Damian Hinds MP visits East Hampshire’s high streets

East Hampshire MP Damian Hinds spent the morning of Saturday 5 December touring the district and talking to local business owners about their experiences and hopes for the future.

He was accompanied on his tour by councillors from the local towns and East Hampshire District Council (EHDC).

Saturday 5 December was Small Business Saturday, an international event that highlights the importance of small businesses to the local economy.

Cllr Burns, Annie Carter, Damian Hinds MP.

The tour started in Alton, where Cllr Suzie Burns and Damian Hinds met with the owners of BlendIt and Forever Cake Creations – both of whom had moved to larger premises during lockdown – and the owner of Austen’s Café who was dealing with the effect of Tier 2 restrictions on his income. Cllr Burns, who is also Deputy Leader of Alton Town Council, welcomed Damian to the Pop Up Creatives Emporium, an Alton Town Council initiative to provide trading space for start-ups.

Damian said: “I know how difficult things have been for local businesses this year - and supporting them is more important than ever.  It was good to meet local independent proprietors and hear more about how they have adapted during the national restrictions.  All of those I met have shown great resilience and determination in the face of massive challenges.  Some have found new ways to trade – such as online, click and collect and delivery services - and it is clear that support from loyal customers has been incredibly important during these tough times.”

The tour moved on to Liphook where Cllr Phillip Davies and Damian Hinds met first with the owner of PRC Digital, and then with the family behind L&S Gift and Coffee Shop and The Beach Hut. Damian moved on to Petersfield to visit the owners of Hectors and The Five Fifteen in with Cllr Phil Shaw, from Petersfield Town Council.

Cllr Ken Moon, Portfolio Holder for Economic Development and Rural Affairs at EHDC, said: “I’m pleased that we have been able to visit local businesses and talk to them about their concerns – from the path widening measures in Petersfield to the national guidance around furloughed workers and the current restrictions. It is vital that we listen to local business owners, so that we can work to provide support that will make a big difference. I thank them all for their time and dedication to making their towns as successful as they are. EHDC remains committed to supporting local businesses – providing a “Free After Three” parking scheme in Alton and Petersfield up to Christmas and is continuing to provide grants to businesses affected by the coronavirus pandemic.”

For information and support for businesses during the coronavirus pandemic, please visit: www.easthants.gov.uk/coronavirus-business-support

The tour of the district is part of the stay safe, shop local campaign, funded through the Reopening High Streets Safely fund. 

Cllr Davies, Michael & Lucy Walters, Karen Hanney, Damian Hinds MP

Notes to editors

All visits were risk assessed and carried out in line with national government guidance. 

Pictures from the tour can be found on Flickr: https://flic.kr/s/aHsmSGdE4y

Alton

EHDC has been working with Alton Town Council to support the high street – Free After Three car parking, grants and business rates rebates (grants alone for the first lockdown to the GU34 1 area to 140 businesses and totalled £1.9m) assisted with healthy travel plans and funding for bike stands.

Blend It, 2 Westbrook Walk, GU34 1HZ

https://blenditshop.co.uk/

Blend It, a juice bar - opened a small unit on Westbrook Walk and moved to a larger unit in November 2020. Annie Carter said: “Blend it Juice Bar and Wellness is all about fuelling the body, mind and soul. I have created a space that is suitable for everyone to enjoy. We are open from 8-8 Monday- Friday and Saturday and Sunday too.

"Now more than ever we need to people from our community to get behind each and every high street shop, support, no matter how small the purchase, each and every one counts. Without our community support we can't survive.”

Forever Cake Creations, 11-13 Lenten Street, GU34 1HG

https://www.forevercakecreations.co.uk/

Sally Farmer opened her cake shop on Turk Street in 2017, then went into business with Vanessa Albury and agreed a new lease on Lenten Street as the first lockdown started. 

Austen’s Café, 7 Lenten Street, GU34 1HG

Austen’s Café opened in September 2017 and is run by Rob, and Jonathan McDonald. They remained open for takeaways throughout both lockdowns and bought new equipment with the government grant.

Cllr Suzie Burns is also Deputy Leader of Alton Town Council (ATC).

ATC is running the MarmART trail (https://marmarttrail.com/) to encourage exercise and visiting the high street. ATC has also refurbished Unit 16 Market Square to create a Pop Up Creatives Emporium. The first tenant is due in on 1 January and the Alton Virtual High Street is having a one-day pop up in the unit on 12 December. ATC is using this to encourage small start-up local businesses to take a space in the unit.

Cllr Suzie Burns said: “The ethos of Small Business Saturday really resonates in Alton. With a number of independent retailers opening in Alton this year, bucking the national trend of closures, the local community has completely embraced the shop local message supporting our town centre this year. We are really pleased to use this time to launch our Creatives Emporium to encourage even more new and local businesses to trade in Alton.”

Liphook

EHDC support for Liphook includes funding to improve pedestrian and cycling routes to compliment the new station footbridge scheduled for completion in late summer 2021.

88 businesses in Liphook (GU30 7 postcode area) received £1,031,500 in grants during the first national lockdown.

PRC Digital, 14 London Road, GU30 7AN

http://www.prcdigital.co.uk/

A family business trading since 1975 specialising in photographic processing which had to improve its click and collect and digital offering during lockdown. Greatly assisted by grant scheme and CJRS. 

Helen Hoff, the owner of PRC, said: “I really hope that people's habits do not change too much with the pandemic. I worry that once people take all of their services online that they may continue to do so even once restrictions are lifted. Feet through the door sustains a small business like us and I'd want to assure people that they are very safe visiting us here.”

L&S Gift and Coffee, 1 The Square, GU30 7AB

https://www.lsgiftandcoffee.co.uk/

Owned by Lucy and Michael Walters and Sarah (also of Liphook Art & Framing), it has been open since 2016 and is invigorating trade despite the tier 2 restrictions.

Petersfield

EHDC has supported the Petersfield town centre traffic management scheme, has received funding to support “active travel” in Petersfield, and delivered grants to 273 businesses in GU31 4 and GU32 3 postcode areas of £3,822,000 during the first national lockdown.

Hector’s Clothing, 4a Chapel Street, GU32 3DP

https://hectorsclothing.com/

Michelle Bicknell took the lease in March 2020 and opened the shop in August selling traditional but modern menswear. Michelle and her husband have spent a lot of time on marketing: building online presence, leaflet dropping. 

The Five Fifteen, Unit C 21 Chapel Street, GU32 3DT

https://the515.co.uk/

Opened in 2016 by father and son Martyn and Aaron Constable, this is a clothing store selling items in the Mod Style. They are building their online presence. They organise a scooter day during the year, and they give the money raised to a cancer charity.

Martyn said: “All small businesses are grateful for local support and really need it at the moment”.

Cllr Phil Shaw, Deputy Mayor of Petersfield Town Council

Cllr Shaw said: “despite the significant loss of trade over recent months I was impressed by the determination both businesses had to recover and continue offering Petersfield shoppers a valuable service”.

Bordon

Bordon is currently going through a vast regeneration programme (previous press releases refer – please contact us for details). During the first national lockdown 95 businesses in the GU35 0 postcode area received a total of £1.09m in central government grants.