says...
10:56am Tue 7 Sep 10
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chrissie 2968 says...
8:24am Fri 3 Sep 10