Tedd Talks
Live Magazine’s Tedd Walmsley talks about the hope, frustration and downright despair encountered by a number Ribble Valley businesses
This is the first Tedd Talks column I’ve written for the magazine and it’s our intention for this to appear on an ongoing basis – my contact details are at the bottom of the page so feel free to get in touch with your thoughts and questions.
In the course of a normal five-week magazine cycle I meet more than 30 businesses and speak to countless others – they are from a cross section of size and genre and many of their stories are uplifting, showing immense courage and ingenuity. Sadly, not everyone is so upbeat with many citing a lack of support notably from our local council.
Hope – as you read this column our wonderful hospitality industry is finally opening up to indoor dining, many not having served customers since October 2020. Can I reiterate my plea from last month that we remain polite, patient and above all – kind to all the staff. There are some frustrations here too as in my meetings it’s become apparent that recruiting staff into hospitality is going to be particularly difficult. I think the industry will need to find new and innovative ways to attract staff with many citing unsociable hours for being the primary reason for not wanting to return. My hope is that there can be no more lockdowns, local or otherwise as many industries simply couldn’t cope emotionally or financially with any further restrictions.
Frustration – in my conversations in the last two weeks a strong sense of frustration has come through and sadly I have to say that the majority of this is aimed at the council in the Ribble Valley. Planning applications turned down, issues with restrictions on shop decoration and ongoing battles with signage are just some of the examples brought to my attention. My question to our councillors and officers is, why is the answer ‘no’ to almost every question asked? Are you bothered by being labelled the ‘sales prevention team’? We desperately need you to work hand in glove with the private sector who remain keen to invest sometimes their life savings into our local businesses. Create relationships – don’t alienate them because if you do they may just opt to a move to a more forward-thinking council such as Fylde.
Whilst on the subject of our towns, I want to direct a question to those county councillors responsible for the upkeep of pavements etc. Why do we get so little support in improving our local towns to make them more attractive to visit? Our East Lancashire neighbours seem to get the majority of the budget, yet we see the destruction of their high streets?
Have you been to Hurst Green at the weekend recently? Cars double parked with police issuing notices and residents up in arms. I had a call from Mike Hanson who lives on Kenyon Lane and was approached by the County Council and police to consider a car park on an unused paddock on the Dinckley side of the river. He told me that planning was dismissed out of hand and whilst not everyone in Dinckley could see its value, surely it is an opportunity to think about alternative solutions. The tourist pound is vital to our economy.
I spoke just yesterday to Dan Johnson of Crafty Vintage, who is so frustrated with a lack of response to a variety of ideas submitted to the council. Pop-ups, seasonal events – all would drive footfall and bring much-needed new customers to our towns particularly outside of the main tourist season.
Despair – I recently met with Cllr Kevin Horkin who, like me, was in total despair at the Clitheroe Food Festival being cancelled once again. His persistence in his newly elected role suggests meeting to explore an alternative event later in the year. The private sector made a decision to plough on with the Royal Lancashire Show and some of that energy and optimism would be well placed.
And finally, I’d like to send my congratulations to the newly appointed Police Crime Commissioner Andrew Snowden. We look forward to an interview with him in our June issue but, in the meantime, can I ask just one thing? When are you going to re-open our police stations in Clitheroe and Longridge and, more importantly, are they to be manned by police officers rather than civilians?
The views above are my own and I’d be delighted to get some replies to my questions and report back in June on any progress and positive outcomes
tedd.walmsley@live-magazines.co.uk
twitter.com/TeddWalmsley
