Chesterfield and District Civic Society

Improvement is possible and it’s not always about spending £millions…it’s about understanding what people want. Currently two thirds of people visit town centres for reasons other than retail. The town needs to endure we offer what the modern visitor is looking for. Chesterfield is not unique in the challenges it faces. Other towns have been…

How can we embrace culture in any new town centre vision? There’s already good news on this with investment in the Pomegranate theatre and the museum, with a good range of events at the Winding Wheel. And they are all near the town centre. To build on this could we, for example, identify three or…

This is number 6 in our short series of planned posts looking at the questions, challenges and some possible solutions around the future of Chesterfield town centre. We’ve a few more to come in advance of our meeting to discuss the issue on 27 February – see the bottom of this post for more information.…

Times are tough and we need to make it easier for businesses to start up by offering smaller units and tailoring the size to be just below the threshold for business rates. This would encourage new independents to try their luck alongside the existing independent offering. The free off-peak parking for residents has been a…

As an example of perhaps radical thinking elsewhere, we take a look at what’s happening at Nottingham’s  Broad Marsh Shopping Centre in this post. Perhaps we should actually say the former Broad Marsh shopping centre;  as this mid-1970s shopping beacon has, in reality, had a mixed reception ever since it was opened. Now it lies mostly…

During the last 20 – 30 years traditional creators of footfall in the town centre have disappeared.  Chesterfield Royal and Scarsdale Hospitals have moved. Robinsons, Markham’s, the tube works and Donkins are all now gone and aren’t coming back! Perhaps there needs to be work done to encourage major bodies such as educational institutions  and…

We need to give people a reason to visit our town centre. Play areas for children (indoor and outdoor) might be one attraction. Imagine kids playing in water fountains in the summer – and asking their parents to visit the town.  Is there a role for more leisure? Maybe a boutique cinema that offers food…