by Cllr Michael Hudston
No, not the song by The Specials, but what Calne Town Centre is at risk of becoming with all the shop closures that are on the cards.
With Lloyds bank still empty, an empty shop on Wood Street, the threatened closure of Blackberry Fruit and Veg, M&Co which is in receivership and closing according to the signs, and now the Expressions branch in Calne is also closing its doors, I have asked our Town’s four Wiltshire Councillors (Mayor Tony Trotman, Tom Rounds, Ian Thorn, and Sam Pearce-Kearney) what their plans are and to persuade the landlord Wiltshire Council to do something meaningful in order to prevent our Town Centre from deteriorating even further.
I have also asked them to provide an update at the next Full Council meeting, on the 30 Jan 2023.
I encourage you as concerned members of the public to attend and ask the same question.
It seems Wiltshire Council can find millions, from whatever sources, to re-develop their own Town Hall in Trowbridge and to re-develop Salisbury and Trowbridge Centres, but are not willing to do anything for Calne!
Calne it seems is always at the bottom of the list when it comes to finding grants and the like from the government.
It should be noted that these premises are likely to become vacant, just as the four retail units within Churchill are becoming available. It won’t be a good look for Calne to have so many vacant units all at once, and what small business would want to take on a lease in a small Town Centre when signs are indicating others are closing down?
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