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Town centres initiative launched
Alistair Cox and Nick Daubney (right)
TRADERS in West Norfolk’s towns will be able to give their ideas to council chiefs on how to keep the area booming in the current difficult economic climate in a new initiative.
West Norfolk Council leader Nick Daubney has said he wants to work with business owners to promote the area.
The council is organising events in Lynn, Hunstanton and Downham next month to speak to firm owners to find out what issues they are facing and how they might be resolved.
No firm dates have been set for the meetings, but Mr Daubney said he was keen to hear ideas from traders on how to improve West Norfolk and to keep their profits up.
But he stressed the council could not help with business rates, which are set by central government and collected by the borough council.
He said: “I want to work with businesses to promote West Norfolk. I want to promote it as an exciting place.
“I am quite keen to find a medium where we can talk effectively to retailers so to understand what role we can be playing, what we should be doing but being realistic. It is to make sure we are not missing a trick.
“There is no doubt that better communication and a joined effort between everyone involved will make sure we are doing the best we possibly can.”
Lynn town centre has proved to be resilient in face of the economic difficulties by still attracting shoppers.
Footfall figures recorded last year were higher than before the recession started.
But traders in Hunstanton have reported a heartbreaking year with a lack of footfall.
Retailers say the problems in the town stem back to the loss of Woolworths more than three years ago.
Mr Daubney wants to promote a positive image in order to continue to attract visitors to the towns.
He said: “I am keen to talk to retailers to make sure we have our message together.
“If everyone keeps telling me Hunstanton’s failing, it will fail. I think we need a proper conversation.
“We can’t do everything, Perhaps we don’t understand enough the pressures these people are facing.
“There are things the council can do and there are things we can’t do.”
The council is keen to promote the heritage of all three towns in a bid to boost visitor numbers.
Mr Daubney said: “We haven’t promoted our heritage and culture well enough.
“People need entertainment, cafes and restaurants and they need places to shop and things to look at and interesting things to do. All this needs to be part of the conversation.”
Alistair Cox, who manages all three town centres, is working on a number of initiatives but said he was unable to give any details about them.
He said: “What may be a concern in Lynn may not be a concern in Downham or Hunstanton.
“I think we need to establish a clear understanding of what they are doing and give people the opportunity to tell us what they think they are.
“These roadshows will give individual premises an opportunity to come and open a dialogue with us so we both understand the limitations of what we can and can’t do and the opportunity of how we can develop those answers together.”
Last month Vancouver Quarter manager Paul Clifford called on businesses in the Lynn to unite to help keep the town booming by working together.
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Weather for King's Lynn
Sunday 27 May 2012
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Temperature: 9 C to 26 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: East
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