Traders face ‘toughest year yet’ (From Bournemouth Echo)

Traders face ‘toughest year yet’

8:00pm Monday 22nd February 2010 in

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A Christchurch business owner has warned that this could be the toughest year yet for small businesses in the town.

Tony Crew, owner of the Scissor Crew hair salon in the High Street, said traders need more help from the council to bring people into the town if Christchurch wants to buck the decline.

Two businesses – Christopher Marks hairdressers and Dorothy Perkins – have closed in the town recently.

Mr Crew, who owns the salon with wife Tonya, said: “2010 is undoubtedly going to be as tough, if not tougher, than last year on the high street and one has to say that Christc-hurch traders need rather more help from the local council than they are currently getting.

“With roads closed, parking costs rising and little in the way of central promotion, you kind of get the feeling you’re on your own and for some small traders it will prove to be too much.”

Terry Atkinson, secretary of Christchurch Chamber of Trade and Commerce, added: “The end of the financial year always brings with it a lot of difficult decisions for business owners who are struggling.

“But there are concerns it could be the start of a worrying trend.”

Colin Jamieson, regional organiser for the Federation of Small Businesses in Dorset, said: “It certainly has been tough recently but I believe it is mainly due to the road closures.

“Once Bridge Street reopens I think confidence will rise again.”

Cllr Sally Derham Wilkes, portfolio holder for business and tourism at Christchurch council, said: “It’s not all doom and gloom out there and I sometimes think we can be in danger of talking ourselves back into a recession.”

She said business would pick up for many traders when the Bridge Street and Castle Street closures finished this weekend.

“Our tourism figures show that more visitors are coming to the town and that is bound to help the local economy,” she added.