Hard hit Brook Street traders call for business rate reduction in Chester

Dec 24 2009 by Laurie Stocks-Moore, Chester Chronicle

TRADERS on Brook Street have put their names to a petition demanding concessions while their road is disrupted by 10 weeks of roadworks.

On January 25, Chester Renaissance and Cheshire West and Chester Council will begin the changes they say will improve its appearance with wider pavements and street furniture when finished in April.

Brook Street traders are concerned that the work could wreak financial ruin on many of the street’s independent businesses. They approached UKIP candidate Alan Weddell and on Friday he trawled shops on the street for signatures. Every one of the 35 people he asked agreed to sign up.

Entitled Stop Brook Street Becoming Broke Street, the petition asks for a waiving of business rates during the works and parking concessions in St Anne Street car park to encourage shoppers to keep coming.

It asks for the re-routing of the free bus service from the railway station to the city centre along Brook Street together with the provision of a bus stop when work is complete.

Stewart Tattershall, who helps run Dee Sports on the street, said: “Customers will come down here and say ‘this looks a mess, I’m not getting involved in that’ and they’ll go.”

The council has promised reduced parking charges and improvements to St Anne’s car park as part of the scheme, and agreed to provide free use of one parking space in the car park for all traders affected.

Sue Mackin, who owns Myra’s Kitchen on the street, was told it would become more attractive to people passing from the station into town.

But she said: “But the bus service doesn’t come through Brook Street so people don’t see it.

Cheshire West and Chester Council spokesman Ian Callister said: “We do believe that the scheme will create a marked improvement in the area and a subsequent improvement in trade, but we will give due consideration to the petition.”