New role to help bring life back into market towns

Forest of Dean District Council is considering appointing a market towns officer to better promote Lydney, Coleford, Cinderford and Newent

A dedicated market towns officer could be recruited to help business owners, residents and town councillors create thriving and resilient communities.

Forest of Dean District Council (FoDDC) wants to see improvements across Lydney, Cinderford, Coleford and Newent.

It has estimated that the cost of the role over two years would be £106,000, jointly funded by FoDDC and the four town councils.

But FoDDC says the role is key to support the transformation of its market towns to ensure they are fit for future generations.

All four market towns in the Forest of Dean are known to need help to attract shoppers and provide job opportunities

A Market Town Regeneration report in May 2024 highlighted common challenges and weaknesses for the four towns, in particular shopping, employment opportunities and evening activity.

"I like to describe Newent as a hotel," said a 20-year-old woman who works in one of the town's sandwich shops.

"People just sleep here and then go off and work somewhere else. To be honest as quickly as I can I'm moving out of Newent because there is nothing here."

One of the town's hairdressers, whose lived in Newent all her life, said it had been hit hard by the closure of three banks in recent years, quickly followed by a butcher and a greengrocer.

The market towns officer would be expected to support business groups and community groups with their existing collaborative work, as well as working with the four town councils on marketing aimed at residents, visitors and potential investors.