Town already on the up and aiming higher

“ASHBOURNE has been in decline for several years”, said district councillor Dermot Murphy in a passionate plea for support of the town’s Levellingup Fund bid. But is it really in decline?

Wherever we get to with our £15.42 million bid, it’s important to take a detailed look at where the town is now, compared with how it was before the pandemic, when the town team formed and we started taking stock of what was needed to improve it.

Firstly, look at how few shops are standing empty compared with, say, three years ago.

We’ve learned this week the former Waitrose building will soon have a new owner, and work is underway to transform the downstairs retail space at Bennett’s, and it is uderstood a tenant is already lined up to take it on.

The former gentleman’s outfitters Graves of Ashbourne has been empty for a while, but it is one of very few in need of an occupier in the heart of the town. St John Street looked very different three years ago.

Look around the Market Place, Church Street, Dig Street and Compton and you’ll find very few shops still standing empty. The same goes for Victoria Square, Wellington Yard, even the Shaw Croft Centre and Horse and Jockey Yard.

Ashbourne might once have had a problem with empty shops, but it really doesn’t any more. Not compared with most UK market towns.

We have a new pavilion, a brand new restaraunt with hotel rooms to follow soon, a new bandstand on its way, a new cinema and theatre complex under development, and a Market Place that’s bustling with life thanks to new outdoor seating. We’ve even had our grass verges cut at last.

So, Councillor Murphy, we would argue that Ashbourne was in decline, but so much has already been done to reverse that decline. Ashbourne is now on the up.

Just imagine how much more we could do with a £15 million cash injection. It’s an exciting time.