THE TOWN centre needs more ‘quirky’ independent businesses, traditional traders, more high street events and a bigger variety of night time venues to entice people into Droitwich and keep them there.
That is the view of some of the current high street business owners after Wychavon District Council announced the revitalisation of the town centre would be one of the projects at the centre of its annual budget.
Tanya Ellis, who owns Bluebells Florist and Gifts, said: “We definitely need more quirky independent shops and less charity shops.
“We need somewhere where you can buy birthday presents and gifts without having to go to bigger towns.
“More traditional shops, such as butcher’s and greengrocers are also needed.”
Tanya said more was needed to bring people in for a number of hours at a time but added some free short-stay parking would be handy for those who wanted to just pull in for 45 minutes to zip around the shops they needed.
Deb Broadway, who own’s Emm’s Haberdashery, Alterations and Interiors with her son Sam, said: “I would like to see more events in the High Street – everything happens in Vines Park or Victoria Square and that takes any potential new customers away from our businesses.
“People need to know the High Street is here – something needs to be done as small businesses like mine are fighting the Internet and out of town industrial estates as well.”
Viv Findlay is the former joint chair of the Droitwich Means Business and owns HotelshopUK which employs 100 people and has recently expanded into the High Street.
She said: “There needs to be more independents as I can only think of a handful.
“Many of those are for one-off purchases and special occasions, such as florists, a milliner and electrical shops.
“We have a few pubs but there needs to be a wider variety of places to go in the evening.”
The council is in the tendering process of finding a consultant to produce town centre prospectuses for Droitwich, Evesham and Pershore.
The closing date for tender submissions is March 6 and the successful consultant should be appointed by April with the projects completed by December.
The authority said the documents would map out blueprints for each individual centre, taking into account national and international trends.
The backing of district, town and county councils, local businesses, land and property owners, the public and community groups would also be sought before the final prospectus was drawn up.
* WHAT do you think the priorities are for Droitwich town centre and the High Street? What would you like to see introduced? Email us at [email protected] .
