Save our Shops (From Free Press Series)

Save our Shops

TODAY the Free Press launches its bid to help save the town's shops.

We're asking shoppers to back our campaign and 'Pool it Together', after traders revealed they risk losing their livelihoods if business doesn't pick up.

They have battled to overcome a slump in business, which they blame on delays in construction work on Crane Street over the past eighteen months. Angry traders say work that was intended to last 44 weeks is now entering week 66.

Limited parking time at Tesco and a lack of parking in the town have added to a drop in trade, according to shop owners.

Plans to regenerate Pontypool currently remain a bitter disappointment to business people, who say they are at tipping point - forced to decide how long they can afford to stay open.

The Globe Hotel proprietor Dave Wilcock chose Pontypool because of the planned regeneration, but now he says: "It's like nightmare on Crane Street."

Construction work resulted in electricity and water loss at the hotel on a number of occasions.

He said: "It's a cock-up from start to not-quite-finished. It has cost us thousands. For most of the time, people thought we were shut."

Bread Of Heaven caf owner Mark Gregory said: "The situation is really getting us down. People are choosing to go elsewhere because it's too hard to find parking spaces. We are worse off now than ever before."

Dave Thomas owns Anne's Fruit Basket, situated in the market. He said: "The Link has made it ten times worse - the new shops are on our former car park. Trade is down 50 percent - half of us on the market are thinking about going."

A spokesman for Torfaen council said they are monitoring car parking spaces and that last Friday at 12.30 there were 130 free spaces in the town. And that there was 'ample' two hour parking at the Tesco site.

Executive Member for Environment Councillor Neil Lewis confirmed buses will return to Crane Street on May 3 and the Kwik Save steps are nearly finished. Councillor John Marshall, Pontypool Regeneration Partnership chair, said: "I'm also very disappointed that this has not happened according to plan, but we have also been let down. The important thing is for everyone to pull together."

"Park Cottages are being redeveloped, the improved Leisure Centre is underway and there is a planned redevelopment of the former Hypervalue site. All these advances will serve to further rejuvenate the town centre," he added.

He said that other high street names confirmed for the town include Ethel Austen and Bon Marche, which should "attract more shoppers."

"We are also looking at ways of promoting where the car parking areas are. And planning an advertising feature to encourage people to use the great shopping facilities in the town," he added.