A £25,000 scheme to improve the appearance of shops along Burnham-On-Sea’s High Street has been unveiled this week using funding from supermarket giant Tesco.
Town councillors have backed the scheme, which was put forward by the Chamber of Trade, to improve the appearance of stonework, signs and paintwork, using funding to be matched by traders.
Tesco has given £322,000 to offset the financial impact of its store extension on the town centre and this week’s meeting was held to discuss several proposals for how to spend the funding.
Alex Turco, representing Burnham Chamber of Trade, said: “A shopfront improvement scheme would be very positive for Burnham. It has previously worked well in improving the appearance of the High Street and would give the town centre a lift, making it more attractive for shoppers. The Chamber strongly supports this initiative.”
During the meeting, proposals for a shopfront art scheme were also discussed in which a commercial artist would paint colourful scenes on metal shutters along the High Street, but the scheme got a cool reception.
Local businessman Mike Murphy, who sits on the council’s Town Improvements Committee, siad few traders want shutters painted and he said: “I am deeply concerned by the scheme – the shutters are mostly made of steel and if paint is added in a seaside environment, we’ll quickly see degradation, rust and paint peeling. I feel this scheme is setting up the High Street to look shabbier over time.”
But Burnham Town Team’s Bev Milner Simonds said she had visited several traders who are interested. “Many residents don’t like the appearance of the shutters when they come down as shops close at 5.30pm. Burnham is missing out on a night time economy – and this scheme would make a small difference by helping the town centre look more welcoming in the evenings.”
Cllr Neville Jones proposed an alternative scheme where “some straightforward painting be undertaken at the discretion of business owners.”
Councillors agreed and also voted unanimously to earmarking £25,000 towards the shopfront improvements scheme.
The proposals will now go forward to the January meeting of the full Town Council where a decision will be made on whether this scheme – and others including appointing a new Town Centre Manager and converting the former job centre into a business hub – will benefit from the Tesco community cash.
The ultimate decision rests with Sedgemoor District Council, which controls the overall pot of funding.
Pictured: Top, Burnham High street; Centre – some of the shuttered shopfronts that may have been painted; above – Burnham’s Tesco store
