The Chair reminded the Members that, following
the study of the five identified topic areas, it was appropriate
for the Task Group to seek views from the Executive Member
(Business), the Disability Forum, the Chamber of Trade and
representatives of local retailers before the report and
recommendations from the inquiry were finalised.
Accordingly, the Chair welcomed the following
witnesses who had been invited to attend the meeting to participate
in an open discussion on the Task Group’s review of the
vitality and viability of the town centre
:
·
Councillor Peter Malpas (Executive
Member (Business));
·
Eileen Bee (Disability Forum Co-ordinator);
·
Malcolm Allen, Nigel Clare and Peter Morgenroth (Chorley retailers).
Mr Morgenroth was
also representing the Chorley Chamber of Trade.
The Chair explained that the review had been
conducted to focus around the following five key themes:
- Marketing and promotion of the town
centre;
- Improvement of the cultural offer
within the town centre;
- Gateways into the town centre
(including parking,signage,etc);
- Use of vacant properties/Enforcement
issues;
- Markets issues.
A summary note of the suggested
recommendations that had been made by the Task Group over the
course of its past meetings was circulated at the meeting to assist
the debate. The Chair emphasised the
current draft status of the document which would form the basis of
the debate at its final meeting on 4 March and requested, in
particular, the views of the invited witnesses on any additional
measures or initiatives which the authority might consider to
attract more shoppers and visitors to the town centre.
During the ensuing debate, structured around
the identified five town centre themes, the following salient
issues, points of view and suggestions were raised by the Members
and witnesses.
Marketing and
promotion of the town centre.
- There is currently insufficient
co-ordination of town centre promotion and marketing between the
Council and High Street and independent traders.
- There is an acceptance that the
degree of business experienced by town centre traders is
to a large extent, dependent on the
commodity sold (eg shoppers are
attracted to the Markets on Tuesdays and Fridays; certain
shops’ business is brisker on Wednesdays, etc) and future
promotions should be targeted accordingly.
- There is a need to promote the wide
variety of shops available in the town centre, particularly the
number of quality independent retailers, in an attempt to attract
both residents who do not normally visit the town centre and other
visitors from the surrounding catchment
area.
- The promotion of the late night
opening of shops on Thursday evenings would be reliant on more town
centre retailers being persuaded to extend their opening
hours.
- Future marketing and promotion
policies and strategies should examine all means of attracting more
shoppers and visitors to the town centre (eg through quality and attractive environmental
improvements; reasonable car parking fees structure; provision of
sufficient restaurants and cafes (especially to accommodate evening
shoppers).
- The Council’s Officers to be
requested to consider the production of a small single sheet to
promote the town centre, which could be used by retailers to
accompany goods despatched to customers.
- The Council’s Officers to be
requested to consider the viability and cost implications of
advertising the wide diversity of shops and goods available in the
town centre on local commercial radio stations, particularly during
the period leading up to Christmas.
- The concepts and ideas put forward a
the meeting be assessed by a Task Group of the Town Centre Forum,
with a view to the formulation of a comprehensive Marketing Action
Plan for the Town Centre.
- The role of the Town Centre and its
associated focus groups in co-ordinating an effective strategy for
the improvement of the town centre to be acknowledged.
Gateways into the
town centre (including parking, signage, etc)
- The Council’s Officers be
requested to examine the possible extension of the scheme currently
operated with Booths, under which £1 vouchers were awarded by
the Supermarket retailer to shoppers at the store as a discount off
parking fees, with appropriate retailers being approached to
ascertain if they would be willing to participate in a similar
scheme.
- The introduction of a herring-bone
parking system on Market Street and St George’s Street to be
considered.
- The needs of disabled drivers to be
taken into account when any revision of the car
parking strategies are considered.
- The Town Centre Task Group’s
findings report should acknowledge the findings of the Task and
Finish Group set up by the Equality Forum to examine issues
surrounding town centre accessibility and request the Executive
Cabinet to support any action plan recommended by the Equality
Forum Task Group.
- Any review of the current policies
regulating the establishment and operation of Pavement Cafes and
the installation of free standing advertisement boards and other
street furniture should take into account the impact on and need to
protect the interests of disabled people.
- Requests be made to the relevant authorities to seek an
improvement in the condition of the underpass and the pedestrian
accesses to the town centre from the Chorley Interchange and the
railway station.
It was AGREED that the
comments and suggestions of the Members and witnesses as outlined
above be considered and reviewed by the Task Group at its next
meeting, with a view to firm recommendations being incorporated in
the Group’s findings report.