Here are this week’s Bromsgrove and Droitwich letters page.
Shops we need in Bromsgrove town centre
I WRITE with regard to Bromsgrove town centre.
Iceland should stay where it is because its easier for people to shop and get on a bus afterwards.
And older or disabled people will still be able to have their home deliveries.
They could put a Farmfoods in place of it as long as it did deliveries.
As for the town, we need a McDonald’s back and in the High Street we shops like Primark, Poundstretcher and a B&M store.
Dee Taylor
An open letter to The Artrix Holding Trust and Bromsgrove District Council
WE WRITE to express our dismay over the lack of progress concerning the future of the much-missed Artrix.
We (Bromsgrove Arts Alive) are a comprehensive association of local arts and culture organisations large and small including choirs, heritage organisations, arts societies, concert promoters, drama and music groups who all care deeply about the future of an arts centre for Bromsgrove.
Without Artrix there is no focal point for the Arts in Bromsgrove and the only larger venues for theatre and music are at Bromsgrove School, access to which is severely restricted.
It is a considerable embarrassment and disadvantage to the people of Bromsgrove and the surrounding districts that as one of the larger towns in Worcestershire it lacks such a facility, to the detriment of its economic, environmental and social wellbeing.
We were pleased to be invited to have representatives on an advisory group to the Artrix Holding Trust which produced its report on the future of Artrix a year ago – January 2022.
That report was finally considered by the Holding Trust last June.
The Holding Trust then commissioned further consultancy work which was completed in September.
Since then, another four months on, there have been no updates or reports on progress.
The future of arts provision in Bromsgrove should be considered within the context of the town centre regeneration projects enabled by the £14.5million Levelling-Up Fund grant.
Last March the council commissioned a public consultation online survey to test out public views about a creative community venue – at the present Birdbox site (in addition to Artrix? Or as a replacement?).
Nothing more has been heard about it.
So there have been consultations and surveys but no publicly visible progress over the last year.
It seems decisions are being kicked down the road.
It is perhaps understandable to prevaricate when faced with difficult decisions but we would urge the council and the holding trust to issue progress reports and make 2023 the year when they rise to the challenge of making positive decisions regarding the reopening of Artrix and the future provision for Arts in Bromsgrove.
BAA Trustees
Steve Cowperthwaite (Chair)
Bob Bignell
Joyce Chamberlain
Ruth Henley
Graham Mackenzie
Anita Porter
Nick Taylor
Town centre needs a good tidy-up
BARCLAYS (where we banked for 60 years), Shoezone and Edinburgh Wool shop have closed.
Natwest, M&Co, and Iceland are going, while Artrix and the Ryland Centre are in limbo.
Fewer shops and banks mean people have little reason to visit Bromsgrove.
The council must be more pro-active and make the town more attractive for visitors.
Absentee landlords should be made to clean up the empty shopfronts, removing grime, graffiti and flyposters, which give the High Street such a run down appearance.
Also tidy the rubbish left inside, giving the town an’open for business’ appearance.
Being a disabled driver, I can assure you that Bromsgrove parking ticket machines are not easy for the handicapped to use, particularly in a wheelchair, so I shop in Droitwich, where Blue Badges park free.
Bromsgrove could consider this, which has a minimal cost and could attract more shoppers.
Two modest suggestions, I agree, but a positive, concerted effort could see a welcome revival of our High Street.
Blue Badger
Bromsgrove
‘Go red in February for the BHF ‘ – Great British Bake Off winner
MANY know me as the winner of The Great British Bake Off 2022, but what you might not realise is that I am also a researcher funded by the British Heart Foundation (BHF), working to help save and improve lives from heart and circulatory diseases.
February is Heart Month and I’m urging you to help the BHF save lives today by learning CPR and save lives tomorrow by ‘Going Red’ to fund vital research.
The BHF has developed RevivR – a first-of-a-kind tool – which helps you learn lifesaving CPR for free in just 15 minutes.
All you need is a mobile phone and a cushion. It could mean the difference between life and death in the ultimate medical emergency.
And to help save lives tomorrow, we’re calling on you to ‘Go Red’ any way you can this February.
From red cupcakes and red costumes to red-faced running challenges, your fund-raising can power groundbreaking research.
So please show your support for the BHF this Heart Month – bhf.org.uk/heartmonth #HeartMonth
Dr Syabira Yusoff
BHF-funded researcher
Great British Bake Off Winner 2022
EDITORS COMMENT
THE SCENES from the earthquakes in Turkey and northern Syria are absolutely devastating to see, along with the impact – not just on those directly affected but also their family and friends.
We hope the people of Bromsgrove and Droitwich will give generously to the appeal started by Bekir Babir and Bekir Gungormez.
The hundreds of thousands of surviors have lost everything and we need to get as much aid as possible out to those who need it.
We Welcome Your Letters…..
What pressing issues do you feel need addressing in Bromsgrove, Rubery, Droitwich and South Birmingham? Send us your views to [email protected] or [email protected]
