What next for our town centres?Councillor Simon Greaves

Leader, Bassetlaw District Council

Worksop Town Centre

A Linear Town Centre – our ‘High Street’ follows the length of

Bridge Street

• Cinema at the bottom of Town

• Shopping Centre at the top of Town

Worksop Town Centre

Bridge Street

Town Centre Issues• Anti-Social Behaviour

• Appearance

• Cleanliness and Tidiness

• Loss of national chains from Shopping Centre

(including flagship tenant – M&S)

• Internet shopping & Out of Town Retail

Town Centre Task Force

• Recognition that the Council ‘can’t do everything’

• Membership from Cinema, Police, Shopping Centre, Business Forum, Local Retailers

• Chaired by Council

Anti Social Behaviour• Perception of ASB was seen as one of the biggest

barriers to people coming into the town centre

• Cohort of about 10 individuals – very visible

• Enforcement action wasn’t tackling the issues

• Project Stepping Stone

Stepping Stone

Cleanliness / Appearance• Deep Clean - removing flyposting, stickers, chewing gum,

phone boxes

• Welcome to Worksop Scheme / Shop Fronts

• New town centre position created – cleaning, graffiti removal, painting, maintenance – a new dedicated resource for the

upkeep of town centres

• Investment in new Toilets

• HLF funding to improve historic buildings and heritage assets

Long Term Plans – The Vision • Four distinct zones for the town centre.

Entertainment. Sub Retail. Retail Core. Housing

• Be brave with Intervention – conversion of empty units outside

retail zone into quality housing

• Increasing the number of reasons to visit the town centre

• To improve and enhance the experience of visitors to the town centre

• Re-purpose our town centre!