Partnerships are key to helping Shropshire high streets thrive
Partnership working is the way forward for Shropshire’s High Streets, according to a high profile visitor to the county.
Ojay McDonald, who heads up the Association of Town and City Management, spoke to a first-of-its-kind seminar in Shrewsbury which looked at reusing empty spaces in town centres.
Having just returned from the World Towns Leadership Summit, he shared his broad international experience with an audience including council development officers from Shropshire and the West Midlands Combined Authority, town champions from all over the county, landlords, developers, MPs, business and tourism leaders and regeneration specialists.
The event at Shrewsbury Museum was organised by Sally Themans, who promotes High Street through her work at Good2Great, and Seb Slater of Shrewsbury Business Improvement District.
“It was an inspiring morning for anyone interested in the health of our town centres,” said Sally. “Whilst parties are working away to promote High Streets in many innovative ways, with notable success in many towns, one obstacle remains a challenge – empty, unloved premises.
“They are a continual blight, a deterrent for further investment and a blot on the landscape so it was fascinating to hear Ojay’s insights into this issue.”
Mr McDonald told the seminar that while retailers faced many challenges, including internet shopping, absentee landlords, staffing and energy prices, there were ways forward which promised a brighter future.
“We have to flexible and dynamic in the way we work, with the ability to respond to quickly changing demands. Shorter leases and smaller unit design will help," he said.
“Town centres will also have a role to play in integrating health and social care provisions but the key to all this will be partnership – working with like-minded people who care about their High Streets and can work together on creative solutions."
“By joining forces with a range of partners who are passionate about their communities our town centres can be re-purposed as thriving places,” he added.
The seminar highlighted three successful town centre regeneration examples – The Printworks in Bridgnorth, The Orbit community cinema in Wellington and the St Mary’s shopping arcade in Whitchurch.
There was also a panel discussion which included Tracey Darke, assistant director of place and economy at Shropshire Council and Adele Nightingale of Oswestry BID.
