Engage with investors
SOUTHPORT’S town centre is not alone in struggling to compete against online retailers and city shopping malls as the sector becomes more and more competitive.
The empty shops along Lord Street are testament to the impact of changing consumer habits, but many local people feel angry that the Labour Party in Sefton has done so little to help our once bustling town centre.
We urgently need a coherent strategy that will capitalise on our uniqueness – I believe the town still has so much to offer – but all I hear are bland statements about oversupply when surely our councillors should be working constructively and imaginatively to assist with the creation of more mixed use spaces in Southport town centre.
Other North West towns and cities have done it; and here in
Southport we have no shortage of historic buildings that naturally lend themselves to this type of development.
By working with private developers ground floor space can be successful commercial concerns with office space and homes above.
We don’t want to restrict the size of the town centre by having purely residential developments at each end of Lord Street; but well planned mixed use developments would keep the town centre busy most of the day.
The sad fact is that simply talking about the problem won’t solve anything.
Our councillors should be engaging with private investors, working with the council officers to secure planning permissions and issuing parking permits to those investing in property in the town centre.
Without elected representatives who understand how businesses operate, what investors want and how economic growth can be stimulated we will continue to be left behind and may reach at point at which catching up with other North West towns may be impossible.
As more than one person has said to me – when Southport has so much to offer, how can that possibly be allowed to happen?
Mike Prendergast
WAKE UP TO AUTISM
OUR charity wants the 2020s to be the decade where society finally starts to work for autistic children and adults.
Schools in your area have a key role to play in this – so we’re inviting them to get involved in World Autism Awareness Week (March 30–April 5).
One in every 100 children are autistic and almost three quarters go to mainstream schools.
Most people have heard of autism now.
But far too few know what it’s actually like to be autistic – both the unique strengths and how hard life can be if you have difficulties communicating or feel intense anxiety in social situations.
We have a range of free resources for schools (autism.org.uk/SAAW), including lesson plans, videos and posters.
If any readers work at a local school, please take a look.
We’re looking forward to working with lots of local schools.
Better understanding and support will improve the lives of the 700,000 autistic children and adults in the UK.
Caroline Stevens Chief executive of the National Autistic Society