Latest news with #Stratford
CBC
8 hours ago
- Business
- CBC
Some Stratford residents 'dreading' changes to town's waterfront
New 'There's some significant concerns about the people who live in and around this area,' says councillor Stratford has some big plans for its waterfront, and on Monday night, people in the town had a chance to have their say. The town is proposing a series of changes to its official plan as it tries to create a more vibrant waterfront and downtown. Marie O'Hanley of Stratford said she's concerned about plans to rezone areas next to long-established homes in that part of town, and is 'dreading' some of the proposed changes. "That's people's backyards, it's vacant land yes, but it's people's backyards. It's not my backyard, so it's not NIMBY," O'Hanley said, referring to the popular acronym for "not-in-my-back-yard" reactions to developments. "But that's just not right that that will become this mixed-used zone. I don't really actually understand what mixed-use zone is, other than it sounds like you can do whatever you want there." 'Not very efficient' As part of its official plan, Stratford is proposing to rezone 28 parcels of land along Stratford and Hopeton roads, near the waterfront. Town officials say the current zoning is "not very efficient for the type of development we would like to see in a key commercial area." They would like to see a "mixed-use neighbourhood" that would include a range of retail, restaurant, and commercial properties on the ground floors with residential units above. The town also wants to "encourage vibrant, pedestrian-focused streetscapes." It's proposing buildings up to six storeys tall in that area, with the top two floors set back so they don't dominate the skyline. Part of the proposed amendments would also ban drive-thrus in that waterfront zone although those already established would be allowed to stay. 'We have to pay attention to these borders' Jeff MacDonald, chair of planning, development and heritage, said there can be tension between different planning zones. He hopes the town can take steps to reduce those tensions. "There's some significant concerns about the people who live in and around this area now," said MacDonald. "We have to pay attention to these borders between zones… and what we're going to really work on is making sure that whatever this ultimately looks like is that border is absolutely respected, and that it's protected, and to make sure that the experience that people have in that neighbouring area is preserved." Part of the reason why Stratford is proceeding with these changes now is because the federal Housing Accelerator Fund requires the town to create about 4,000 new housing units over the next few years. MacDonald said the proposed changes would help meet that target. 'I don't think you're being upfront' Richard Furlong of Stratford said he's concerned about what impact the proposal may have on people's view of the waterfront. "I just think to just put up a whole bunch of houses and block off basically the view for the entire town and to have it only for a few people — I don't know if that's such a great idea," said Furlong. Furlong encouraged town officials to monitor developers to ensure compliance with the rules. "I don't think you're being upfront with us about what you are planning on doing and what you have done to make sure that these things are addressed," he said. Another resident, Dieter Friesen, said he supports increased density but wants public transit and walkability to be priorities. "I think you need to look at parking minimums. If you are going to have good density, and you want to create a walkable downtown, you want it so people don't need a car at all," said Friesen. 'Their concerns are noted' The planning board will meet in early August to discuss the proposed changes and make a recommendation to council. A council vote is expected next month. MacDonald said he rejects the term NIMBY. He said these are residents, and it's important that councillors hear what they have to say. "We have a responsibility to listen to them and we have to make sure that their concerns are noted."
