Making High Street pedestrian-only, getting rid of eyesores and the Gateway scheme are being prioritised by the Lib Dems in Stratford
With three major brands leaving the high street, traffic chaos sparked by the partial closure of Warwick Road, and the fallout over the BID ballot and Christmas Market plans, life in Stratford felt grimly downtrodden this week. But a ray of hope has been offered by Stratford District Council who let the Herald in on some bold plans to tackle the downturn hitting the town centre. Cllr George Cowcher, the council’s lead on planning and economic development, spoke to Richard Howarth about the Lib Dem’s vision for a brighter future.
ACTION on three key sites and a new approach to pedestrianising High Street are at the heart of a bold vision to see new life breathed into Stratford town centre.
In the wake of growing alarm about the future after the announcement of a string of shop closures, a leading councillor has outlined how he and colleagues are not sitting idly by.
Decisions by Joules, The Body Shop and Fraser Hart jewellers to shut up shop in Stratford has been a rash of bad tidings for High Street but Cllr George Cowcher (Lib Dem, Wellesbourne South), says work is under way to turn their vision into reality.
He is planning and economic development portfolio holder and believes progress will be seen this year that will help to transform the town’s reputation.
In a frank interview with the Herald, Cllr Cowcher pinpointed the hope that action on the empty Debenhams and Bhs buildings, plus a breakthrough on the long-awaited Gateway project would help turn things around.
Adding to the mix, he said work had started on devising a new approach to pedestrianisation.
And he stressed the council was committed to boosting the town’s fortunes: “We are always concerned about shop closures and want to try to keep the town centre as viable as we can.
“What I’m focusing on are the key derelict sites.
“We are putting pressure on the owners of Bhs, which currently does the town a great disservice, while at the end of Henley Street we are looking to progress the Gateway Project which will help the regeneration.”
As reported in last week’s paper, the first step towards the redevelopment of the third site he believes is vital to the town’s recovery – the former Debenhams building – is due to be taken at the end of this month.
That’s when a tender will be issued for the work, with a start likely in the summer, with the new hotel and ground floor shops likely to take 18 months.
In terms of pedestrianisation, a wider scheme for the town centre was drawn up in the aftermath of covid but he said the council is now looking at driving forward a plan just for High Street and has already begun conversations with the county council, which is the highways authority.
He said: “I think plans to pedestrianise High Street will give it heart. The previous scheme couldn’t find funding but we are now looking purely at the High Street.
“Clearly there needs to be access for delivery vehicles but what we are looking for is it being pedestrianised at times when we have a lot of pedestrian flow.”
The Bhs site has been controversial from the moment it was built but since it fell out of use it has become a major eyesore.
Cllr Cowcher added: “Frankly it’s just a disgrace at one of the key entrances to the town.
“There are a lot of discussions about Bhs but the owners haven’t found anything viable yet.
“We have set up a design to get a scheme that’s acceptable to all.
“There are a variety of things it could be. We would like to see a little bit of retail restored but it could also be potentially residential – or a hotel but I’m not convinced it’s quite the right site for that.”
The Gateway Project has been on the cards for a long time and is seen as the home for The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust’s World Shakespeare Centre, plus other developments in an area between Arden Street, Birmingham Road and Windsor Street.”
Cllr Cowcher added: “We are in discussions and hopefully by Easter there will be an update.
“If we can get the three sites moving later this year that will transform the image of Stratford.
“What we are desperately trying to do is make a difference in Stratford.
“There has been a gentle decline for a long time and we are keen to see action on key sites which are significant and have been empty for a long time.”
In terms of the current rash of closures, he said: “I think it’s tragic in all cases. It’s the economy of retail, which is challenging.
“We hope we can attract new retail and we have got to get rather more proactive ourselves.”
He said he was meeting the council’s economic development team on Tuesday (5th March) to ask what the council could do to bring in new retailers and is also hoping to work with the BID.
While acknowledging the district council could do little to intervene in terms of business rates or rents – with its own properties being on long-established leases – he was resolute in his determination to bring about an improvement in the town’s fortunes: “It’s one of my key priorities and we’re pressing really hard.”
Body Shop
THE three closures on High Street are all stores of big companies which are retaining stores elsewhere.
In terms of Body Shop, a spokesperson for the joint administrators said: “The Body Shop International (TBSI) entered into administration as a consequence of its financial position and its inability to meet its liabilities.
“Prior to administration the business had a poor Christmas trading period.
“The decision to close certain stores in the UK was necessary and followed a thorough review of recent and forecast financial performance.
“Store performance is heavily weighted to November and December, which can account for up to 90 per cent of revenue and profitability for individual stores.
“Various other factors were also taken into account in identifying the stores for closure, including capex requirements, lease expiry dates, abnormal recent performance trends and potential dilapidation claims.
“The store closures are part of the work that the joint administrators have undertaken since appointment in an effort to stabilise trading.”
