One of the aspects of the Boston Town Deal which will seem more and more poignant as this year takes shape is the incremental changes that are taking place to the town’s shopfronts.
With the pandemic having a real impact on the high street, more and more larger brands will see physical shops mothballed and more moving to online ventures. However, there is still a demand for the brick and mortar shopping experience and smaller, more niche retailers are the key to a flourishing High Street.
Boston has the same problems as many other market towns of similar size across the UK. Empty shops, a decline nationally of larger chains impacting the occupancy of town centres and more being spent online. However, there are committed retailers and determined standard-bearers for the high street that want to see it succeed. Along with the plans that should see the PE21 project bring shoppers, residents and workers to the town centre by placing them at the centre of the Towns Fund plans, retail plays an important role.
Boston has seen success in shopfront regeneration over the past few years, and those who are familiar with Hoppers jewellers in the town’s marketplace will have seen what a transformation that funding has enabled. Funded in partnership with Historic England, the shop front is now sympathetic to the surrounding town centre’s historic buildings and reflects what Boston is seeking to strive for in the long term, to be even more of a great place to live, visit and work.
Boston also successfully applied for a £1 million National Lottery Heritage Funded Townscape Heritage project in 2017, with the project kicking off in early 2019. Recent accelerated funding has enabled this project to become fully funded, meaning the opportunity to fully realise this scheme. Three more shops are to take advantage of this scheme, namely 16, Market Place (currently vacant), 17 Market Place (Beauts and Co) and 8 Dolphin Lane (Crumbs Cafe).
Work behind the scenes has started the journey to improve the shop fronts and overall condition of the properties. Signage and banners will be advertising the work, and it is hoped that this will be a catalyst for other retail/public-facing businesses in the immediate area to follow suit. Two of the properties (16 Market Place and 8 Dolphin Lane) are using local firms for all the work. 8 Dolphin Lane is using Clarke Construction and 16 Market Place has contracted JT Ward.
This initial phase of property improvements has been made possible by an accelerated Towns Fund grant of £237,804 and match funding from the private landlords, together with the contributions from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and Boston Borough Council.
It is hoped that this will give the marketplace and surrounding public areas more of a characterful and historic feel for visitors and forms just a small part of a wider strategy to improve heritage provision for the whole town.