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Kevin, I cannot deny that Discovery Park is a success, but in its wake are 000's of square feet of unlet offices where people either have set up in DP or relocated there leaving gaping holes in the towns from whence they came. Dover is not alone.
I noticed on another thread a suggestion that DDC should relocate to Dover Town. Someone else mentioned it to me last night and it has struck me that although it wll never happen, the enormous benefit to the Town Centre businesses and the staff themselves if they were to come here.
With M&S leaving and the high business rated properies difficult to let, when DTIZ finally comes on line, Cannon St and Biggin St may well be desolate. What I cannot discover is what the plan is to rejuvinate it when the town becomes shiny and new on the edge, but the centre is but more of a haven for customers of The Eight Bells.
On the up side, cafe society is definately taking off. We seem to have more than ever and with another two micro pubs and privately operated "Nando" style restaurant soon to open we have a splendid offer. Smaller shops with low rateable values are letting like little hot cakes which is something we haven't seen for several years. This on anyone's scale, must be good. Whether the mix of offer is right or not, only time will tell, but certainly the Market Square, King Street and Bench Street seem to be seeing something of a renaisance in terms of expectant hope that DTIZ will now happen.