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18th August 2015
HONITON: Breathing new life into town centreby Jack Dixon BUSINESS leaders have set an ambitious target to fill all of Honiton’s empty shop fronts by the end of next year. The chamber of commerce is seeking to ensure the town centre is at full capacity in time for Christmas 2016. Local traders will work together over the next 18 months to encourage entrepreneurs into Honiton, as part of a renewed effort to boost business. Colin Wright, chairman of the chamber of commerce, said he was targeting around half a dozen vacant premises in the town centre. “It’s definitely an ambitious target,” he said. “There are very few towns in this part of the world that will be able to boast a full quota of shops. We already have a strong business community here and we are very close to creating a truly exceptional shopping experience. “I would love to see Honiton breaking the mould by attracting a handful of new and exciting businesses into the town centre.” Figures released by the Local Data Company earlier this year suggest the number of empty shops on UK high streets is actually on the decline. However, it found only two towns nationwide that could boast a zero per cent shop vacancy rate. Bridport, in West Dorset, was the strongest performer in the South West, with only one in 50 of its shop fronts left unoccupied. There are around 200 shop fronts in Honiton town centre, with fewer than 10 currently vacant. And business leaders believe Honiton can punch above its weight by competing with some of the region’s most successful shopping destinations. Mr Wright said the chamber would aim to “breathe new life” into Lace Walk this year and develop initiatives to entice new traders to join Honiton’s business community. He also hopes to make the most of East Devon District Council’s multi-million-pound relocation to Honiton, which is due to be completed by the end of 2017. He added: “The chamber will be working very hard over the next 18 months to encourage new businesses into the town. We would love to capture one of the big names to breathe some life into Lace Walk – hopefully that will encourage others to follow suit.” “In the meantime we will do everything we can to maintain an eclectic mix of shops and ensure Honiton continues to thrive.” CommentsThere are no comments yet. Be the first to add one below. Add new commentThe code you entered was incorrect, please try again Return to news headlines | |||||||||||||||
 
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