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A motorbike rally, street food and artisan markets are among the ideas floated in a new business plan which aims to ‘restore Spalding’.
The Spalding Business Board has now unveiled its draft plan – a vision that aims to boost visitor numbers and the town’s image and give the economy a shot in the arm.
The need for an ‘organisational voice to represent and address the needs of a place’ to ‘realise the ambitious vision’ for the town is part of this, with one idea being the creation of a Business Improvement District (BID) – where firms have to pay a levy to fund projects.
The 20-strong board has called a meeting in the South Holland Centre on September 20 to give businesses a chance to have a say on the plan, which could be implemented early next year.
Business board member Steve Mason, who runs Mason’s Models on New Road, is urging people to attend the meeting and vowed: “We have got to do something otherwise the town is going to die.”
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Another member Emma Peake – of Daisies Floral Design in The Crescent – believes the plan can add to other positive developments, such as the bid to transform the grotspot Bull and Monkie site in Churchgate into a care home.
She said: “I think it could help to save Spalding and the development of The Bull, if that goes ahead, will tidy up the area. We need someone else to go into the White Horse and we need to put on all sorts of events in the town centre. I think it will hopefully bring people in and restore Spalding.”
The board was set up following an open meeting earlier this year and is being funded by the South Holland District Council as part of the Spalding Town Centre Improvement Plan.
The new blueprint talks of creating a cleaner environment with more litter bins as well as landscaping and a ‘better managed pedestrianised area’.
Other ideas include tourist trails, a better relationship with Springfields and ‘general, food, craft and continental’ markets.
There’s also an aspiration for a ‘high-quality calendar of events’, with Spalding Flower Parade, a Christmas Fayre, Easter Parade, street food, music festival, late night shopping, car/motorcycle rally, and ‘cycling’ mentioned.
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District council leader Nick Worth is a member of the board and said the authority is working on a number of initiatives, including ‘improving the public realm’ with new street furniture.
He said: “I think it is a good business plan.
“I think, working with us and other partners like Transported and the Arts Council, it will make a difference to the town.
“I would encourage people to go along to the meeting.”
– The meeting will be held in the South Holland Centre on Wednesday, September 20 from 6pm.
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