Mixed fortunes for county's towns

The British Chamber of Commerce hinted this week that the worst of the recession may be over - but are town centres in Somerset starting to show any sign of recovery?

Taunton

At one point, it looked as if Taunton was turning into a ghost town. Big name shops such as Woolworths and Zavvi closed leaving the main high street looking deserted. Several smaller independent shops also closed.

The old Woolworths shop is currently undergoing a refit

But now things could be looking up. HMV has moved into the old Zavvi site and Rohan in Bath Place and American Nails have recently opened.

Town centre manager Graham Love said he anticipated the arrival of a "leading fashion brand" to move into the former Woolworths store and that another national food brand could be at the former Laura Ashley store in time for Christmas.

"Taunton although gripped in recession, has all the ingredients for success," he said. "The public gets what the public wants in terms of retail so it's up to the public to support the businesses that are there.

"Taunton has a burgeoning independent sector and that has real benefit in terms of product knowledge and customer service but also we want to attract quality national brands."

He said the fact that the town is the county town which is where the county and borough councils are based, as well as the scheme whereby retailers make contributions towards cleaning, security and marketing means Taunton is in good shape to attract other retailers to fill the derelict shops.

One new business which has opened is Proper Cornish Pasty.

Owner Mark Muncey said: "Taunton is a fantastic town which has fantastic potential.

"I think we are quite brave but then there are several reasons to do that; for example leases and rents are much cheaper at this time, can also get fantastic staff and we're very lucky to have local Taunton staff."

Bridgwater

From the town centre down Corn Street and across the river to Eastover, there are 23 shops which are either empty or boarded up.

Big shops are moving to out-of-town shopping districts

The closure of Woolworths has not helped the town, as smaller retailers which relied on the store for footfall consumers have had to close.

Another big shop, Argos, is now also closing, although it is hoped a big brand will take its place.

Chairman of Bridgwater Chamber of Commerce Steve Leahy said the town was dependent on big retailers because the smaller ones feed off them.

The lack of big high street names has not helped as they are moving to out-of-town shopping developments.

"The whole task of trying to get people to shop and spend money in Bridgwater is a little bit in our own hands," he said.

"We need to make this happen so together with the Bridgwater Partnership and all the councils concerned, we're going to try and regenerate Bridgwater and really hopefully get more traders trading in Bridgwater and get more people spending in Bridgwater."

Shepton Mallet

Plans are expected to be submitted in October for a major retail development. Costing between £35 - 45m, the scheme would see a retail centre of 190,000 sq ft, cinema, hotel and 200 flats being built.

Shepton could be inline for a £35-45m development

Financial expert Stuart Le Gassick who is behind the scheme said: "Since I moved here about three years ago it became apparent that there wasn't much retail scope for my wife and family.

"It became a problem and it looked like Shepton Mallet was dying a death so we looked at the whole area and decided [Wells] be the most appropriate town to concentrate on to provide something to the locals."

Mr Le Gassick is working alongside local developer Kevin Newton. A spokesperson for the council said they would welcome the development with "open arms" and were excited about seeing the proposals.

"The reason for doing it and the reason retailers will come to Shepton Mallet is a simple one: The Amulet Theatre and BAPA (Bristol Academy for Performing Arts) which doesn't really get the respect and support that it requires, but that is where the students will come.

"As soon as it gets accreditation from being 40 students to 400, the students will be the heartbeat of Shepton Mallet. Once that goes into place you'll find bars, pubs and so on will fill up with the students. That will bring life into the town which will bring in development which will then bring in the retailers which will bring in the people."

Wells

Sally Robertson from Wells Chamber of Commerce said some of the city's small independent retailers were finding the recession "fairly tough".

Three national shops have closed in Wells

"It's not easy and we're lucky that we get a good amount of tourists," she said.

"With businesses, if they're growing, they're holding their own but they're facing rising costs of business rates and fuel and energy so I wouldn't like to say they're looking up, but we appear to be holding our own."

Woolworths, Subway and a travel agent (which was part of a national closure) are the only shops which have closed in the town. It is hoped the old Woolworths unit will be turned into a hotel or boutique store.

Investment is coming in the way of a new Waitrose store which would create 120 full and part-time jobs which is expected to open in 2012.

Paul Clarke from Discovery Properties, a company which helps Waitrose plan future stores, said Wells had been a target town for Waitrose for a number of years and "the difficulties have been in finding a suitable site".

Ms Robertson said: "We're pleased with news of investment is coming to Wells with jobs and the snowball affect it will have in the city we hope."