Oswestry needs more jobs call
A market town which has lost 400 jobs over the last decade could turn the tide by becoming a Business Improvement District.
Empty building, vacant sites and better traffic flow and parking are just some of the priorities being held up
Oswestry companies are being balloted over whether the area should be a BID Town. If they vote yes would mean each trader with a rateable value of over £12,000 would pay 1.74 per cent extra on their rates, levering in £1.5 million in five years for improvement projects.
More than 100 people attended a meeting at North Shropshire College this week to hear details from those behind the initiative.
Ian Follington, who is a professional business consultant, and chairman of BID said Oswestry needed a helping hand.
"The area has lost 400 jobs since 2010, a six per cent drop. That is against the run of the rest of the county which has seen a three per cent increase in jobs."
"Yet we are in a prime location on the junction with the A5 and the A483, which should be a strong selling point to attract new businesses and to attract investment in existing businesses."
"We want to put Oswestry on the map and make the most of our prime location, the main route into Wales. We are not trying to turn Oswestry into a Telford but instead build on the pluses that we already have.
Mr Follington said the aim was for a diverse range of businesses.
"We want to attract some big names but also we want to see the town as a place for starter businesses and entepreneurs, whether young people setting up their first project or someone growing a farm or kitchen table business."
"Why not make Oswestry into a good place to start a business, working with North Shropshire College to increase the skills of the local population.
"Oswestry has some wonderful independents, for instance Booka Bookshop. If Oswestry has the entrepreneurs to make a bookshop work in these days of Amazon, they can make anything work, with hard work and entrerprise."
The meeting was told the result of extensive surveys and workshops that have asked the local traders and companies their views on what is needed for the town.
Traffic was one main sticking point.
"If someone digs a hole in the road or it rains, then the whole town gets snarled up," Mr Follington said.
"If people manage to find their way to the main car park and get out of their cars, they need a warm welcome and good signing into the town centre."
He said a big majority of people pointed to empty buildings and vacant sites as one of the main points that needed addressing.
"If the majority of people vote for BID it will happened, if they don't it wont."
