City recovery group set up
A new group has been set up to support the city centre’s recovery and transformation after lockdown.
A new group has been set up to support Chichester city centre’s recovery and transformation as the country emerges from lockdown.
A special group will be established by Chichester District Council bringing together key retailers, businesses and partners to ensure priorities reflect what businesses in the area need.
The council’s cabinet has also agreed that supporting the visions for East Wittering and Bracklesham, Midhurst, Petworth and Selsey was vitally important, with feedback from these groups used to reinvigorate action plans and support given to these areas.
Martyn Bell, cabinet member for property, growth and regeneration, said: “Supporting the high street is one of the key objectives of our economic development strategy and is a key action within the proposed Covid-19 recovery plan.
“Following the coronavirus crisis, this work has now become more important than ever. Our high streets were already experiencing an extremely challenging environment pre-pandemic, and this has been exacerbated by coronavirus, and so we must do all that we can to support our businesses and high streets on their road to recovery.”
The high street recovery and transformation group aims to:
• Deliver targeted support programmes to retail businesses and other businesses seeking to locate in the district’s town centres
• Work with the Chichester BID and other organisations across the district to proactively support businesses that can contribute to a more diversified offer
• Support and develop the evening and night-time economy offer
• Support transformation of the high street
• Engage with the Government’s high street task force to utilise their emerging support.
Brendon Cook, chair of Chichester BID, said: “Chichester’s businesses are currently facing the biggest challenge they have ever, and probably will ever, experience, and we all need to work together to help our high street pull through the crisis.”
Dianne Lambdin, of Chichester Chamber of Commerce and Industry, added: “Finding practical solutions are essential to help sustain the business community and this needs to be inclusive of the many industry sectors that exist within the city.”