As I was pottering about Newtown on Saturday, I couldn’t help noticing how very quiet the town is in the afternoon and evening.
Perhaps it’s just me, but I do get the sense that, economically, we’re at a bit of a low ebb.
Perhaps part of this is to do with ludicrous traffic light arrangement, which causes traffic jams and does nothing for the safety of drivers or pedestrians.
In fact, turning right towards Kerry is MORE dangerous because you can’t see what’s coming from the other side. So this might be a reason people are going elsewhere to shop.
Then there’s the Tesco development. I haven’t seen the financial figures, but it wouldn’t surprise me at all if this is making a difference to the town centre.
Thirdly, there just isn’t all that much money about.
The recession may be officially over, but it doesn’t feel like it.
I recall that seven years ago Newtown used to be heaving in the evenings from Wednesday to Saturday.
It really had a Big Town feel to it – and a buzz which often surprised visitors expecting the town centre entertainment to consist of a honky tonk piano in a saloon bar, tumbleweed blowing up the main street, and a couple of horses tied to a post. Unfortunately, these days, that’s not far from the truth, especially on Mondays and Tuesdays.
What is to be done? Well, the traffic problem could be fixed by getting rid of the lights would cetainly help traffic flows.
The Tesco is here to stay and many people appreciate the extra choice. So it’s down to making sure we get out of recession as fast as possible in a way which we can see.
This means attracting good jobs to Montgomeryshire. And for that to happen, we need to make the most of modern internet connectivity.
I secured a promise from a former Labour Minister that EVERY house in Montgomeryshire would have access to good Broadband by 2012.
It’s really important that this happens now, because with it comes work, and wealth.
And with that wealth, we’ll probably see a livening up of town life if people’s disposable incomes give them the same to go out shopping, and socialising, a little bit more.
If we want to reinvigorate our local towns, we’ve got to get ourselves connected to the “Information Superhighway.”
If we don’t, then we’re stuck with depending on the old trades and jobs as the rest of the country moves on.
More than any other single requirement, we need the internet to come to us.
I sincerely hope this is a goal the new administration will honour on behalf of the last.