'Big potential' for businesses in Crowle say those working alongside Mary Portas
CROWLE is a town with "big potential" for businesses, according to those working alongside the UK's High Street tsar Mary Portas.
The Crowle Market Place Development Group organised a meeting with Amanda Petrie, faculty head for retail at New College Nottingham.
Ms Petrie has been involved with the Portas Pilot, a review of the High Street carried out by TV shopping personality Mary Portas.
Crowle and Ealand Town Councillor Ron Stewart said positive findings had come from the meeting, held between the retail expert, town councillors and a business representative.
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Mr Stewart said: "We showed her around the town, she looked at the Market Place and the businesses there and all of the High Street.
"She was even more interested in the small industrial estate at Ealand and the prospects there.
"It was a very positive meeting. She saw a big potential to regenerate Crowle from a business perspective.
"She was quite excited about the prospects of working along with us to generate some better retail logistics."
Mr Stewart said he had tried for many years to get some interest in the town, working with the right people to put the ideas into practice.
But he said he had even struggled to keep local businesses actively involved in the Market Place Development Group.
Mr Stewart believed an independent person with retail expertise could take the town forward.
And he said he wanted all local businesses to get involved when Ms Petrie returns to the town in the spring.
He said: "In the meantime, she is going to send me an abbreviated version of the Portas Pilot report.
"We are to send her a copy of the Regen booklet that describes all the businesses in the area, so she can get more of a feel for the town and appreciate how many businesses there are.
"There are more than just what's around the Market Place.
"Hopefully, in spring we will get working with her and all local businesses in the town.
"She was keen to come back and see what's achievable and I'd like to have a lot more businesses involved when she does."
Mr Stewart asked Crowle and Ealand Town Council to take a "positive" and "affirmative" position with the development and support required for the project.
He said this would encourage more people to get on board.
Julie Reed, chairwoman of Crowle and Ealand Town Council, said the town council would look forward to hearing more.
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