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Time for a town centre rethink – 6
This is number 6 in our short series of planned posts looking at the questions, challenges and some possible solutions around the future of Chesterfield town centre. We’ve a few more to come in advance of our meeting to discuss the issue on 27 February – see the bottom of this post for more information.…
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Time to rethink our town centre – 5
Times are tough and we need to make it easier for businesses to start up by offering smaller units and tailoring the size to be just below the threshold for business rates. This would encourage new independents to try their luck alongside the existing independent offering. The free off-peak parking for residents has been a…
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Time for a town centre rethink – 4
As an example of perhaps radical thinking elsewhere, we take a look at what’s happening at Nottingham’s Broad Marsh Shopping Centre in this post. Perhaps we should actually say the former Broad Marsh shopping centre; as this mid-1970s shopping beacon has, in reality, had a mixed reception ever since it was opened. Now it lies mostly…
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Time to rethink our town centre – 3
During the last 20 – 30 years traditional creators of footfall in the town centre have disappeared. Chesterfield Royal and Scarsdale Hospitals have moved. Robinsons, Markham’s, the tube works and Donkins are all now gone and aren’t coming back! Perhaps there needs to be work done to encourage major bodies such as educational institutions and…
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Time for a town centre rethink – 2
We need to give people a reason to visit our town centre. Play areas for children (indoor and outdoor) might be one attraction. Imagine kids playing in water fountains in the summer – and asking their parents to visit the town. Is there a role for more leisure? Maybe a boutique cinema that offers food…
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Time for town centre rethink – 1
This is the first in a short-series of posts in the run-up to our public meeting, on whether we need to rethink Chesterfield town centre, on 27th February. Town centres the world over are having to change. Online shopping, out-of-town shopping centres and supermarkets have meant that for everyone shopping habits have changed dramatically; add…
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Plaques progress
There’s progress to report the Civic Society’s blue plaque scheme – one new to be installed shortly, with a replacement also planned. A new plaque – for the Winding Wheel The new plaque will be installed on the Winding Wheel, in February. It commemorates the building’s origins and current use – now a popular entertainment…
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Town centre future discussion meeting
The Civic Society wants your views on the future of Chesterfield’s town centre and we are holding a meeting to discuss this on the evening of 27 February. Though the borough council have successively invested in the town centre, like most other towns and cities, the changing face of retail is having an adverse impact.…
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Cautious welcome for Tapton House decision
Chesterfield and District Civic Society have given a cautious welcome to Chesterfield Borough Council’s recent decision on Tapton House and are welcoming ‘due diligence’ moves to be taken on the bid. At the council’s cabinet meeting on 13 December 2022 a decision was taken to lease the property to Stone Castle Enterprises Ltd. for a 999-year term.…
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Latest committee meeting
Our committee meets around every two months or so to discuss issues around the Chesterfield area. Our latest meeting looked at arrangements for placing our next blue plaque – on the Winding Wheel in Chesterfield (probably in January) and progress on our planned town trail leaflet, amongst other issues. Like others, we remain concerned about…
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