Kate writes a bi-weekly column for the Burton Mail. This column was originally featured in the 27th August print edition.
I recently took part in an interview with a Sheffield University student called Eliza who is a Burton resident. Eliza is doing a project on town regeneration and was keen to discuss the East Staffordshire Regeneration Project which will see much needed improvements to Burton town centre.
I have lived in Burton on Trent all my life and I can remember the town centre from my childhood being a lively, bustling place which was always busy, particularly on Saturdays with the outdoor market. Over recent years we’ve seen a steady decline in footfall in Burton with more shops closing. A lot of this is to do with the increased use of internet shopping but it is also a vicious circle – the fewer shops there are to attract shoppers, the less likely people are going to head into town. And of course, on top of this, we’re currently dealing with a Global pandemic which is having a devastating effect on people’s lives and livelihoods, making life even harder for shops on our High Streets.
The challenge now is to make the town centre appealing to visitors and shoppers again. Internet shopping is clearly here to stay, so empty retail units need to be given a new lease of life with services such as specialist shops, family activities and restaurants that can’t be provided by the internet.
In June 2018 East Staffordshire Borough Council and Staffordshire County Council commissioned consultative support for a Regeneration Strategy for Burton upon Trent and the successful consultants analysed future economic and social opportunities which will benefit the town by making it a vibrant, attractive place once more and, as most residents will be aware, work is already well underway on Station Street.
The main aims are to improve the towns profile so it becomes somewhere that people want to visit and also to maximise and improve the road and rail links, as well encouraging sustainable options such as cycling and walking to make it easier for people to get in and out of the town.
Burton also has the benefit of being situated on a great stretch of the River Trent which is a wonderful natural asset. There are opportunities to make the Washlands and river front more of a focal point for the town. To an extent, the town has turned its back on the river and not enough is made of the river frontage which would provide the perfect backdrop to a more vibrant daytime and night-time economy.
It’s great news that our High Streets are receiving the funding and planning to make them inviting and attractive places to be and I’m closely following the developments in Burton town centre which hold the promise of a “Better, Brighter, Burton” for residents and visitors alike.
