Employment & Local Businesses

THE ISSUES

Loss of local businesses = Loss of employment opportunities  

Lack of choice in remaining shops  

Inadequate parking  

Inadequate awareness of existing businesses

 

The Problem

Local businesses in the village are diminishing. The recent closure of the garage, butcher and Churchill's shop, the tannery and joinery, plus the destruction of the few industrial units at Mill Lane by fire 5 years ago mean that there are fewer and fewer opportunities for people to find employment locally. As with housing, the difficulty of access onto the main road and the nature of the existing planning boundary make options for development limited. Despite this, only 3% of people living in the parish are unemployed, with 45% working full or part time, 28% retired and 23% in education. 44% of people questioned would be interested in working in the village if employment were available, as many travel considerable distances to work.
55% of people polled feel we are in danger of losing the remaining businesses if changes cannot be made, and 66% of those questioned would welcome industrial units in the village.
Much of the problem seems to be created by lack of awareness of services available.

 
The Solutions Timescales Our Partners

Advertise times of wet fish and fish & chip deliveries

Short term Grampound Times

Better and well signposted car parking facilities would encourage people to stop and use local shops

Medium term (once hall is finished) Parish Council
Investigate grants to assist retention of Post Office Medium term District Council Planning Office
Explore viability of Farmer's Market Short term Restormel regeneration Partnership

Better advertising of existing services (signposts and/or leafleting campaign) both within village and via tourist publications

Short term County Highways

Encouragement of Tourism/Leisure activities which will bring jobs in support industries (Café/Cycle path)

Medium to long term Local Tourism Office

OUR PROPOSALS  

  • The committee will aim to locate and provide adequate car parking facilities for the village
  • The committee supports (limited) expansion of the existing development boundary for low cost housing and light industrial units
  • Potential sites in the parish will be investigated and landowners contacted
  • The committee will investigate grants for existing businesses and new enterprises, such as a farmer's market
  • The committee will investigate ways of raising awareness of existing businesses