Up to 70million investment for Accrington Town centre.

[monkey hanger]

Originally Posted by Taddys daughter

But the council would need to not charge expensive rents and to make it attractive to stall and shop holders.
Here's hoping

and there you have hit the point. councils moan about empty shops but never look at one of the main reasons why they are. high rents which they prefer to put in place in the first place. along with the virus and much higher fuel costs i doubt many town centres are going well at the moment and could get even worse.

[skuta]

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington

It is reported in the Lancashire Telegraph that up to 70 million pounds is going to be invested to bring the town centre back to a vibrant .market town.
It is aimed(says the article) at bringing in tourists to revitalise the town centre.
What do you think of this proposal?

"revitalise" what & how? Where's the big selling point?



"Up to 70 Million pounds??" Is this the maximum? Where are all the sources of finance?


These projects have a habit of over-spend due to all kinds of failures and other excuses.



Have none of these people noticed the massive trend away from expensive rental Bricks & Mortar retail space? Who is the guaranteed market? Who will be spending money here after getting here?



Plus adequate sensibly priced Parking and other infrastructure?


"Tourists????", who are these tourists? What meaningful market research has been done and has this market been quantified? What are the famous Accrington tourist attractions? Are we talking about poverty tourists? Like the TV shows depicting worst case families that make the viewer feel somehow superior in their own squalor. I can't think of any. Maybe someone can help me out?


No, don't bore me with Accrington Stanley mentioned in an old TV ad.



"Who are they?" Exactly.


This will be like the "regeneration" con. Those jobs have gone to low pay overseas countries and are never coming back. As usual, "consultants" & "experts" will leach as much money as they can before Contractors will throw together a snag filled cheap and badly built lump of profit.

[Margaret Pilkington]

Skuta….I think I have already answered some of those questions.

The unique selling point of the area is supposed to be the Floral Market Town…this was emblazoned on tubs of plants and flowers which were handy targets for vandals…..as for the market…..well, that has not been vibrant or inspiring for a long time….and pretty soon there will be much less of that….it will hardly be a market at all….one fruit stall….a fish stall and a hotch potch of miscellaneous stalls hardly cuts it.

Some of the money will be from Grants from the Heritage Lottery fund….if the application is successful.
Some of the money will be from government….from the Levelling Up Fund….some may be from private investors.

I cannot think,of anything that we have…or are projected to have if this scheme goes ahead, that would generate an influx of tourists.
Yet some Market Research must have been done because they tell us that this thousand people….unless of course that is just a made up figure to bait the hook.

Like you I am dubious as to the benefits to the local residents……what is needed to regenerate the town is jobs, manufacturing jobs, jobs that raise the standards of living for the people who live here.
Until the deprivation of the area is remedied, then all this is just a pipe dream.
There really is no guaranteed market…you and I are both old enough to now that the only guarantees are death and taxes.

Accrington is one of the few local towns that has a lot of free parking.
But free parking is pointless if there is nothing worth getting in the car to see.

[cashman]

i think its pretty easy to find 1000 people in accy to suit what yer saying to be honest.also very very rarely do i use the car if im going down accyi its not worth it. i walk or catch the bus only use car when im doing the BIG shop.

[monkey hanger]

[QUOTE=Margaret Pilkington;1262755]Skuta….I think I have already answered some of those questions.

The unique selling point of the area is supposed to be the Floral Market Town…this was emblazoned on tubs of plants and flowers which were handy targets for vandals…..as for the market…..well, that has not been vibrant or inspiring for a long time….and pretty soon there will be much less of that….it will hardly be a market at all….one fruit stall….a fish stall and a hotch potch of miscellaneous stalls hardly cuts it.

Some of the money will be from Grants from the Heritage Lottery fund….if the application is successful.
Some of the money will be from government….from the Levelling Up Fund….some may be from private investors.

