How to revive the health of Sidmouth's high street > all businesses invited to urgent meeting > Thursday 26th April

Businesses in Sidmouth have been calling for something to be done about the precarious state of the high street:
Futures Forum: How to revive the health of high streets > "We could maybe look at ways we could help local shops, which use locally-sourced produce, through some kind a business rate relief."

Indeed, East Devon's MP has offered to meet up with businesses: 

Sir Hugo told the Herald he would be more than happy to arrange a meeting for people to voice their concerns.

Sir Hugo said: “People’s shopping patterns are changing and, more and more, people are shopping online – this has been a concern for sometime. We can’t change this, but we can be more creative in helping to fill the high street with independent shops and not chains. We need to think of how we can retain our independent stores and encourage more into the town. We could maybe look at ways we could help local shops, which use locally-sourced produce, through some kind a business rate relief. One way we could do this is by turning some shops back into affordable accommodation. We wold then have families and communities living near the high street, regenerating the town centre.”

Sir Hugo said that, to make a difference, local authorities would need to lobby the Government to recognise the problem that independent stores are finding it hard to survive.

A date for the meeting has yet to be set.

Urgent meeting called to discuss Sidmouth High Street’s survival before it’s too late | Latest Sidmouth and Ottery News - Sidmouth Herald
Hugo Swire | Conservative MP for East Devon

The date for that meeting has now been set: 

Sidmouth and Ottery breaking news and sport - Sidmouth Herald
.
.
.