CBC
a day ago
- Entertainment
- CBC
Jessica B. Hill made her Stratford Festival dreams come true
The award-winning Canadian actor and playwright is appearing in three plays at Stratford this season Social Sharing When Jessica B. Hill was a kid, she saw a play at the Stratford Festival that she found so inspirational she wrote the word "Stratford" on a piece of paper and put it on her ceiling. Now, she's an award-winning actor and playwright who's appearing in three plays at Stratford this season: As You Like It, Sense and Sensibility and Dangerous Liaisons. Hill sits down with Tom Power to talk about her life in theatre, her meaty new roles, and her own play about Shakespeare's alleged muse and collaborator, Emilia Bassano. WATCH | Jessica B. Hill's full interview with Tom Power:
The Sun
2 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
Bargain UK retail chain with 700 stores is shutting doors to ‘super' branch for good in just HOURS
ONE OF Britain's favourite budget chains is shuttering a popular branch for good in just a few hours. The bargain retailer has more than 700 stores across the country, and shoppers are gutted to see more branches close. 2 2 Poundland is closing even more stores across the UK, with some closing in a matter of hours. One of these is the Stratford store on Bridge Street, which is set to shut tomorrow. Shoppers in Stratford were devastated to see the shop close, and some even took to social media to express their dismay. One gutted shopper said: " another one! "Won't be much left on Bridge Street at this rate." Another customer raised concerns about the 'super' shopping assistants: "The staff are super in that store, I hope they find jobs quickly." A third responded: "Another empty unit! Sad!" One angry resident slammed the area as a "ghost town" following the closure: "Stratford for shopping went down the pan years ago, this just adds to the ghost town it's becoming." Other shoppers simply put 'shocked' emojis. The store was taken on by the Gordon Brothers in 2025 and announced that a few sites would be closed during a major reshuffle. Poundland to be sold for JUST £1 as frontrunner for shock takeover is revealed after wave of store closures However, the Bridge Street branch closure was not initially part of the wave of closures. The store is being forced to close after the company failed to reach a deal to stay at the location. A spokesperson for Poundland said: 'Poundland expects to have a store network of around 650-700 stores in the UK & Ireland compared to around 800 today which includes combining two locations into one, where we're able. 'While that remains a very sizable number of stores, we know how disappointing it is for customers when a location like Stratford stops trading, and we look forward to welcoming customers to our close-by Retail Park store. They explained that the Stratford store was not one of those and neither was the shop at the Maybird Shopping Centre, but its closure was related to not being able to agree terms that would allow them to keep trading there. The spokesperson added: 'We're obviously disappointed we haven't been able to agree terms that would allow us to keep the store open. "It goes without saying that we are formally consulting with colleagues at the store and that work is underway.' Unfortunately for Poundland fans, the Stratford branch isn't the only store in the firing line. Port Glasgow follows suit on August 10, and Whitby will shut for good on September 3. A closing-down sale is now underway at the Newark store, while signs announcing the closure have appeared at the Pontypool branch, which will shut on September 7. The Merry Hill store in Dudley already shut its doors on July 18, followed by the Telford branch yesterday. Poundland is set to close its Cowes branch on the Isle of Wight on July 30, with its Newquay shop set to close on August 1. The closures are part of a major overhaul after the retailer was bought by Gordon Brothers for just £1 earlier this year. The bargain chain has said up to 68 stores will close, with another 150 at risk as it cuts down from nearly 800 sites. Plans include scrapping frozen food sections, removing online shopping, and increasing womenswear and seasonal ranges. Seventeen shops have already shut since March 2024, including locations in Maidenhead, Surrey Quays and Clapham Junction. Once the closures are complete, the company expects to operate between 650 and 700 stores. The Polish-owned Pepco Group had previously run Poundland since 2016, but auctioned it off in March. Shoppers have flocked to stores offering big closing-down discounts, picking up bargains before the shutters come down. Customers are being urged to check whether their local branch is affected as closures continue into September. A total of 24 stores will shut once the remaining closures have taken place: Connswater Shopping Centre, Belfast – closed March 2024 Macclesfield – closed August, 2024 Maidenhead – closed October, 2024 Sutton Coldfield – closed October, 2024 Clapham Junction Station, London – closed May 2 Belle Vale Shopping Centre, Liverpool – closed May 6 St George's Centre, Gravesend – closed May 8 Southwark Park Road – closed May 14 Copdock Mill