Rayleigh and Wickford MP, Mark Francois, recently met with local Councillors and members of the ‘Wickford Town Team’, to discuss initiatives to help reinvigorate the Town Centre. Attendees at the meeting included Mr Paul Edwards, the Chairman of the Wickford Town Team, County Councillor Tony Ball, Basildon Borough Councillors Eunice Brockman and Don Morris, plus other local businesspeople and Basildon Council officials.
In discussions with Mark, as the local MP, members of the Wickford Town Team agreed three priorities to help revive business in the town, especially in and around the High Street.
These were: Firstly, to progress the re-development of the old Co-op supermarket with a new supermarket chain, as soon as possible. Secondly, to seek to ensure that the proposed rebuild of Wickford Station goes ahead. Thirdly, to try and create a new pub in the area (to accompany the new McDonald’s – which will reputedly be occupying the site of the now discounted Prezzo restaurant, near the far end of the High Street).
In addition, the Town Team will seek to encourage the creation of a new Business Improvement District (BID) before the end of the year – which has to be approved by a “referendum” of local businesses. If subsequently established, the BID would seek to deliver additional services to local businesses, including promoting Wickford as an attractive location in which to live, work, shop, and relax.
Commenting after the meeting, Mark Francois said:
“As Wickford’s MP, I was pleased to have an opportunity to meet with the Town Team, to discuss their ambitious plans to reinvigorate the Town Centre. I will try to assist in these proposals – the Co-op supermarket, the station and the new pub – both by lobbying Basildon Council and the Government for help, to bring these things about. I am already seeking an urgent meeting with Heriot, the developers who now own the Co-op site, to see what can be done there and I have also recently written to all of the major supermarket chains, seeking to drum up interest in the site. There is much to be done here and I will play my part.”
