The North Shropshire Economic Forum has thrown its support behind our We Mean Business Campaign ahead of a crunch meeting on ways to preserve town centres across the district.
Forum officials are inviting people to the meeting at Hawkstone Park Hotel on January 27 to brainstorm ideas to help local producers, traders, and retailers in the market towns overcome the economic crisis.
A report and action plan from the meeting will be presented to the new unitary authority when it is set up in April.
Barbara Rainford, spokeswoman for Prees Green based catering firm Strawberry Fields and a member of the economic forum, said: “We are trying to find out the best way to help our town centres survive and prosper.
“We realised that the best way would be to find out from people’s knowledge and experience.
“Some people say that the high streets will disappear altogether – can you imagine Whitchurch or Ellesmere without the shops?
“What will be the impact on tourism?
“We can’t just sit back and say it’s inevitable. The only thing that is inevitable is change – but it can be change for the better.
“The North Shropshire Chronicle is important because the shopkeepers advertise in it and it is read by the general public – it’s about local issues that are really important to local people.”
The forum meets every two months and is attended by delegates from businesses, organisations and councils from across North Shropshire, covering the market towns of Whitchurch, Wem and Ellesmere.
The forum has supported projects such as promoting markets in each of the market towns, and backing the North Shropshire Loyalty Card Scheme which encourages people to shop locally.
The meeting on January 27 will start at 6pm.
For more details contact Barbara Rainford at bar@strawberryfields.com or ring 01948 840102.