£25k investment to help improve centre of Wiltshire town

Councillors in Warminster are going ahead with a £25,000 investment to improve the town’s image and attract more shoppers and tourists.

The town council is working in partnership with the Warminster Business Network, major retailers, Wiltshire Police and other organisations to make Warminster a place to be proud of.

The aim is for the town to maximise the benefits of the new independent market days, supporting these events and ensuring they grow and become even more successful in the future.

Cllr Jack Jones said: “I warmly welcome these initiatives and hope we will build some real momentum behind a positive vision for the town centre.”

Tom Dommett, the Warminster town clerk, says the council is undertaking several initiatives to improve the vibrancy and appeal of the town centre.

“Our aim is to support the independent market by staging events to bring in more people to the town centre. There is a huge uplift whenever the market is held.

“One of the town council’s strategic priorities is to change the image of the town which is suffering from the trend towards internet shopping.”

The initiatives include smartening-up the town centre by providing more rubbish bins and fingerpost signs and repairing and repainting existing street signs.

In addition, the council’s outside services team are cleaning-up Warminster’s town centre streets by removing weeds and litter.

The council also intends to develop and promote local tourism with themed town trails on the Explore Wiltshire App, together with prizes that encourage people to visit the town centre.

It is taking steps to reduce crime and anti-social behaviour by introducing a Shop Watch scheme involving major retailers and smaller independent shops.

The council already invests in the Warminster and Westbury CCTV Partnership, but retailers will now use radio systems to warn each other of anti-social behaviour and criminal activity.

Other plans include the seasonal return of hanging baskets and encouraging businesses to take part in a ‘Tidy up, Smarten Up’ campaign to enhance the look of their premises.

Following the debacle over No.3 High Street, which has lain empty and derelict since 2005, the council is also writing to the owners of empty buildings to encourage them to bring their properties back into use.

The council has recently hand-delivered a newsletter update to all businesses in the town centre to help them keep in touch and engage in the process.