Ashmore Park Shopping Parade

There has been a great deal of campaigning done over the years concerning this Shopping Parade and whilst some issues have been dealt with. There are still others that have to be addressed.

Councillor Phil Bateman said today " I have contacted the department about the requirements of this shopping centre, just before Christmas Officers were looking at the issues I have raised, I am still waiting for answers to some of those questions.

There has been a great deal of campaigning done over the years concerning this Shopping Parade and whilst some issues have been dealt with. There are still others that have to be addressed.

But the issues are quite clear. We need to have this District Shopping Centre looking good and being safe for its customers.

I have been arguing for a long time now that the walking surface is currently not safe, I have highlighted the number of pedestrian falls and I have called for an updated walking surface that is not only safe but look so good as well. Also is in line with the historical theme of the conservation area around the moat.

But the request does not end there, the canopies and the shops thereselves could do with a lick of paint to freshen them up and to make the area look a little less forbidding.

I am informed that the Shopping Parade itself is doing good trade and that the shopping precinct is amongst the best performing of the local authority assets. We want to see it doing even better, more than that, the Estate needs a shopping centre that looks as though it is alive and not depressingly threatening...... Currently it looks drab!

I am informed that the Authority is not able to find the £20,000 required to carry out the attention to the walking surface. My call is why not? We and our residents have been calling for this action long enough. We know that the covered walkway is also under threat as there are supports now in place to strengthen the structure. I am quite unhappy with the response from the Officers at the moment. The Local Government Minister Raynsford visited the Parade last year and we showed him the issues. I am keen to see if we can move this Parade forward and I shall be requesting a meeting with City Officials to discuss just how we can do this."