Wickford Town Centre

From: Geoff Dowdall, Wickford
Date: 2 December 2008

Comments

A severely edited copy of this letter was recently published in the Echo which I feel did not get across my views as intended, so I would appreciate if you would print in its entirety. Thanks

I moved to Wickford some 2 1/2 years ago. I hoped that the new homes and retail outlets would breathe new life into the area.
I have read many letters in the Echo, and viewed comments on the www.wickfordactiongroup.org.uk web site, regarding these new developments, most of them negative in approach.
Many people I am sure would like to live in a 4 bed detached in a 1/3 of an acre but have no choice but to rent or buy a flat, some like myself do it through choice.

What is so special about Wickford at the moment? In the High Street buildings are encrusted with years of pigeon droppings. Shops with weeds growing between the paving and the shop walls, the pavements littered with cigarette ends, covered in chewing gum, and again pigeon droppings.

I have read letters regarding the feared future loss of renowned restaurants and local traditional shops.
Has anybody looked at www.scoresonthedoors.org.uk/? Some of these old established fresh food outlets scored 0/5 for health and hygiene standards, one of the ’renowned’ restaurants scored 1/5.

The High Street needs a new image. The local shops could clear the weeds, sweep away the cigarette ends from their doorways (it is usually their own staff or customers who leave them) and clean up the pigeon muck on their doorstep? I know its not their responsibility, but it is their town and livelihood. 
A lot of new money is coming to town, money that will not be spent in Wickford unless it smartens up its act.
If these premises want be part of the new Wickford they need to get their acts into place and offer the residents a clean and pleasant place to spend their money in.

The new influx of residents will bring about changes when they vote where to spend their money. More multi national stores will not come to Wickford, but new clean and modern outlets, providing a variety of services will, and hopefully take pride in their environment maintaining it clean and tidy.

Wickford is going to change and it could be to the benefit of us all when it does. 
Yes we need the infrastructure, yes we need a new swimming pool, library and health facilities, but what comes first, the chicken or the egg?
With a growing population come a lot of new voters, who hopefully will feel a sense of local pride to vote for changes.

Comment from Wickford Action Group

As long term residents of Wickford, and having witnessed many 'regeneration' plans by councillors, planners and developers, I think we can be forgiven for being sceptical about the latest promises. Yes, the town is in a mess, but the reason we may seen to be negative about the latest regeneration plans is that we very strongly believe that building over 700 flats in the town centre in 5, 6 and 7 storey blocks IS NOT the answer. The first one to be erected is along the bypass - can anyone seriously regard this tower block as a reasonable place to live and bring up a family?

We do agree with you about the dirty pavements, although the council does occasionally arrange to send in a clean up team and removes the graffiti, but people will still drop rubbish in the streets - which towns don't suffer from this? 

I'm sure you're aware that we do already have a swimming pool, library and health facilities, and as council tax payers we expect these to be refurbished or upgraded as part of the normal process, and not used as a gimmick by the council and their development friends to get more blocks of flats.

(Wickford Action Group)