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!