The Lincolnshire town voters say is 'dying' and traders are 'just hanging on'

With just one day to go until the General Election, people are gearing up to head to the polls to elect a new government. As part of our 5000 Voices Project, we’ve been speaking to people across the East Midlands about the issues which matter to them.

This time we spent the day in Spalding to ask voters in the South Holland and the Deepings constituency about their concerns and what they would like to see happen in their area. Many people we met told us they were worried about the decline of the shops in the rural market town.

There was little praise for Spalding, with one said the town was "dying" and another calling the town a "dump". And on what they would like to see changed, voters felt the town needs more shops while another said they wanted to see more public toilets.

Read on to find out what they told us.

Read more: Full list of Lincolnshire general election candidates

Voters on what Spalding is like now

Retailer Susan Stubley said: “My concerns are that the town is dying and we’re all sort of hanging on by the hairs of our chinny chin chins because all the independent shops have gone and the people have left the town. There’s nothing for them to be here for really.

Brian Chappell, 55, from Spalding, said: “The market has really declined over the years with the advancement of the internet and smart phones.”

Louise Roache, 57, also from Spalding, said: “There’s not a lot in town. There’s just not as much market as there used to be.”

Market trader Jackie Schofield, 72, from Peterborough, said: “The council are planning to put a gate in. There’s not going to be as much footfall in town and I think it will decline further. I think it will kill the trade and the shops will find it hard too.”

And Mark Green, 57, from Spalding, said: "I think it’s a dump here. I don’t think money is being spent wisely here."

Voters on the improvements Spalding needs

We also asked people in Spalding if they would like to see anything improved in the area. Many voters raised concerns about the closure of small businesses and the decline of independent shops in the town.

Martin Clark, 61, from Spalding, said: “I would like to see more little shops instead of lots of chains" and Louise Roache told us: “I would like to see more shops, particularly for children to make it more worthwhile for people to come here. There really isn’t a lot to do here.”

Mark Green said: “We need someone to deal with the children riding on bikes on the pavement. They could knock someone over.”

Market trader Alice Mitchell, 67, from Sleaford, said: “Public toilets are always an issue, but that’s the same in all the markets. We need more public toilets.”

Who is standing for each party in Spalding?

South Holland and the Deepings has been held by Sir John Hayes of the Conservatives since 1997. The candidates running on July 4, 2024 are:

Conservative

Sir John Hayes

Labour

Paul Hilliar

Liberal Democrats

Jack Braginton

Green Party

Rhys Baker

Reform UK

Matt Swainson

Independent

Mark le Sage

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