Mark Pawsey MP meets Mary Portas in Westminster.
Following her visit to Rugby earlier this year, MP Mark Pawsey met with high street guru Mary Portas yesterday at a meeting in the House of Commons. Mary has been appointed by David Cameron to lead an independent review into the future of the high street. The purpose of the review is to identify what government, local authorities and businesses can do to promote the development of more prosperous and diverse high streets.
Speaking after the meeting Mark said:
“It was great to meet Mary to discuss the focus of her review in greater detail. This review is long overdue as the changes in patterns of trade mean that a larger proportion of goods are now bought on the internet or at out-of-town shopping centres. Town centres like Rugby have been seriously affected, with many now too big for their population size. This means that many town centres will become smaller with retail units at their edge reverting to other uses. An alternative approach is to increase the number of consumers for town centre retailers by building more housing and Mary acknowledged that Rugby aspires to this route with it’s anticipated housing development over the next few years”.
Mark continued:
“It is important to also recognise that town centres have evolved from purely shopping centres to social meeting places. Rugby residents visit the town centre for entertainment and to access local services, such as the excellent Rugby library. But in encouraging town centre development we must not settle for uniformity. Rugby is in a position to showcase its heritage, and by highlighting our connection with the game of Rugby Football in the aftermath of the recent Rugby World Cup and the tournament in England in 2015 we have a distinct advantage”.
Mark concluded:
“I am delighted that Mary visited Rugby as part of her review and she clearly enjoyed speaking to retailers here. She indicated that the views she heard will play a part in her final recommendations and I look forward to reading them. I have pledged to do all that I can to support the prosperity of Rugby’s town centre, and this will be achieved by our local Council, traders and businesses coming together, not just for now but for generations to come”.