Abingdon forms a new group to kick-start a commercial revival (From Herald Series)

Abingdon forms a new group to kick-start a commercial revival

3:16pm Tuesday 30th June 2009

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A new organisation has been formed to turn Abingdon into a thriving market town once more.

Traders, business leaders and three local councils have teamed up to form the Choose Abingdon Partnership, which is charged with filling empty shops, boosting trade, encouraging more shoppers and tourists to the town. The group will also look at Abingdon’s street signs to make sure they are clear and easy-to-read, examine the town’s parking provision and look at holding more civic events.

The partnership has been formed in the wake of high-profile shop closures, flagging sales and concerns from traders about Abingdon’s ability to compete with other towns in the future.

A part-time project manager — paid as much as £30,000 — will be responsible for making Abingdon great once more. Lesley Legge, the leader of Abingdon Town Council, said: “This is a real opportunity for bringing everyone into the town together. Businesses, councils, the community and the manager of the partnership will take forward the shared vision for Abingdon and carry out the actions to make it happen.”

Iain Nicholson, an expert on revitalisation of flagging town centres, has been commissioned by the town council to help come up with ideas.

The town council, Vale of White Horse District Council and Oxfordshire County Council have each put in £20,000, while Abingdon and District Chamber of Commerce has stumped up £1,000.

Richard Webber, who represents Vale of the White Horse Council on the partnership board, said: “We are confident that we have made an excellent choice of manager and that tangible benefits to town centre and its vitality will soon be very evident — even in the current economic climate.

“We hope that everyone in the town will give their support and encouragement to the process of designing a thriving town, fit for the 21st Century, a town in which we can all be proud.

“We urge everyone to get on board with the partnership and its new manager.”

Peter Wiblin, joint chairman of Abingdon and District Chamber of Commerce and owner of West End newsagents, said: “It is essential that we have started working together to kick-start this town.”

Fellow chamber of commerce member Terry Boswell said: “The chamber hopes to see some fresh ideas for the town.

“One of the first things will be for the town centre manager to fill the empty retail units, as well as talking to local retailers about cleaning up the town and the town centre. The biggest thing would be to get a big name retailer into the former Woolworths store.

“We need to see the manager’s plans before we can create an objective.”

What do you think needs to be done to rescue Abingdon from the doldrums? Email hcover@nqo.com with your ideas.

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