I was delighted that nearly twelve hundred people filled in my survey on Ashford Town Centre and how they would like to see it change. The large number shows how important an issue it is for many people. Of those who responded, about a third said they go into the town at least once a week, and about another quarter say they go in a few times a month.
The three biggest reasons given for not going into the centre were a lack of shops, the level of parking charges, and anti-social behaviour. I know that the police have put more officers on the ground in recent months, so some of the last reason may be a historic view, but in any case I will take all of these up as action points.
As to the shops that people want to see, the overwhelming winner is Primark. Second is Marks and Spencer, and third is any department store, following the closure of Debenhams. Of course it is an individual decision for each retailing company as to where they put their stores, or indeed if they keep stores open in an era of online shopping, but there would clearly be a ready market for Primark in Ashford.
There has been a debate for a long time about whether people feel safe in the Town Centre. Some will be surprised that a significant majority do feel safe, although there is a distinct fall in the numbers feeling safe at night. Similarly, contrary to some of the noise made on social media, a large majority think there is enough parking in the centre, although the cost is seen as a deterrent.
As for positive suggestions, reducing rents for shops is a common idea, along with a theatre/art gallery and cleaner streets. I have shared the results with the senior people at Ashford Borough Council and will talk to them and others about how best to proceed.