By Ian Mean: Business West Gloucestershire director
Our new government has made an impressive start on a range of big ticket issues.
But our local retailing businesses need to feel they are not being ignored.
Yes, growth will come from business expansion but equally, our town centre shops need to feel the welcome hand of government support.
That this new government has their backs.
Business West believes one of the key areas government needs to look at is the urgent reform of business rates.
These business rates are generally regarded by retailers as a pernicious tax-not helpful to their growth at all.
So, a complete reform process is long overdue.
One of the key advocates of business rates reform is Mark Dransfield, chairman of Dransfield Properties, who has ploughed something like £30 million into the development of the Five Valleys shopping centre in the middle of Stroud.
Over the last six years, Mark and his team have regenerated what was a run down centre into an exemplar of town centre retailing.
Mark recently gave evidence to the House of Lords Select Committee about town centre regeneration, and a member, Lord Mawson, toured the centre.
“We were really delighted to welcome Lord Mawson to Five Valleys,” said Mark. ”We outlined what has been achieved here over the last six years working with local stakeholders and partners.”
In addition to the shopping experience, Five Valleys have now brought together a range of town centre facilities , including the health centre and library plus new offices.
Lord Mawson was effusive in his praise for Five Valleys.
“This is what the future needs to look like- to think about the relationship between the library and the health centre and the retail entrepreneur, and have all these things sit together-that’s placemaking”, he commented.
Placemaking it certainly is in Stroud.
Our new government needs to recognise and use the Five Valleys as a great example of town centre regeneration to be followed.
