28 May 2008

A new guide to how the town centre should be run has had the seal of approval from local residents and businesses following a public consultation run by Guildford Borough Council.

The new Town Centre Usage Guide details the Council’s approach to all the activities in the town centre - everything from street entertainment and markets to charity collections. Respondents, who included residents, visitors, businesses, street traders and street performers, overwhelmingly backed the guide. They also said how they would like to see the town centre used in the future.

Says Leader of the Council, Cllr Andrew Hodges: “Our aim is to keep Guildford town centre a safe and pleasant place for the thousands of people who use it every day. To help achieve this we asked the people who use the town centre for their feedback on the draft guide and how the town centre should be run”.

The guide sets out a clear framework for how the Council and the Town Centre Management Group will run the town centre and how individuals, groups and charities can use the town centre.

The results of the consultation, called Guildford Street Life, showed that:

• the majority of respondents agreed with the aims and objectives of the guide
• most agreed that preference should be given to local charities collecting in the town centre
• nearly two thirds of respondents thought carnivals, processions and public performances were a good idea.

Adds Cllr Hodges: “We're pleased that the majority of people taking part in our consultation have agreed with the contents of the guide. We are confident that it will help provide a co-ordinated approach to the management of the town centre events and activities. In turn this will help maintain the vibrancy of the town and ensure that it continues to be an attractive and safe place for all to visit and enjoy”.

The full results of the Guildford Street Life consultation are available on the Council's website at www.guildford.gov.uk/GuildfordStreetLife.