REAL EVESHAM
Working to make Evesham Better for all
Working as a pressure group
Local councils, both the paid officers, and the elected councillors, need feedback and evidence of people's opinions, and the effects policies have on residents and business.
As individuals, when trying to engage with authorities, traders have had various levels of success. As a group there is more chance of real life feedback being heard by people making decisions on the future of the town.
To make things better
Other groups are working hard - Wychavon is backing the Waitrose development, VECTA and Evesham Market Town Partnership have a long history of successful events and Town Council do what they do, all for the good of the town. Real Evesham can work with these groups to help.
There is no quick fix, and there is usualy a fairly good reason why things have happened the way they have, even if it has not been the right thing for Evesham. We all want to make things better - and working together is the way forward.
There are some projects started. And the traders will discuss together the way forward as the group progresses.
Communication - real information
Having the shops and businesses working together, communicating and having a bit of a laugh, has been great, and already made a difference.
It's easy to get wound up about issues, especially when they directly affect your business. But by communicating with the local authorities the group are finding out why things have been done in certain ways. This doesn’t mean it’s OK, and some things will need to change.
Real Evesham has set up meetings and communication channels with the other groups already working for the good of the town. Town Council and District Council have welcomed the communication and the obvious benefits it can bring.
Core topics for Evesham Traders
At the inaugural meeting, through a survey, traders identified some core issues to focus on.
Bridge - Business Rates - Car parking (and traffic wardens) - markets - traffic flow - festivals and events.
There is now a functioning sub group of PORT STREET TRADERS, who are working well to improve this up and coming section of the town.
Car Parking is an example of one issue that tarders and residents can try to influence, as Wychavon have a 'stategic review' coming up, and there is now so much evidence of how lowering parking, or making the first hour free, can help turn a town around............