‘It’s essential what we do doesn’t harm traders’ (From Knutsford Guardian)

‘It’s essential what we do doesn’t harm traders’

9:00am Tuesday 3rd July 2012 in News By James Wilson

KNUTSFORD’S traders have met with a town plan group behind the plans for the enhancement of King Street.

In April Knutsford Town Plan unveiled its proposals to improve one of the town’s busiest streets.

On June 19 more than 20 traders operating on the road met with the working group from the town plan to discuss the proposals at the Jubilee Rooms in Stanley Road.

When schemes for the street have been discussed in the past many traders have been fearful of the affect it would have on their businesses.

Terry Jones, the owner of Techno Type based on King Street, told the Guardian that the general consensus among traders was that if it wasn’t broken then it didn’t need fixing.

“I was asked to get as many traders to listen to the presentation because the group was conscious that not all of the traders had been to the event held at the civic centre in April,” he said.

“It is about enhancement of King Street, but the subject turned to pedestrianisation. Whatever type of enhancement is done it will affect trade, and people are concerned about their businesses.”

Bob Quin, chairman of the working group tasked with looking at options for the street, said the group was focused on listening to the traders’ views.

“The meeting was lively at times, but progress has been made so it would appear the traders didn’t feel we were against them,” he said.

“We are there to interpret what the public want, and we represent the traders as much as everybody else. They have a fear that this is the first stage before pedestrianisation, but we pointed out this wasn’t the case.

“I stress though that it is a matter of compromise, and the extremists at both ends will be disappointed. It’s essential what we do doesn’t harm the traders, and we are very conscious of that.”

The results of the questionnaires which were presented in a series of meetings to townspeople in April will be released in two weeks’ time.

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