THE manager of the New Alresford Town Trust (NATT) Market has issued a challenge to local councillors and business managers, to tackle the problem of falling footfall in the town.

John Rowe, a market researcher who manages the market, says that while at one time Alresford was “a busy bustling town centre” it is now “like a ghost town”.

Mr Rowe believes there is a pressing need for a wider spread of shops. He said: “The mix we have is mainly for wealthy people, far too expensive for the everyday shopper and normal residents of New Alresford,” he said, adding that over past few months the town has lost Barclays and NatWest banks, leaving just Lloyds and Nationwide.

“By closing these two banks, we have been left with an ATM inside Lloyds Bank and one other inside the Co-op which, when the shop is closed, means there is no access to the machine.”

Mr Rowe added: “It is obvious to me that if people have to go to Alton or Winchester to get money out of the bank, they will also do their shopping in that locality. This is where New Alresford is losing its footfall.”

In challenging both New Alresford Town Council (TC) and Alresford Chamber of Commerce to look at encouraging new shops and businesses into the town, Mr Rowe suggests the need for a “good selection of everyday shops,” dictated by local residents on grounds of need.

But the town council, it seems, is already on the case. According to chairman, Lisa Griffiths, the first step is to identify if there is a problem and, if so, whether it is a town-wide issue or restricted to individual shops/businesses.

The council understands about the situation regarding the banks and is trying to find a solution. With rental costs at a premium, Mrs Griffiths believes that, while some customers can access banking facilities at the Post Office, in an ideal world and to improve customer service, the banks should consider sharing a premises. She further points out that NatWest brings a mobile unit to Long Barn for an hour on Wednesday lunchtimes.

It is a situation that, she points out, is facing many small market towns and the town council is working with Winchester City Council’s market town development officer to try to tackle the issue. The aim is to carry out a comprehensive survey in a bid to determine shopping habits and what it is that either attracts or stops people from shopping in Alresford.

But it is an expensive exercise and, while the market town development officer is partly funded by Arlesford TC, it is one that the council is looking for businesses to support, or it may be forced to find a more affordable way of carrying out its research.

In the meantime, according to Alresford Chamber of Commerce President, Simon Evans, the chamber is currently surveying its members to try and identify any problems there may be although, he acknowledges, not all businesses in the town belong to the organisation.

According to Mr Rowe, the lack of footfall is having a marked impact on the New Alresford Town Trust market which operates in Broad Street every Thursday. Registered in the Doomsday Book, this market has been running for over 800 years and currently has a wide selection of stalls offering a range of goods from quality fruit and vegetables to bread, cakes, eggs, olives, cheese and pickles, as well as clothing, cards, mobile phones and accessories, flowers and plants, refreshments and even secondhand furniture.

In urging residents to use the market, Mr Rowe pointed out that unlike some places Alresford benefits from a reliable half-hourly bus service, plus the subsidised 240 bus service that runs on Mondays and Thursdays

covering the local housing estates, as well as the villages of Old Alresford, Bighton and

Ropley.

But, he says: “This service is very under used, so if you can’t manage to walk into town get the 240.”

Urging the town council and chamber of commerce to consult with local people and to use its market town development officer to investigate the situation and come up with a solution, Mr Rowe said: “We need to take pride in where we live, and publicise and promote the events in the town to its full potential.”