A call has been made to speed up planned investment in one of York’s high streets.
City of York Council committed to a £50,000 cash boost for Acomb Front Street before the pandemic.
Investment in the street, along with Haxby – another ‘secondary shopping area’ outside the city centre, was signed off in 2018 – but has not yet been spent.
Labour’s deputy leader and spokesperson for the economy, councillor Claire Douglas, raised the issue at a council decision session.
Cllr Douglas, Labour leader councillor Pete Kilbane and York Central MP Rachael Maskell recently visited traders on Front Street, who told them they were trading at about 60 per cent of pre-pandemic levels.
She said: “The traders were supportive of the money allocated to the regeneration and stimulus for improvements for Front Street, but it seems their expectations of what that money would be used for doesn’t match the reality.
“Where is the money going to come from to push the Front Street improvements forward? And when will we see the physical evidence of improvements that will help our local economy and show a commitment to our local residents?
“Local people want to see the changes they’ve put forward considered and action now, not at some unknown future point point.”
Empty units
A council report stated that consultants have produced a series of proposals for the area based on feedback, with a paper now being prepared on options for the council’s executive.
Focus groups with local organisations in Haxby and Wigginton were scheduled to take place in January.
Cllr Andrew Waller, the executive member for economy and strategic planning, said during the meeting: “It is important to demonstrate that the economy across the whole city is important, not just the city centre. There is a keen interest in all locations.
“The pandemic meant that people rediscovered their local shopping parade, even if they didn’t use it before and therefore there’s a much keener identification and therefore there really must be demonstration of meeting those aspirations.”
Front Street has a lower than national average proportion of empty units, with occupancy rates having increased significantly over the past three years.
But the council acknowledges that “it is not immune from the challenges facing high streets across the country, including the impact of coronavirus”.
Acomb ward Cllr Katie Lomas said: “As a major shopping area outside the city centre, Front Street deserves investment both to support traders and to encourage Acomb, Westfield and Holgate residents to spend more of their money locally.”