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Thursday, October 9 - Wednesday, October 15, 2014
Walkers step out for charity hike
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WANTAGE IS TOP TOWN Government competition brands it as one of the best Search for mystery schoolboy hero
QUICK-THINKING actions an elderly woman fell. the boy to thank him for of a King Alfred’s schoolboy Now the Wantage care his help. meant paramedics were home where she lives has called within minutes after sparked a search to fi nd • See page 3 for full story
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TRADERS and leaders are hailing a Wantage revival after the town was one o of three shortlisted as Britain’s ‘be ‘best town centre’ in a Government competition. Wantage fa faces Falkirk, in Scotland, and Worcester, in the Midlands, for the crown in West Midlands the Great Brit British High Streets Awards. The news – announced on Friday by th the Government’s Department ffor Communities and Local Gov Government – comes just two years a after Wantage was branded a ‘ghost ‘gho town’. shops of 2012 But its 26 empty em has dropped to four and footfall is up by 30 per cent, which has sparked its revival. Ray Collins, manager of Grove Street electrical shop Peter Ledbury, said the label was severe but that the town is certainly not a ghost town anymore. He said: “It did get harshly branded as a ghost town but it is defi nitely not. “It hasn’t really ever been on its knees, it’s got a great atmosphere, but it is more vibrant and
By Katriona Ormiston katriona@taylornewspapers.co.uk
people have been taking about all the shops opening up. “It is nice to see your town in the paper for a good reason.” In February 2013 two market town co-ordinators, Mim Norvell and Iain Nicholson, were brought in to oversee a series of revitalisation schemes in Wantage to help bring the town centre back to life. Among the projects was the launch of a new community shop called the The Mix, in Mill Street, and a pop up shop scheme running in empty shops. More than 60 businesses have set up in the temporary shops, which has led to five of them becoming permanent stores in Wantage. Mr Nicholson said: “It is brilliant news – the town has worked really hard to get us to this point. “We know that there is a way to go yet but it is really encouraging
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to have national recognition.” He added: “It was called a ghost town in a national newspaper article which was rubbish, and no more than that. “It was written out of its time and we have moved on.” The Government-backed contest is being run by the Future High Street Forum in seven categories - coastal, market town, city, village, local parade, town centre and London. Winners will be announced in about one month and share £50,000 prize money. Elaine Ware, cabinet member for economy at Vale of White Horse District Council, said: “This is fantastic recognition for the work that has been carried out in Wantage. “The projects have involved people from across the town working together with each other, the district council, the town council and local businesses in a real community effort to breathe new life into the centre and bring shoppers and retailers back.”
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