Thame has its say on economic future

LOCAL business people, councillors and others with an interest in Thame’s economic future as a market town, gathered last night to have their say in creating a vision for the town’s continued economic viability.
The meeting, which was held at Lord Williams’s Upper School, was hosted by the district council as a follow up to a meeting earlier in October which discussed market towns in general. See earlier report

After a series of group discussions, it became clear that the main factors that make Thame the distinctive place that it is, are:

* the Thame Show
* a “stunning” high street, the built environment
i.e. interesting buildings
* a sense of space and history
* the range of independent shops (despite some gaps
e.g. clothes for teenagers
* accessibility because of good transport links from
surrounding areas

A good sense of community was also a recurring theme in the discussions, and good visitor parking, though it was felt that there was a shortage of business parking in the town.

Other suggested shortfalls in things that might be holding back economic vibrancy were:

* things happening in the town centre to draw people
in
* lack of a proper town square/meeting place for the
above
* the need to promote or market the town more with
e.g. more and better signage and focal points for
information
* affordable housing for single people
* more social areas for teenagers
* youth facilities
* more evening activities
* activities to attract shoppers
* Cattlemarket needs to relocate
* more safer cycling routes
* a cycling route to Haddenham & Thame Parkway station

All the contributions were taken away by South Oxfordshire District Council’s Economic Development team, and will be put into a report and considered for inclusion in an economic development plan for Thame.

The team hopes to have completed a plan by the end of the year with a view to implementing changes in April 2009.