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'More can be done to bring people to town
MORE could be done to attract shoppers to the town centre, according to traders.
Their comments come after the strategy group of Daventry District Council (DDC) met to discuss a report into changes to the authority's ambitions for developing and improving the district from 2008 to 2011 in light of the current economic climate.
The report said DDC is aiming for a zero per cent increase in the number of people visiting the town centre and the amount they will spend.
The report noted the figure was due to the delay in developing the retail area proposed in the council's Masterplan for the redevelopment of the town.
Peter Harper, who owns Harpers in Sheaf Street, said: "If organisations including DDC and the Daventry Town Centre Partnership (TCP) were more proactive in promoting what the town has rather than what it hopes to have then there would be more people who would come to the town."
His views were echoed by fellow trader Davinder Dosanjh, manager of The Paper Shop in High Street.
He said: "I am not surprised by those figures. It shows these people have a lack of imagination. If they used some then more people would come to the town."
Speaking at the strategy meeting, held on Thursday last week, councillor Chris Over defended the figures saying: "Given the current economic circumstances, these figures are quite sensible and realistic."
The changes to the report - known as the Corporate Strategic Plan - were agreed by councillors.
The figures have been supported by the TCP which said footfall in town centres was down 5.5 per cent across the country.
Manager, Sally Halson, said: "For DDC to be setting a target that aims to halt this pattern is realistic, the challenge in the current economic climate and one Daventry Town Centre Partnership aims to address is to reverse the current direction."
She added the TCP will be organising events to encourage businesses into the town, as well as campaigns to promote specific firms and services.
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Weather for Daventry
Saturday 04 February 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: -1 C to 2 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
Wind direction: South
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: -0 C to 3 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: West
