Elections 2022: 'Let's give Heanor more kerb appeal'

Mark Hopkin would like to see town centre shops given more kerb appeal

Local elections are coming up on 5 May and the BBC has been exploring some of the issues that matter to residents.

Amber Valley Borough Council has a third of its seats up for grabs, and how to rejuvenate the area's high streets is a big talking point.

Heanor's market and town centre has been previously highlighted by the council, via a town regeneration programme, as needing particular help with a makeover.

Mark Hopkin has traded as a market stall holder across Derbyshire for the past six years and set up a shop a month ago.

He said he would like prospective candidates to give small businesses a grant to do up the shop fronts.

"An independent owner of a shop probably can't afford to put a new sign board up, where a nice grant from the council towards a new sign would brighten the high street up," he said.

"It would make it more eye-catching, give it more kerb appeal, so people would stop to look rather than drive by."

He said he would also like parties to think about incentives for market traders whereby if they attend regularly, they get a week's pitch fees free.

"Or if it's a new starter, start them on a subsidised rent, say for six weeks, until they're established, rather than put pressure on them to make money from day one.

"I know from experience that would really help," he said.

He also suggested parking ticket incentives for people visiting the market.

Kathleen Whittles has run her Heanor shop for 10 years.

"Ten years ago there used to be a big huge banner [in the town centre] saying 'Regeneration of Heanor'…and I thought, 'ooh yeah, really good'," she said.

"Then it got took down and it never happened. And I thought, it does need to happen."

She said candidates should focus on improving the appearance of the market place.

"And if you look above the shops, it's really scruffy," she said.

"If they updated, just made it look appealing, clean, tidy, that's a start. Exterior is very important.

"If you look round and see you things that are falling to bits, it doesn't give a very good opinion of the town.

"Heanor is a brilliant community, the people of Heanor are brilliant - and they deserve it."

Elizabeth Barrow, who manages the market, said: "Footfall is a big thing for us. We need people to want to come up.

"People want to have an experience. They don't just want to go to a shop.

"Advertising is a massive key as well to get people to know that we're there."

A full list of candidates can be found here.

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