Huhne discusses future of Eastleigh centre with businesses

2.02.10pm UTC (GMT +0000) Fri 8th Sep 2006

Chris Huhne met with Eastleigh business managers to discuss the future of the town centre

Eastleigh MP Chris Huhne has met business managers and owners from Eastleigh town centre at a business breakfast to discuss the future of the town centre.

Mr Huhne listened to concerns of the traders and promised to take up worries among small independent business about what is expected of them by the Health and Safety Executive.

Mr Huhne also pledged to continue his fight to reduce the sharp business rates rise, and reported new evidence from Town centre manager Dennis Chandler that rates had risen far faster than rents.

Asked about what future he saw for the town centre, Mr Huhne said that the only constant in any business was change, as he knew from his own business experience. Businesses were the best judge of how to respond to what customers wanted.

However, he said that several trends were clear. First, the big supermarkets would continue to take a growing share of both food and possibly even clothing markets so that small high street units would increasingly be used for niche speciality markets like outdoors wear, in personal services like hairdressing and beauty care, and in bars, cafes and restaurants.

"A key to the future of the town centre is the new cinema, because it will bring in so many more customers for leisure, recreation and eating out. With all the big supermarkets in the area - Tesco at Bursledon, Sainsbury's at Hedge End and Asda at Chandlers Ford - the pressure on the town centre's traditional retailers will be incessant, but I am a great believer in the future of Eastleigh which is attractive and convenient for so many people".

Mr Huhne promised Steve Dalley, who runs the Eastleigh Sewing Centre in the High Street, that he would press the Health and Safety Executive to set out simple and quickly read documents on what is expected of retailers in avoiding trip hazards, electrical problems and the assessment of risk.

"Small businesses do not have a great compliance department to work out what the Health and Safety Executive wants and means, so the onus should be on them to set out simply and clearly what the small retailer needs to watch out for in bullet point form" said Mr Huhne

Mr Huhne also reported figures from Dennis Chandler, the town centre manager, showing how rents had increased by less than rates over the period since 1998 even though rates are meant to be based on rents.

"These figures add grist to the mill following my survey of the rise in vacant properties in the town centre, and we will put together a submission to the valuations office seriously questioning what they are demanding of Eastleigh's small businesses" said Mr Huhne.

Mr Huhne's survey showed that the number of vacant shops in Market Street and High Street had nearly doubled from 7 in 1999 to 13 in 2005.

Also in attendance at the business breakfast were Eastleigh mayor Peter Wall and economic development cabinet member Cllr Chris Thomas.