Traders back £10.5m funding bid to transform struggling Portsmouth high streets but warn it could be too late

TRADERS have backed a bid to fund a multi-million pound transformation of two struggling Portsmouth high streets – but have raised fears investment could be too late.
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Portsmouth City Council has submitted a bid for £10.5m government funding to the Future High Streets Fund – with £4.9m earmarked to improve Commercial Road and £5.6m for Fratton Road.

Plans include changing property use, improving public spaces and making it easier for new businesses to open.

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Traders from each high street have been involved in developing proposals with ideas for Fratton Road including food markets, street festivals and music events.

Cllr Steve Pitt,  deputy leader of Portsmouth City Council.

Picture: Sarah Standing (090320-9866)Cllr Steve Pitt,  deputy leader of Portsmouth City Council.

Picture: Sarah Standing (090320-9866)
Cllr Steve Pitt, deputy leader of Portsmouth City Council. Picture: Sarah Standing (090320-9866)

Plans for Commercial Road focus on transforming space within buildings to create co-working areas businesses can share and greater community engagement around future regeneration.

Deputy leader of Portsmouth City Council, councillor Steve Pitt said: ‘Revamping two of our major high streets is much needed and more relevant than ever in the current climate.

‘We want to make better use of properties and public spaces to make them more engaging, vibrant and sustainable. We want our high streets to be places that people want to visit, use and enjoy and not just visit when they need to.

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Commercial Road in PortsmouthCommercial Road in Portsmouth
Commercial Road in Portsmouth
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‘We know all high streets have been facing real challenges and we are committed to working with traders across the city.’

The government criteria for funding focuses on areas with shop vacancies, low footfall and poor air quality making Commercial Road and Fratton Road ‘most likely to succeed in their bids’ according to the central Southsea ward councillor.

‘We've shaped the plans and funding requests to give us the best chance of securing money to make improvements,’ Cllr Pitt said.

‘Thanks to the support and conversations we have had with those high street traders, we are tackling these challenges head on and success would not only benefit these areas but the city as a whole.’

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Businesses within the Commercial Road area have welcomed the bid. Connor Smith, spokesman for clothes shop HemingCo, said: ‘The city centre needs the investment – we are about 10 years behind.

‘There are a lot of empty shops, which doesn’t look great. The council might need to look at lowering their rents.

‘But anything that generates more traffic in the centre is a good thing. It needs a lot of work.’

Paul Cable, owner of Waterlooville Model Centre, said: ‘If it generates more interest in the city centre it will be good. It depends when they get the money and when they start to do things.

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‘There are a lot of shops folding. We are all in a bad position – I wouldn’t even know if the regeneration will save us.

‘We need help though. Anything to help bring people back into the centre is a good thing.

‘There are big chunks of Commercial Road that are empty and when big brands go other businesses are unable to fill the gap. I hope they get the money and use it sensibly.’

Fratton Road traders expressed a mixture of emotions at the move. Nick Courtney, owner of Sweet Memories Vinyl Records who organises festivals in the location, said: ‘It’s a good idea. If someone is offering you money to improve things then how can it not be?

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‘It’s definitely a good thing and makes sense though it remains to be seen what they do with the money if they get it.’

Bernard Mendel, owner of Italian Furniture Direct, said: ‘It’s very important to get independent businesses back up and running as they are the future of the country.

‘Fratton Road is a thriving area with lots of opportunities and since we moved here from a retail park our footfall has improved a lot from passers-by - we’ve never had such a busy location.

‘It depends what they do with the money but I think street markets are unfair for local traders who pay their taxes and rents while (market traders) have no overheads and just take all the money out of the area.

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‘If they close Fratton Road it would cause a lot of congestion and make things worse. The ambulance and police frequently use the road too.’

The owner of Fratton Model Centre, who did not want to be named, said street markets and festivals create problems for them. ‘There are queues all the way down Fratton Road and we don’t get any customers,’ the owner said.

‘While it may be a feel-good factor for some it screws up things for us. I have raised ways to improve things with the council – such as having a one-way system to give people more parking - but they fall on deaf ears.

‘I will be quite impressed if they get the money out of the government though.’

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Sites have also been identified on Fratton Road for residential development with a view to provide affordable housing.

The funding bid is the latest step in the council's work to support high streets and follows recent news of the City Centre Market being repositioned along Commercial Road – a scheme designed to improve the market's exposure and experience for customers.

Portsmouth is one of only four councils in the UK to have more than one bid progressing with the government's Future High Streets Fund.

Councils were able to bid for up to £25m support, with most bids expected to be worth between £5m and £10m.

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A decision from the government is expected later this year, along with a second round of funding opportunities which could allow the council to look at further bids for high streets.

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