Weekend parking and night-time safety were among the issues raised at the first forum focusing on Spalding’s night-time economy.
Only five businesses were represented at the meeting last week, but Loaded nightclub owner Matt Clark, who has recently taken on the portfolio for the nightime economy at the Spalding and District Area Chamber of Trade, said it was a positive start.
He said he hoped more people would attend the next meeting pencilled in for June, when representatives of the police and council would also be invited to attend.
On the table for discussion at the meeting were issues included attraction of customers, retention of customers and sustainability.
Mr Clark said the key points raised by those who attended would be taken back to the main chamber board.
Mr Clark says one of the main issues – which he has already taken up with the council – is the obvious bias towards the town’s daytime economy at the expense of the town’s pubs, restaurants and entertainment venues.
He said: “There is a website for Spalding which only lists ten businesses as offering food, two of which are closed, three businesses offering accommodation and two offering entertainment, one being a church.
“This is obviously not the case and clearly highlights the oversight of the of one of the town’s biggest economies and employers.
“The lean towards day time retail is further compounded by the headline on the same website which read ‘Spalding’s vibrant town centre boasts a superb selection of shops, supermarkets, department stores, butchers, greengrocers, bakers and an award winning bookshop to name but a few’.
“No mention of the numerous and characterful public houses, restaurants serving locally grown food, or dare I say, entertainment venues bringing celebrities and acts to the town.”
He added: “But I am confident that both this forum and the retailers forum will gain huge momentum when the town centre manager is appointed, and we finally have a resource to help Spalding business prosper.”
