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Stay longer in Witney
 
Witney Town Centre Forum

The Witney Town Centre Forum (WTCF) brings together officers from the town, district and county councils with representatives of the town's Chamber of Trade and Commerce and the Witney Independent Traders Association, the Woolgate Centre, Abingdon & Witney College, The Henry Box School and Stagecoach in Oxfordshire. It's focussed on improving the appeal of the town centre and looking at ways to promote trade. Among the initiatives already underway:
  • Improvements to the street scene with repainting and re-furbishing work on street furniture like benches, notice boards and bollards
  • The launch of a shoppers guide to the town centre called "Stay longer in Witney"
  • A litter awareness campaign
  • The creation of this dedicated website with an interactive map of the town to assist with locating shops and service providers
  • A focus on signs, both to guide visitors to the town centre and to get around when they arrive
  • Working on the parking regime and the availability of spaces to make sure that those who need to drive to the town centre can find a place to park.
OTCN's Iain Nicholson, who chairs the Witney Town Centre Forum, says: "The great thing about this group is that it brings the key players together round a table every month so that they're all up-to-speed on developments and can work together to make the improvements the town centre needs. It shows how much more can be achieved by sharing ideas, pooling resources and working together, and we're now starting to see real benefits for the town."

Cllr Warwick Robinson, Cabinet Member with responsibility for Economic Development at West Oxfordshire District Council said: "The creation of the Witney Town Centre Forum has come at a very exciting time for Witney with the creation of new retail outlets in Marriotts Close and the redevelopment of Witney and Abingdon College. Witney is now competing with other market towns in the area and we need to ensure that we are able to offer an attractive mix of retail in a pleasant environment."

Cllr Alvin Adams, Mayor of Witney, said: "Witney has a wonderful town centre and an exciting mix of high street brands and unique independent retailers. We also want to encourage people to visit some of the open spaces in the town including the Leys and Church Green as well as taking time to visit some of the attractions like Cogges Manor Farm and the Town Museum."

Lesley Semaine, Chairman of Witney Chamber, says: "It is proving to be very valuable to have all the key organisations in the town centre involved in this group. It means that we can work together on new initiatives and if there are any issues we can tackle them together for the good of the town."

Rodney Hartnell, Manager of the Woolgate Centre, says: "The Witney Town Centre Forum focuses on improving the town centre by linking agencies, sharing information and identifying responsibilities in order to maintain the town's appeal. I believe the formation of the group to be a positive move; bringing the various interested parties together has enabled issues to be resolved more effectively."

David Bell, Deputy Headteacher at The Henry Box School, says "Being a member of the Forum enables the school to play an active role in town centre developments."


 
    staylongerinwitney.co.uk is an initiative for the Witney Town Centre Forum.