RELATIVELY
few opportunities for employment now exist in Warminster in comparison
with the situation that existed here in the past or in comparison with
similar-sized towns elsewhere.
Sadly
in recent decades we have lost Clarks Shoes, Barclays Trust, Geest,
Linpac, four main car dealers, R Butcher and Sons, John Wallis Titt,
Keenets and Beswicks as well as hundreds of skilled posts at the ABRO
site. (Pictured: Steve and Paul at the Geest site in 1987)
These
losses have ripped the heart out of the town’s economy, reduced its
social cohesion and resulted in a less sustainable community. Even the jobcentre has closed.
Much
effort needs to be made to develop an economic environment conducive to
securing a better future for the town and future policies must
recognise our problems.
Outside the public sector and its associated professions there are very few avenues for new graduates to gain employment.
With
around half of our young people destined to enter higher education it
seems that we as a town are likely to lose our brightest people to
places where better opportunities exist, often overseas.
This must change. Without
work for all abilities and sections of society we as a town will
continue to decline and more of our shops will either be boarded up or
given over to charities.
We must halt this decline or we will continue to become a dormitory town for other towns’ industries.
WHAT CAN WE DO?
Our
town council and unitary council have no control of the macro-economic
and international business cycles that ebb and flow in a globalised
world but they can harness one very powerful tool which should be used
to sell the town and which is currently being under-used.
That tool is the internet.
Warminster
badly needs its own professionally produced website designed to secure
interest from prospective employers across the globe - complete with
links in Japanese, Russian, Chinese, German and Spanish. At present
there is a website designed, it seems, to attract visitors and settlers
but not aimed at bringing in business.
This
website should come under the control of Warminster Town Council which
should be able to secure matched funding from a wide variety of sources
to help finance it. The council should show some vision and needs to be
able to take advice from other communities which have proved far more
adept at securing central government and EU sourced funds.
We
need to take professional advice about how to market Warminster and how
we should focus on its strengths. The employment of an economic
development officer should be actively considered.
Take a look at what has been achieved by another Wiltshire town via a promotional web video, at modest cost but to great effect. http://www.tidworth.info/
ROLE FOR MAYOR
Any
companies which show interest in the town via the website should
receive a personal invitation and welcome from the Mayor who should
involve unitary councillors in any official visits.
Warminster has a number of strengths, such as its relatively low crime rate and attractive environment,
which need to be highlighted in order to entice new business here. The
town was successful in the past when large firms such as Geest and
Clarks were enticed to come here by the old UDC and there is no reason
why Warminster should not enjoy success in the 21st century.
Unitary
councillors also have an important role to play in ensuring existing
businesses and potential businesses that wish to expand or relocate
here are not held back by official red tape.
The
council must also develop better lines of communication with the MoD
which is still an important landowner and employer in the area.
Strengthened
links with the local garrison commander could yield very good returns
as these officers are very adapt at pulling the right strings in high
places and it is vital to get them on-side.
A
significant number of people in the town have or have had associations
with the military, particularly the Army, and any assistance offered by
the MoD would be a good indication that the military still cares about
its former employees.
HIGHWAY OPPORTUNITY
As well as selling itself on the web's information super-highway the town also needs to sell itself on the roadside.
Longleat
and Center Parcs receive significant numbers of visitors, many of whom
have high disposable incomes, but how many of them visit the town to
spend their money?
We just don’t know.
We
need to ensure that the occupant of every vehicle leaving the Longleat
area on the A362 knows that Warminster has much to offer, is open for
business and that you can park here for free.
They don’t know that – unless we tell them –
so we need a sign at the roadside to entice them here. Westbury already
has a sign at Madbrook Farm on the A350 as you enter the town.
Since
this piece was written, in the summer of 2008, signs have indeed been
erected but unfortunately the most important sign, leading off the A36
at Heytesbury, has been put in a ridiculous position rendering it
almost pointless.
Many
other troubling issues which stymie economic development exist, such as
the skills deficit in our under 25s and the continuing problems of poor
road communication caused by bottlenecks at Westbury and Yarnbrook on
the A350 and at Stonehenge on the A303.
These
however are matters which will ultimately be resolved by national
government although we need to add our voices to the calls for action
in such areas.
Warminster needs to show some vision and make the most of any opportunities
that arise by being swift footed.
One
of our greatest assets is our magnificent Market Place and High Street
with their imposing Georgian buildings. When, eventually, the highway
work has been completed, why not use the expanse of York stone slabs by
re-siting the Friday market/farmers market here?
Frome on a Saturday morning (pictured)
shows how this can help revilalise the street scene. Below Paul looks
at a possible use for our new wide pavements in the town centre.
An enterprising with a can do attitude council will lead to an enterprising and successful town.
