The latest meeting of Congleton Partnerships Executive took place recently, please download the full minutes HERE.
Highlights included:
Town Centre Report – J. MacArthur.
- Occupancy Update
Occupancy has increased slightly – we are now at 86% occupied (or 91% without Capitol Walk). Changes since the last meeting include:
NEW SHOPS (6)
Gather – High Street
Town Hall Bathrooms – High Street
Eduardo’s Leather Shop in the Pedestrian Area
Shared Treasures – Antrobus Street
Olivia’s Nails – Market Street (outside of Capitol Walk)
Habitat 8 Soul Food Café – above Simply Retro – Bridge Street
MOVED SHOPS (2)
Simply Retro – from Lawton Street to Bridge Street (Pedestrian Area)
Butters John Bee – from High Street to the Pedestrian area
RE-BRANDED SHOPS (1)
Chatwins in the Pedestrian area (due to re-open on the 9th December)
CLOSED SHOPS (2)
Cost-Cutter – Pedestrian Area
Life After Services – Capitol Walk
I understand that Capitol Walk Shopping Centre will be closing its doors to the walkway as soon as CT Mobiles (the only functioning shop inside the unit) moves into an outside unit. This will mean all the Capitol Walk shops can be accessed from the outside and the walk through will be closed. Clowes has confirmed that they are looking to minimize their losses after a year of marketing has not resulted in new tenants.
There has been no further information from Scarborough Development or Cheshire East re any movement on the plans to develop Mill Street/Princess Street area.
- Christmas Lights Switch on
Massive thank you to everyone from the Partnership for your help and support during the Christmas Lights Switch on. It was our wettest one ever – but still good to see so many people turn up to support the event. The lantern parade was stunning and a huge thank you to Community Projects for the hours of work they invested into the public workshops.
- Congleton Artisan Market
In November this was moved to the Fairground Car Park to accommodate the Remembrance Sunday Parade. The trader’s preferred the site and so the December Market will also be held in the Fairground Carpark. There will not be a market in January, February and March and during which time the markets will reassessed as they are not breaking even or having the initial desired effect of increasing footfall for the shops.
- Public Realm
Early design ideas have been approved in principle by the Town Council which include some work at either end of the pedestrian area as well as new pavements, deep clean, new street furniture and lighting along the length of the pedestrian area. A small group which includes Steve Foster from the Partnership, a number of town councillors and Jackie MacArthur will be considering a number of options for street furniture and lighting to include in the proposals that will be presented to the public for consideration in the early part of the New Year. Public Realm work will take place next year – but after the completion of the National Grid gas works. There is not date for the start of this work.
- Town Centre Map
We are working with Silver Maze to develop some display maps identifying key areas, roads, attractions and services for Congleton. There are a number of sites being discussed including Fairground Carpark or the bus station, West Street Car Park, Antrobus Street Car Park, Back Park Street Car Park, Railway Station, incorporated into pedestrian area (new Public Realm). One the map is produced other uses and areas will no doubt follow.
- Dog Fouling
Three new dog bag dispensers have been put out in the town centre to help out with the amount of fouling in the pedestrian area and Lawton Street. Bins can be found in front of the community garden, B&M side wall, and the walk way at the side of Weatherspoon’s through to Antrobus St car park.
OTHER NEWS
- Neighbourhood Plan
The second questionnaire will go out to the public in December. The questionnaire is more detailed than the first one – hence the desire to get people to answer it on-line. Due to the delay in getting this out a new deadline will be set of mid-January or at least 4-5 weeks after the questionnaire is made public and advertised. It would be a great help if people associated with the partnership could fill in the forms – Mike will send a link via email.
Once the results are known this will be assimilated into the various groups work and assist in production of the draft plan which we are aiming to produce before the end of the first quarter of 2016.
Please see the full minutes for the rest of the news from the Partnership!
The next meeting is Tuesday 1st March, Congleton Town Hall, Main Hall, 5.30pm
