Month: August 2020

The economic impacts of Covid-19 are badly affecting many of our Mill Road shops.

Some traders have coped OK. Some traders have been able to make modifications to their businesses in order to adapt. But others are closing down or have been put under significant economic pressure.

We want to see Mill Road remain a vibrant street in the heart of our community. Further down the page you can tell us how we could best work together to achieve that.

Covid-19: National Retail Impact

• The Office for National Statistics’ figures show online shopping has risen substantially since the start of lockdown and continues at historically high levels. At the same time there has been a dramatic reduction in fuel consumption throughout Britain. These national trends have hit those stores without an online presence hardest.
• Overall 57% of all businesses in the UK are now suffering a serious downturn.
• Millions of people are now either out of work or fearing for their jobs, impacting all non-essential sales.
• Monitoring shows that footfall in Mill Rd has fallen in line with similar UK high streets.
• There are much lower student numbers in Cambridge right now. Fewer people are walking and cycling down Mill Road to go to the city centre. Both factors will adversely affect traders.
• We have large numbers of businesses on Mill Road which by their nature can’t provide online services. And others need physical customers walking through the door in order to thrive – e.g. some restaurants simply can’t survive with online orders alone.
• Most of our traders need more “real” customers back on Mill Road.

Where Does Mill Road Go From Here?

Residents & traders should collaborate! We will be campaigning to make Mill Road a more attractive destination for all shoppers, while maintaining covid safety standards. And we must work to ensure that already disadvantaged groups (e.g. the chronically sick and the disabled) are not further penalised by the bridge closure.

We want your ideas. Please tell us about them using the form below!

We’ll collate the responses, and then feedback to you. We’ll also provide an opportunity for discussion in a public zoom meeting, date tbc.

If you’re short on inspiration you can read what people thought should change on Mill Road at the last public meeting held at St Barnabas Church Petersfield in October 2019.

But particularly if you’ve used Mill Road recently we hope you’ll come up with some great ideas of your own…

First Name

Last Name
Which street do you live in?

Please choose up to 4 key changes that would encourage you to spend more money on Mill Road. You can use the comments box at the bottom to expand on your answers.

Secure job / economic security Secure housing / no eviction fears More Covid-19 safe shopping
Earlier start to the trading day Later end to the trading day More / better online order & delivery options
Easier access to Mill Road for the disabled Easing of car parking restrictions Better cycle parking provision Cheaper / more frequent buses / shuttle bus
Attractive street environment - e.g. art, planting More safe provision of outdoor food and drink Sheltered outdoor seating areas (for colder / wetter weather) Small scale live entertainment Occasional market-type stalls More pubs open
Other:

Do you have any other comments, or wish to expand on any of the items above?

We might want to follow up with you about something you've written. Could we have your phone number?
Email address:
We will look after your personal data - please check our Privacy Policy here. We will pass on a summary of everyone's views to our local Romsey and Petersfield councillors, the Greater Cambridge Partnership and to Cambridgeshire County and City Councils.

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