Measures are being taken to support shop owners on Poole High Street as they continue to struggle to survive.
The only dedicated toy store in Poole town Centre is set to close this month, reflecting another example of the difficult situation for high street shops in Poole.
Poole Town Centre Partnership Chairman Jonathan Sibbett said: “All high streets and town centres in the UK are facing one of the most challenging periods known to retailers.”
Poole Town Centre Partnership has come up with measures to provide help and support to businesses.
“These measures would include working with the council on encouraging more flexibility of planning through a local development order and lobbying with the councils to become more flexible with its car-parking prices,” said Mr Sibbett.
“Other more practical actions include direct promotion of the town through promotional activity as well as improving the look and feel of the high street such as local advertising campaigns and planned refurbishment of street furniture,” he added.
The Local Development Order that aimed to make it easier for new business to open up in Poole town centre has been in consultation process, according to Ceri Lewis, communication officer for Poole council.
According to Mr Sibbett, one of the reasons people prefer to go out of town for shopping is because they want to avoid parking fees.
“If car parking prices in the town centre could go down, it would encourage people to shop there more often,” he said.
Main image credit: Miao Cai
