Leicestershire Market Towns Programme

Through the work of the LAA, Market Towns in Leicestershire had a user satisfaction survey carried out in summer 2006 which investigated areas such as car park usage, quality and quantity of independents / multiples, quality and design of public realm, floral displays, toilets and other facilities. Various scores were then used to give an overall satisfaction level of the centre. For the first time 17 centres across the county ranging from Loughborough to Broughton Astley were able to compare themselves. It is hoped to repeat the study in summer 2008 to record changes. Towns in the Welland SSP area i.e. Melton Mowbray, Market Harborough and Lutterworth also used the Welland Benchmarking Toolkit which had Town Centre Managers collecting their own data on an annual basis. It is vital for towns to have a measure of their success and this can only be done collecting data on a regular basis and setting targets. Melton Mowbray for example has produced an action programme which sets clear targets to be achieved such as; 40 businesses to attend training.

The results of the study can be seen on the Leicester Shire Online Research Atlas (LSORA).

Town Centre Partnerships

Currently all the main centres of Leicestershire have their own partnerships with LCC officer and member representation on all (for further information on the partnerships click on the links below).

Hinckley Town Centre Partnership
Loughborough Town Centre Partnership
Coalville Town Centre Partnership
Ashby Town Centre Partnership
Earl Shilton Partnership
Melton Mowbray Town Centre Partnership
Harborough Improvement Team (HIT)
Lutterworth Improvement Partnership (LIP)
Broughton Astley Improvement Team (BAIT)
Shepshed Partnership
Syston Regeneration Group

Current work areas

Shop Front Improvement Grants (SFI)	Grants are available up to £2000 or 50% of costs to restore traditional wooden shop fronts in town centres or designs that fulfil the design criteria set out by District Councils such as Hinckley and Melton Mowbray. A notable example is the Spares Supply Company in Upper Castle St in Hinckley and the Ten-Two Art Gallery which both received grants – the former for a complete new front, the latter for a repair.
Living and Working Over the Shop Grants (LOTS/WOTS)	Grants are available of up to £3500 or 50% to encourage vacant floorspace above shops to be converted into either living accommodation or workspace / office units. A number of schemes have been completed such as Western Court in Lutterworth where 8 new flats have been created above 3 shops.
Public Realm Projects	The appearance of Leicestershire’s Town Centres is vital to their appeal as a visitor destination. dirty and broken paving, chewing gum, broken street furniture and lack of signage all need addressing. The amount of greenery in a town centre is also vital to creating the right atmosphere together with public art and Christmas Lights. See case studies for past projects funded using LCC and LSEP funding through the Market Towns Programme. Currently schemes are being worked on in Upper Castle Street Hinckley and Sherrard Street in Melton Mowbray. The Upper Castle Street scheme links in with sites identified in the masterplan for the town centre. It is hoped that in the future further schemes will be developed as a result of Masterplans which are currently being completed in Blaby, Melton Mowbray, Coalville and Oadby & Wigston.
Events	Events are vital in drawing people into Leicestershire’s Market Towns and by holding them in the centre itself and carrying out street trails to move people around people can again experience what is on offer. Spend on the day of the event may not be increased but a further visit may be encouraged. A follow up to the Pirates event is Egyptian Leicestershire for summer 2008!!!
Market Town Shopping Guides	A number of guides have been produced with the aim of attracting both residents and visitors into the smaller centres to assess the retail offer. It is hoped that town centre partnerships will then take these guides on board and get businesses to pay to advertise on them or make them interactive on web-sites making them sustainable. Blaby is currently being worked on, which will then be followed by Castle Donington and then South Wigston.

Case Studies of past projects

Ashby de la Zouch Streetscape Works

Loughborough Parish Green Project

Leicestershire by the Sea Event

Jurassic Leicestershire Event

Pirates of Leicestershire Event

Seasons Greetings from Leicestershire Market Towns

Future of the Project

Some of Leicestershire’s Market Towns i.e. Loughborough, Hinckley and Coalville together with Urban fringe settlements of Syston and Thurmaston are designated as Growth Point areas which will see those receiving large amounts of housing over the next few years. It is vital that the retail and service core of these centres is equipped to deal with these changes, hence the importance of improving the town centres to create a sense of civic pride , provide a safe and attractive place in which to hold events and increase/diversify the retail offer. In an increasingly difficult business environment it is essential that independent businesses can compete against national chains. Their needs must be identified through close working and signposting to training courses together with grants to assist with property development. Research by the English Historic Towns Forum argues that streets and spaces are losing their local distinctiveness ! it is vital that each town develops a brand or a Unique Selling Point either through its Public realm or through the events it puts on, or through the quality of its independent traders to avoid towns becoming “cloned “!

Through the LAA Market Towns will become a cross-cutting theme covering Housing , Transport , culture and the cleaner/Greener issue.

For further information please contact Helen Harris, Team Leader Regeneration, tel: 0116 305 7025 or e-mail hharris@leics.gov.uk

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