Interchange, Ipswich – closed May 20 Newport, Wales – closed May 24 Chiswick High Road – closed May 28 Filton Abbeywood – closed May 31 Surrey Quays – closed June 11 Barrow Dalton Road - closed June 12 Union Gate, Bristol - closed June 20 Flint - closed June 21 Colchester - closed St Marks Place Newark - unknown Telford - closed July 1 Stratford-upon-Avon - July 21 Newquay - closing July 30 Cowes, Isle of Wight – closing July 30 Newquay - August 1 Whitby - September 3 Pontypool - September 7 Inverclyde - unknown Barry Williams, managing director of Poundland said: 'It's no secret that we have much work to do to get Poundland back on track. "While Poundland remains a strong brand, serving 20m-plus shoppers each year, our performance for a significant period has fallen short of our high standards and action is needed to enable the business to return to growth. 'It's sincerely regrettable that this plan includes the closure of stores and distribution centres, but it's necessary if we're to achieve our goal of securing the future of thousands of jobs and hundreds of stores. "It goes without saying that if our plans are approved, we will do all we can to support colleagues who will be directly affected by the changes.' RETAIL PAIN IN 2025 The British Retail Consortium has predicted that the Treasury's hike to employer NICs will cost the retail sector £2.3billion. Research by the British Chambers of Commerce shows that more than half of companies plan to raise prices by early April. A survey of more than 4,800 firms found that 55% expect prices to increase in the next three months, up from 39% in a similar poll conducted in the latter half of 2024. Three-quarters of companies cited the cost of employing people as their primary financial pressure. The Centre for Retail Research (CRR) has also warned that around 17,350 retail sites are expected to shut down this year. It comes on the back of a tough 2024 when 13,000 shops closed their doors for good, already a 28% increase on the previous year. Professor Joshua Bamfield, director of the CRR said: "The results for 2024 show that although the outcomes for store closures overall were not as poor as in either 2020 or 2022, they are still disconcerting, with worse set to come in 2025." Professor Bamfield has also warned of a bleak outlook for 2025, predicting that as many as 202,000 jobs could be lost in the sector. "By increasing both the costs of running stores and the costs on each consumer's household it is highly likely that we will see retail job losses eclipse the height of the pandemic in 2020."
The Sun
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Sun
Horse racing tips: ‘She won with loads in hand last time' – Templegate's 6-4 NAP can complete a four-timer
TEMPLEGATE takes on a busy Sunday of racing confident of banging in some winners. Remember, you can back a horse by clicking on their odds below. FINEST VIEW (3.13 Stratford, nap) She is chasing a fantastic four-timer and was impressive over course and distance last time, tanking along before quickening away. She's still improving and has a cracking chance of going in again from just 1lb higher in the weights. HIDDEN VERSE (5.45 Redcar, nb) Won with loads in hand at Chepstow on Thursday. He's clearly on the up and should take some stopping, even with a penalty. Stepping up to this sharp six furlongs holds no fears. Has been knocking on the door and this looks a good chance. This marathon trip and ground suit and he's well in off the same mark as a good Ayr effort. Templegate's tips Commercial content notice: Taking one of the offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. You should be aware brands pay fees to appear in the highest placements on the page. 18+. T&Cs apply. Remember to gamble responsibly A responsible gambler is someone who: Find our detailed guide on responsible gambling practices here.
The Sun
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Sun
Horse racing tips: Bash the bookies with these three longshots including 15-2 fancy at Redcar
FIVER FLUTTER Horse racing tips: Bash the bookies with these three longshots including 15-2 fancy at Redcar SUN Racing takes on Sunday's action looking to hit the bookies where it hurts with some big value success. Back a horse by clicking their odds below. LONGSHOT DUE RESPECT (4.35 Redcar) Has the form to feature in this low-grade handicap and returns to his best trip from a solid draw. EACH-WAY THIEF GUILLAUME (3.48 Stratford) He's finished second twice this season and can figure again in an open race. OCEAN LEGACY (5.33 Stratford) She's been in consistent form, stays well and is back over hurdles after a solid Cartmel second last time. Commercial content notice: Taking one of the offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. You should be aware brands pay fees to appear in the highest placements on the page. 18+. T&Cs apply. Remember to gamble responsibly A responsible gambler is someone who: Establishes time and monetary limits before playing Only gambles with money they can afford to lose Never chases their losses Doesn't gamble if they're upset, angry or depressed Gamcare – Gamble Aware – Find our detailed guide on responsible gambling practices here.
