No Heike, wasn't aimed at you, I just happened to pick up a comment about stirrers etc from the politics forum.
I got the date wrong for the next meeting, 4th is bank holiday so it will be the following week on 11th at 5.30. The ideas that have been put forward so far have all be put forward before - and tried or discussed at length. Happy to do it again with different eyes and ears, but you have to come to the meetings and help put things in to action.
Tuesday was decided upon because there are no other Town Markets around the adjoining towns on that day. Traders, it was thought, would not be able to come here and to another on the same day. At its peak, the market had a strong number of stalls, however very few made any money and the stallholders dwindled away because there was/is not enough trade. Some of the shop holders were hostile too which helps to make things more difficult. Traders will say they will be there and then don't turn up. Sometimes the weather is bad and they don't turn up again. Only one or two will pay up front which makes it very difficult to plan and then you get the "pitch wars". The lot those who run a market is not easy or straightforward!
The market will continue, but frankly when you look at the "High Street" from the Market Square to Peacocks, there is very little going on. Most days, all there is are miserable people wandering through. Retail is supremely difficult as it is, with internet shopping, but if shops are not open and offering what people want, they will go somewhere else. And they do.
The Town Team are very much involved with visioning towards the future for what will become a desolate area once the DTIZ is up an running. It is difficult stuff, but we are working in the background trying to make a difference.
