£80,000 facelift for Church Gate and Humberstone Gate East in Leicester city centre
Two city centre streets are to be spruced up to make them more attractive to shoppers and businesses.
Leicester City Council will spend £80,000 improving Church Gate and Humberstone Gate East.
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Deputy city mayor Rory Palmer said the extra cash will help to improve two independent shopping areas
Work could include redecorating shop fronts, improving signs and installing benches and bins.
Traders in Church Gate said the investment – approved this week by the city council – was welcomed, but many felt that the area needed more cash spent and cheaper parking to make a real difference.
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Alex Hill, 24, assistant manager at Game World, said: "It's a great idea to put some money into the area. Church Gate tends to be forgotten."
However, hairdresser Nicola Goddard, 47, of Cutting Edge, said: "We need nicer shop fronts but cheaper parking would make an even bigger difference by encouraging people to stay and shop longer in the area."
Peter Lay, 64, owner of Pete's Pets, said the money would make little difference.
"We need more than £40,000," he said. "But we could do with more attractive shop fronts."
The proposals drew a similar reaction in Humberstone Gate East, where some traders said they felt "cut off" from the main city centre.
"I think it's a good thing if they actually do it," said restaurateur Carlos Tarrares Ferreira, of Altro Mondo.
"The council seems to promise quite a lot for this area but doesn't deliver.
"At the minute, it's very run down. I'd like to see some measures that make it feel more part of the main city centre area, to improve passing custom."
Steven Jones, at Hands Cleaners, said: "I'd like to see the area looking better.
"Money should be spent on trees and green areas and building fronts should be painted to brighten the street up."
However Saman Mohammed, of Leicester Butchers, said: "I think the area is fine how it is and it doesn't really need improving."
The council said it would be working with shop owners and residents to decide what the money should be spent on.
Earlier this year the authority agreed to spend £600,000 on similar improvements in Narborough Road, Granby Street, The Golden Mile and Belgrave Gate. So far work has only begun in the Golden Mile.
Dharmesh Lakhani, chairman of Belgrave Business Association, said: "New signs and banners promoting the Golden Mile have gone up and improvements to shop fronts will begin soon.
"It's all been very positive. Our priority has been to make sure the limited money available is spent wisely."
Deputy city mayor Rory Palmer said: "This extra cash will help improve two more of the city's independent shopping areas.
"We recognise that these are difficult times for retailers and are working closely with traders to ensure we can provide the right support."
Comments
by leicestergel
Saturday, July 21 2012, 2:02PM
“After spending this money,where does the deputy clown expect people to come from and park?Not many want to pay a fortune,walk for ages,just to do a quick call to a shop.Why not have parking like Loughboro.Parking free if spending minimum amount required.
Leicester City Circus is choking the City .”
by Grant2010
Saturday, July 21 2012, 9:03AM
“As a taxpayer (ratepayer etc) by should I pay for car parking, sprucing up shop fronts or in any other giving support to private businesses. I have to pay if I want to spruce up my premises or provide parking for visitors etc., I do not expect taxpayers to foot the bill. This is especially so, when cuts are being made in our social services, that are leading to serious problems and distress including death due to neglect of those in need of support. The business demanding such support from taxpayer are the real social scroungers that should be damned ashamed of their selfishness. I for one will avoid them and that includes the multi-national.”
by leicestergel
Friday, July 20 2012, 7:52PM
“..garyb...welll stated and questioned.”
by garyb2011
Friday, July 20 2012, 12:49PM
“And what exactly will the 80k be spent on?
Some hanging baskets (that will take six months to put up) or some pathetic 'One Leicester' banners?!
If the LM must print these empty announcements can they please ask for the detail:
How much?
On What?
When?
How long will it take to complete?”
by llamalamb
Friday, July 20 2012, 7:55AM
“If there is any money to spend it should be used to lower the cost of shopper car parking. A recent study in the US has shown that there is a direct link between increased parking charges and lower retail footfall leading to lower profits for shops.
Parking does need to be controlled but parking fees should be reclaimable against expenditure in the city centre shops. It is not rocket science, it already operates in Loughborough. If you park in the Rushes car park and spend at least £10 then you get up to two hours parking fee refunded from participating stores.
This is fair on both shoppers and shop keepers and helps keep the retail footfall figures up.
Why does the city council want to turn the city shopping area into a ghost town just to boast about how much income they make from car parking charges. I'm sure the lost business rates on empty shops is a far greater loss than the profit from car parking.”
by nursemad
Thursday, July 19 2012, 11:59PM
“Businesses should upgrade their own shop fronts or go bust. I have no sympathy, and don't ask for money to do up my own house .. as it is privately owned, as are such shops. Why should the tax payer pay??”
by Grant2010
Thursday, July 19 2012, 4:25PM
“£80,000 to help businesses when cuts are hitting the less able so hard has to cause death and despondency, this is an indefensible misuse of taxpayers money on crass commercialism. What happen to Ted Heaths Tories who said no more support for lame duck industries. Please don't tell me Soulsby isn't a Tory. Business need to up their act and stop demanding more and more, whilst preaching others should have less and less. If the cannot survive then they must accept the fruits of years of monetary policies, that in reality have made working people poorer and poorer disguised by accesses to credit cards and loans.”
by leicestergel
Thursday, July 19 2012, 2:28PM
“s t u r d e e”
by leicestergel
Thursday, July 19 2012, 2:27PM
“..crash!...porky pie is doing a great job for developing businesses in Eyres Monsell.Especially the shops on S****ee Road !Have a look.Another circus joke.”
by crasherkid36
Thursday, July 19 2012, 12:53PM
“Hey Rory,
Erm, aren't you meant to represent Eyres Monsell as well, where do you get time to do both, I dont know!
I certainly dont have time to do two jobs, but I bet the extra councillors wage comes in handy!
What about the problems on our estate...
Start with the poorly maintained roads, the speed humps, oh the speed humps, if I could ever afford to throw some money at an independent survey of what damage can be done to cars by those speed humps.....”