Lichfield & Tamworth Lichfield & Tamworth Chamber Patrons
Contact: Marilyn Castree T: 0845 603 6650
Friarsgate fails to get funding
Not happening: How the Friarsgate development in Lichfield would have looked
A multi-million project to re-develop a city centre site in Lichfield looks likely to be axed. The site is Friarsgate, which had been earmarked for re-development as a new leisure and retail destination, and would have included 25 shops and food and drink outlets, as well as 82 apartments and 11 townhouses, a new bus station and a car park. The scheme would have seen shopping
turnover in the city rise from £55m to £107 million by 2022 and around 660 full-time jobs would have been created. The site had already gained planning
permission from Lichfield District Council and developer U + I had announced that a string of High Street names were ready to sign up for the scheme, including Marks & Spencer. But the bad news is that a decade after it was launched, a lack of funding appears to have spelt the end for the scheme. Cllr Mike Wilcox, leader of Lichfield District Council, said: “When the Friarsgate development was first conceived the market was very different. We know the local
High-profile appointment
at Lichfield legal firm Lichfield law firm Your Local Family Solicitors has promoted associate solicitor Joanne Vernon to director. In addition, she has been named the firm’s head of family department. Ms Vernon, who has more than 17 years’
experience in family law, joined Your Local Family Solicitors a year ago. She has a particular interest in private law
children disputes; including complex cases involving third party experts, relocation issues and serious allegations of domestic abuse. Garfield Wallett, managing director at Your
Local Family Solicitors, said: “We were really excited to have Joanne join us last year, and since doing so she has proven to be an invaluable member of the team. In just a short space of time Joanne has already made a significant contribution to the growth of the business and we were keen to recognise that with the promotion.”
44 CHAMBERLINK July/August 2018
‘This promising development cannot be delivered’
community has wanted us to deliver the scheme and we’ve been working hard to bring it forward. Prior to the credit crunch and Brexit all signs were positive.” He added that the council had considered
funding the scheme itself, but had eventually decided against it. This decision was expected to be rubber-stamped at a full council meeting on 26 June. Tom Edgerley, development director at U+I,
said: “The scheme was granted planning consent in 2017 and U+I has spent recent months trying to secure funding. This has proven difficult, as during the lifetime of the project, market conditions have shifted and the retail industry is undergoing fundamental change. “We, like many local people, are hugely disappointed that despite all the hard work to get to this stage, this promising development cannot be delivered.”
Lichfield and Tamworth Chamber had fully
backed the scheme and said it was ‘disappointed’ that it would be unlikely to go ahead. Chamber director Chris Plant said: “This scheme would have been fantastic for the local economy, but market conditions have changed dramatically since it was first mooted. “High Street retailing is under pressure in
Lichfield, as in most places, and this was underlined by British Chambers’ downgrading its recent economic growth expectations, which cited retail as the area suffering the most.” David Tomalin, manager of Lichfield Business
Improvement District, underlined the concerns over retail in the city and said: “While Lichfield has always had a strong independent retail offering, they are also being impacted by the current economic pressures and concerns about online trading and increasing overheads. “So while we may not yet have seen our city
dented by the problems of some of our larger multiple retailers, there is still real concern at current trading conditions.”
Grant scheme helps start-ups
New grants are being made available to help promote new small business start-ups, self- employment and entrepreneurship in Tamworth. The scheme, which helps promote new businesses in the area, is encouraging individuals to
apply for this year’s latest round of grants of between £500 and £1500, before the application closing date on 24 August. Businesses including a street food and drink monthly event, town centre brewery, a yoga
studio, an American themed diner and bespoke cake makers have all benefited from the grant scheme since it was launched in April last year. To receive these small business grants, individuals are required to meet basic criteria. This
includes attending the Enterprise for Success programme, which provides 12 hours of one-to-one advice and support delivered from Tamworth Enterprise Centre at Phillip Dix House in Corporation Street. The Enterprise for Success programme ensures individuals and businesses have the right skills
they need to run their business and results in the creation of a business plan. Cllr Steve Claymore, cabinet member for Heritage and Growth, said: “This successful scheme
continues to support individuals wishing to start up in new businesses or who have been trading for less than three years. “Small businesses are the foundation of any thriving economy and using the new Tamworth Enterprise Centre as a ‘hub’ of support and advice can only help grow the local economy.”
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