Shropshire traders worried about town centre regeneration
Businesses in a Shropshire town centre that is being redeveloped have asked for extra support from their local authority.Work in Oakengates, Telford, began in 2023, and traders have said it has caused shoppers to stay away.The work, which also involves the building of a new theatre, is due to continue until the end of 2026.Lee Carter, the leader of Telford and Wrekin Council has said the project will be a "real game-changer" for the town and has promised to listen to businesses and offer them support where possible.
Sarah Williams, who runs Business Retreat Boutique in Oakengates, said the problem was not just the disruption caused by the building work, it was the perception of the town centre.She said: "The problem is people don't think there is anything here any more."Ms Williams said there needed to be campaigns to "highlight what we have in the town".
Nigel Booth from All Floors and Rugs has been in Oakengates for 23 years and said recently he had noticed "people are not coming in to the shop to actually buy our rugs".He said: "We were told this rebuilding project was going to enhance the footfall, but to date it just seems to be deteriorating.""It just seems to be a continual building project," he added.
Mal Johnson from Kings Fashion has a more optimistic view and said: "It is going to look really nice when it's finished, so we've just got to ride it out."But he said he had seen a decline in footfall. He also said he had met with the council to suggest more information signs to tell people how the work would improve Oakengates.He said people needed to know it was "not just shutting down".
Mr Carter said his authority was "committed to high streets", but the old Limes Walk precinct in Oakengates, which was built in the 1960s, had "seen better days".He said the redevelopment was part of a "huge programme" of investment, which included the £24m theatre, and that he believes it will give the town a "real bounce" when it is complete."The long term aim here is to make sure Oakengates is a thriving place," he said.In the meantime, he told traders: "Just keep talking to us because we'll do as much as we can with whatever tools we've got available to help us to support businesses through this difficult period."That support could take the form of grants, he said, but he also wanted to hear their suggestions."We don't want to do this to affect footfall or affect businesses in any way," he said.
Mr Carter also said he would push to make sure the work finished on time and within budget.He said his authority had a track record of making this happen.
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