20/01/12 - Swindon Advertiser Weekly Article

This week I helped secure a six hour debate in Parliament on the future of town centres and high streets, with a particular focus on the recent review by TV retail guru Mary Portas. This is a subject I’m passionate about, and I’m delighted that the Borough Council has agreed to invite Mary to Swindon. I want to see our town centre transformed, both as a shopper (or more accurately following my fiancée Jo around the shops!), and because it will boost our local economy, creating new jobs. Swindon is doing better than many towns, but nationally it has been tough on the high streets, with consumers having less to spend and some high profile retail failures leading to a large number of empty shops. The growth of out-of-town retail parks and the continued boom in online shopping are further challenges. The Portas review has resulted in 28 recommendations, and in my speech I focused on those which I felt are essential for Swindon.

A ‘Town Team’ should be in place to provide a ‘visionary, strategic and strong operational management team’. It is important for developers and retailers that they have clear points of contact and that plans for regeneration and promotional activity are co-ordinated. For this we have Forward and InSwindon, working with Swindon Council to champion our town centre and future plans.

Promoting markets is highlighted as a way of bringing character and shoppers to our high streets, and I am pleased that the Licensing Committee at the Council is looking into this. I have approached New College and Blunsdon Market to arrange for business students to have an opportunity to run their own market stalls. Hopefully this will help create the next generation of traders and shop owners.

Greater flexibility in business rates will provide an opportunity to support retailers. Whilst money is always limited, I hope that we could target incentives at local residents who wish to open a new shop, perhaps matching discounts offered by the landlords of empty properties.

Swindon was singled out in the Portas review for the excellent decision to cut car-parking charges, helping increase footfall by 10% and crucially increasing the time people stay in town. Many MPs lamented their own local authorities for not matching this commitment.

Mary Portas said town centres need to be ‘accessible, attractive and safe’, and I am pleased that Swindon has been successful in attracting considerable investment, such as The Parade redevelopment and £2.8m improvements to public open space.

Finally, retailers themselves really need to focus on customer service and continue to look at ways to embrace new technologies and products. We all have a part to play in the future success of our high street.