By Gillian Ellison

Last updated 11:09, Thursday, 20 March 2008

RADICAL ideas have been put forward by Copeland’s MP to help rescue Whitehaven town centre.

UNITED FRONT: Coun Allan Mossop meets MP Jamie Reed

As well as holding talks with national companies about coming to the town, he wants to explore other possibilities. These include:

• introducing compulsory purchase orders on empty shops to make them bigger and more attractive to national chains;
• free market stall rents;
• rate relief for town centre traders;
• relocating 2,000 Sellafield workers into the town centre;
• creation of a dedicated company to clean and maintain sections of the town and harbour;
• retail outlets for local produce.

“These may or may not be feasible and need to be explored by businesses and the other agencies in the area not just the Council,” said Mr Reed. “The number one thing on the list is to get people off the Sellafield site and into the town centre.”

The MP said this would have a massive effect in getting life back into the town and increasing the spend. It could also help to attract bigger names to the town.

Although Mr Reed did not want to reveal which national stores he was talking to, he said there would be a better chance of them coming if there were bigger premises available. “If the council, with money from Cumbria Vision or elsewhere, could compulsorily purchase then there is a much better chance of attracting national chains. They could be turned into bigger units.”

The move follows concern from traders and shoppers about the decline of the town centre.

The business community, councillors and the MP are in favour of making a joint effort in getting people back into the town centre shopping and getting pride back into the town.

Last week Allan Mossop, chairman of the West Cumbria branch of Federation of Small Businesses, took the issues to Parliament as part of a national conference about Keeping Jobs Local. He also met up with Mr Reed.

“It is evident there is a genuine desire to do something to arrest the decline of the town centre, but Copeland Council must bear a lot of the responsibility and the desire to change if measures are to succeed,” said Mr Mossop, also a Copeland councillor.

Copeland has this week reaffirmed its commitment to the regeneration of the town centre (see page 14).

Coun Mossop also reported that Lord Cotter is steering a bill through Parliament which could mean an end to rate relief on empty business premises after six months. This could encourage landlords to lower the rent in order to have a shop occupied and avoid the rate burden.

MP Mr Reed is to meet market traders to discuss concerns. He said the economic activity the market gives the town should also be analysed as well as the possibility of scrapping rents for stallholders.

He is now calling on everyone including Copeland and Cumbria county councils, Cumbria Vision, West Lakes Renaissance, North West Development Agency and local businesses, to unite to unleash the “vast and untapped potential” of Whitehaven’s town centre.

He said: “Whitehaven has all the ingredients to make it one of the most attractive and prosperous town centres anywhere in the UK. We need to regenerate and invest from Distington to Millom, but a successful Whitehaven makes the surrounding towns and villages more successful.

“The traders and businesses in the town centre should be listened to and they need to see that their concerns are being addressed.”

A NEW project – Whitehaven Business Community – is fast gathering new members.

It was started by the Whitehaven Maritime Festival Company and there are already more than 50 members.

Its chief executive Gerard Richardson said: “It is a very significant point of contact for anyone wishing to liaise with the traders in town.”

He said it was also there to be used by Copeland Council to communicate with the traders.

Any town trader wanting to join should send their e-mail details to gerard@thefestival.org.uk.