Rebirth hope for ‘forgotten’ town after cash boost
£750,000 GRANT IS A ‘SHOT IN THE ARM’
AN East Yorkshire town could be reborn after “years of being forgotten” thanks to a government grant.
Councillor David Jeffreys said the £750,000 grant, awarded to six projects in Goole, including for repairs to its Market Hall and Victoria Pleasure Ground, would be a “shot in the arm”.
The independent councillor for Goole South added it would help shed its “tired” image and encourage new arrivals to stay in the town.
The councillor’s comments come as East Riding Council announced Goole had been awarded the grant from its Towns Deal fund.
Goole was among 101 northern and Midland towns shortlisted for the scheme, which could see it awarded up to £25m if its bid is successful.
The full bid is due to be submitted by January 2021, with the new £750,000 coming from accelerated funding.
The £750,000 is set to be put towards coronavirus town centre relief funding, parks and leisure improvements, Oakhill Nature Reserve and a “Kickstart” moped scheme to help young people into work.
The first phase of works to Goole Market Hall have received £190,000, while repairs to Victoria Pleasure Ground will receive £110,000.
Cllr Jeffreys said he was “elated” when he heard Goole had been awarded the money.
Cllr Jeffreys said: “The money is really welcome. We’ve been working on this for 12 to 15 months now, and residents have been asking where it’s going and what we’re doing on it.
“Oakhill Nature Reserve is getting money because the new Siemens factory is going to encroach on its land.
“Funding g for the p precinct is long g overdue, , it’s looking very tired now. Hopefully the money will bring some life back to the area.
“Money for the Market Hall will go to repairs that were needed anyway, but at least this funding stops the building from getting worse.
“Some of the bigger stores in the centre have been left empty, and the old buildings that went up when the town had money need repairs.
“The problem is the business rates can be high and when you include bills, thousands would be spent before turning a penny. And we’ve got a train station that takes people straight to Leeds and Doncaster.
“We need more niche shops so we have something different that can draw people in.
“I and other Goole councillors have been pushing for an outdoor market from the word go.
“We’ve put that to East Riding Council, and if it goes ahead it should hopefully encourage more people to come to the precinct.
“We’ve already y had q quite a lot of site visits to see where we could put the stalls and to work out parking issues.”
Cllr Jeffreys said the money would also help renovate parks in the town left out from earlier rounds of funding.
He said: “West Park got a lot of lottery funding years ago. It’s a beautiful park now.
“But South Park really needs more attention. We’re looking at increasing the park area and bringing in a new building for football teams, as well as facilities for the disabled.
“Other small project we’re looking at is improving the Riverside Gardens in Hook Road.
“There’s an old bowls hut down there that got left years ago, which is such a shame because it’s a lovely little area. People still walk down there now.
“We’re looking at repairing the hut and turning it into a small café. If you want to go somewhere with a café, you have to go to West Park.
“When I and some Goole town councill lors went down to look at it, passersby asked us what we were doing. When we told them about the plans they were delighted.
“We’ve also got the funding for the Victoria Pleasure Ground, which has been the home of football in Goole for at least 100 years.
“The pitches and facilities are very dated now, but it’s still well booked.”
The councillor said the money would be used alongside efforts to put Goole “on the map” as workers move into the town for the new Siemens plant and other businesses.
Cllr Jeffreys said: “Siemens has built its new warehouse nearby, and it is going to be setting up more facilities here.
“Our MP Andrew Percy has been pushing for improvements to Tom Pudding Way, and that whole area’s very attractive now.
“We’ve got Beal Homes building between 600 and 800 homes, and I’ve heard some other companies are interested in other plots of land for development. There will be a big influx of people coming to Goole, so we have to make it attractive for them to stay and spend their money here.”
Cllr Jeffreys said the money would help Goole live up to its “vibrant” feel after years of looking “tired”.
The councillor said: “There is a feeling of Goole being a forgotten town.
“But us councillors are working very hard to address that. It’s a nice little town.
“Like any other town, we have our problems, but not on the scale of other places. “I speak to people who’ve just moved here, and they always comment on how friendly Goole people are.
“We’ve got some younger councillors in now who are coming up with fresh ideas. “We’ve also hopefully got the £25m to come. All in all, there’s a lot going on at the moment and it’s good for the people of Goole to see things happening, it’s just what Goole needs.”
There is a feeling of Goole being a forgotten town. But us councillors are working very hard to address that Cllr David Jeffreys