business feedback

If you’d like to get involved in the development of the plan, either in terms of joining the steering group, offering professional support or just a bit of help in organizing things or delivering information round the village, then please get in touch with either Alison Widdup (830941) or Andy Scull (831735) or by email to: Addinghamplan@aol.com.

1.  Prosperity & regeneration

Parking

Issues

• There is a lack of parking areas for residents, business owners and employees and visitors.
• Some available areas, eg the Memorial Hall car park is not used for parking by employees (even though it was thought it was a condition of the planning consent for the nursery that the 10 staff would use it) and is not used by residents and shoppers because they are not sure if they are allowed to park there.
• Consequently, Main St is clogged up at all times with parked vehicles. These and the prevalent yellow lines make it more difficult for businesses to receive deliveries and for shoppers to stop.
• A second car park (The Bookshop?) has a 2 hour limit, but is not policed and consequently some cars remain there indefinitely.

Ideas

• Memorial Hall car park is in use only when functions are on – mostly evenings. Encourage or enforce employees to park there and make it clear to visitors it can be used for parking when no functions in progress. If parking was (a) limited and (b) payable, this would generate small return for the Memorial Hall and/ or the village.
• Local school was interested in letting visitors use their car park at weekends and during school holidays. Why has this not been actioned? Visitor numbers increase at weekends and in school holidays. Again has potential to generate small income for the school and ease congestion on Main Street.
• Permits – for residents and local businesses?
• Information campaign, eg “considerate parking campaign”?
• Review yellow lines.
• Enforce two hour limit in car parks or on streets.
• Shift working for wardens to monitor.

Developing trade / more visitors

Issues

• Brown tourist signs direct the traffic away from Addingham toward Bolton Abbey, Ilkley or Skipton – but there is a need to encourage more visitors who currently drive by on the bypass, unaware of the local amenities.
• Road signs to Addingham are needed specifically on the road from Silsden and the A59 from Bolton Abbey.
• Lots of good walking nearby e.g. Dales Way.
• There is a need for free advertising and help with promotion.

Ideas

• Additional road signs, especially signs which make passing traffic aware of local amenities and attractions, including the pubs which have their own car parks and also hold events.
• A leaflet with map, services and attractions of the village – to be distributed via tourist information centres.
• A village guide – would need to develop a village identity and ensure that events and attractions are listed and updated frequently.
• Leaflet or guide to local walks, beauty spots and refreshment spots – people already ask “Where’s the way to the Dalesway” – this is a market which can be developed more.
• Put post-cards, guides or leaflets in every shop and pub.
• Have a feature on Addingham in Yorkshire Post.
• Put more information on information boards – visitors do stop and read!
• Website is good – but does it list every business and either link to their website or have space for pictures and descriptions?
• Plan events – themed around local heritage, perhaps, eg weekend long festival? People spoke about the difficulty of organising events such as the gala, insurance problems and lack of interest in organising etc…….. therefore there would need to be a committed team of people with an interest in investing time in planning and organising such events to attract visitors.
• St Peters got a grant from Heritage fund for a medieval festival – is this something to build on?
• Audit of disability access.

Shop fronts

• It had been suggested some shop fronts could do with sprucing up. This was not felt to be the case, although if cash incentives were available, shop owners would be delighted! Only one shop is empty.

Postal Facilities

Isues

• Town Head Mills/Trading Centre comprises about 10 small businesses all of whom will undoubtedly use the postal services.  Visiting the Post Office in the village is nothing short of nightmare in terms of parking and more importantly posting letters.  However we will all no doubt continue to use the services of the Post Office for stamps, sending parcels etc. 

Ideas

• there is a need for a post box within easy access of the business community at the top of the village (Town Head Mills) Most businesses have mail of one sort or the other most days and a conveniently situated post box would be so helpful.  This could possibly be placed at the entrance to the Mills.

2. Children & young people

Issues

• Biggest issue is affordable housing for people born in the village – possible danger of an aging population?
• Little or no issues with drugs, vandalism etc.
• Local school is brilliant – lots of after-school events.

Ideas

• Some of the businesses already take young people on work experience and are willing to do more of this.
• Some of the businesses receive school visits.
• Some business owners would welcome the opportunity to act as role models for young people and perhaps go into schools to talk about business.

3. Safer Communities

Issues

• On the whole, the village has a very safe feel to it. There is a small risk that, if not protected, increased visitor numbers could lead to increased incidents, from larking about to petty crime.

Ideas

• A community bobby would be very welcomed – to enforce parking restrictions and to enhance safety.
• Police community liaison officers or community wardens may have a crime and grime agenda – but need to have presence some evenings as well as day.

4. Health & well being for all

• There are lots of great walks round the village

5. Improving the environment

Issues

• Total lack of bins for dog dirt – possible need for signs too?
• No cleansing of streets and pavements – shop-keepers have to sweep up tab ends daily; mechanised road sweepers go round the parked cars.
• Lack of recycling provision: specifically BMDC no longer collect bottles from the pubs; the Crown offered to have a community bottle bank – but it never arrived. Also many businesses generate a large amount of cardboard. 
• There is a need for a community recycling site

Ideas

• the Crown could have a community bottle bank
• street scene sharing timetable
• dog dirt bins at strategic positions
• set up a recycling facility for business users too

6. Strong & cohesive communities

Issues

• The village has a great sense of community and everyone rallies round if there’s a problem (e.g. recent school issues). However, the village needs a sense of identity

Ideas

• Links to ideas around marketing and promoting the village

Further points :

• The Crown offered to display Parish Council minutes & newsletter in the bar.
• Volunteers will be needed to drive any of the above ideas forward. The Parish Council volunteered to facilitate regular meetings of the business group.
• Suggested the Parish Council does an audit of disabled access in the village.
• Notes of the meeting to be circulated.