I cannot think,of anything that we have…or are projected to have if this scheme goes ahead, that would generate an influx of tourists.
Yet some Market Research must have been done because they tell us that this thousand people….unless of course that is just a made up figure to bait the hook.

Like you I am dubious as to the benefits to the local residents……what is needed to regenerate the town is jobs, manufacturing jobs, jobs that raise the standards of living for the people who live here.
Until the deprivation of the area is remedied, then all this is just a pipe dream.

about time many towns actually realize that their town is not a tourist destination no matter how much money is thrown at it and it should be about residents and those from nearby towns. accrington is not skipton and will never be. doubt many even living in a 30 mile radius would ever dream of nipping over to accrington, use the free parking, for a day out. no they,d rather pay through the nose to park at a traditional tourist centre knowing but quite willing to be ripped off in some touristy shop. i,d honestly be more prepared to waste diesel on a trip to run down accy, burnley, nelson etc. than nipping up the road to haworth, but thats me.

[Margaret Pilkington]

MH, I think you might be in a minority.
Today, Fultons in Union St were having a 50% off sale pending closing the store on Sunday.
This shop was used by many pensioners on their way back to the bus station….they would buy their bread and milk and maybe a few groceries so that they did not have to carry them very far.
I also noted that Game is closing down too….selling off their stock.
So this regeneration plan comes too late for these two stores.

There is very little to visit Accrington for and as time passes it gets less and less.

[cashman]

aye but theres always the STANLEY.

[Margaret Pilkington]

I think that is one of the only reasons why people come to the town.
But this does not benefit the town centre or the shops.

[cashman]

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington

I think that is one of the only reasons why people come to the town.
But this does not benefit the town centre or the shops.

Disagree the centre pubs and dining places do well.

[DaveinGermany]

Originally Posted by cashman

Disagree the centre pubs and dining places do well.

But even those have taken a hit! I remember one of our early visits, over for the footy we met up in the pub up the road for pre match Beers (can't remember the name, Oak?), next time across it was closed down. the last couple of times it was the "Greyhound" for Beers, but on my last visit in 2019 when I managed to bring my Dad along, even that was all boarded up.

[cashman]

Originally Posted by DaveinGermany

But even those have taken a hit! I remember one of our early visits, over for the footy we met up in the pub up the road for pre match Beers (can't remember the name, Oak?), next time across it was closed down. the last couple of times it was the "Greyhound" for Beers, but on my last visit in 2019 when I managed to bring my Dad along, even that was all boarded up.

aye dave but they aint central pubs plus the greyhound had a right Obnoxious bloke that owned it we think he killed that pub.

[DaveinGermany]

Originally Posted by cashman

aye dave but they aint central pubs plus the greyhound had a right Obnoxious bloke that owned it we think he killed that pub.

Okeydokey, didn't realise that as my visits were just fleeting & didn't really spend much time in there.

[Margaret Pilkington]

Yes Cashy, they might have done well in the pubs….but that doesn’t translate to business in the shops, the market, the market hall…..these are dying too.
And what happens in the ‘off season’….if no one uses the town centre facilities, then they go bust…..and all because a town council moved the bus station.

Yes I guess that is a very simplistic approach….and there are more issues involved than just the bus station.
Business rates, the lack of foresight and planning (by a lack lustre council) and of course changes in shopping habits.
All of these have had an impact……but this plan is cloud cuckoo stuff.
This money and the ideas to solve the problem will do diddley Squat….too little and far too late.

[cashman]

notice yeh ignored the eating places , i know for sure they benefit on sat match days.

[Margaret Pilkington]

Well, no….not ignored.
I lumped them with the pubs because frequently pubs will be the providers of food.
And it still doesn’t increase the footfall in the shops…and as I said it is just during the season and of course it will not be every week as away games takes people out of town.
Can you see these football supporters coming to town to look at Platts lodge….laughingly termed ‘a water park’? Or any of the other things on the list of developments that might happen?