Tower and Town, August 2018 (view the full edition)A High Street For 21st CenturyI found Peter Noble's article in the June edition entitled The King John Myth very thought-provoking. He argued that the Mop Fairs should be moved to the Common to allow the look of the High Street to be improved. I had never stopped to think how the Mops affect the High Street for the rest of the year, engendering "a barren car park with no fixtures". More permanent features (trees? fountains? a bandstand?) could be provided if there were no longer the need for a clear space for the Mops. I usually like to keep traditions going and I have some fondness for the Mops. When my children were young we used to visit them in the afternoon and enjoy the children's rides. I also love the quiet of the High Street just after the road has been closed and just before the rides are erected. All you can hear are what I imagine to be the sounds of previous centuries - footsteps and voices. However, for the health of our community I feel we need to think carefully about what we want our High Street to be like. It seems busy and thriving but there are no guarantees. High Streets are said to be in crisis as retailers suffer "a perfect storm of pressures": the shift to online shopping (with its wide choice, convenience and ease of price comparison) is a major influence in this decline. Another factor is changing tastes; people no longer want large and impersonal stores which were a major cause of the collapse of ToysRUs - they want a better shopping experience which specialist shops with welcoming and knowledgeable staff can provide. Marlborough High Street needs to become an even more inviting place to meet, visit and shop in. There has been a suggestion that the speed limit could be reduced to 20 miles per hour. I would suggest we go one step further as they do in Germany. Many German towns have zones denoted by this sign where children (and adults) are allowed to walk, and even play, in the road and anything on wheels (cars, bikes, motorbikes) must travel at a walking pace. I experienced this on my recent holiday to Germany and it seemed to work well: pedestrians are safe and wheeled traffic, necessary to accommodate visitors, is not excluded. Sarah Bumphrey |
I believe this (plus the beautification which could take place if the Mops were moved) would give us a High Street for a prosperous and thriving community. What do you think?