Rallying cry for all to help get Maidenhead back on its feet

Who wants to help bring the heart back to Maidenhead Town Centre? Let’s do it, let’s make our town wonderful again.

I am a born and bred Maidonian with both my parents and grandparents living for many decades in the town.
In most Maidonian’s opinion and to newcomers  Maidenhead has greatly gone downhill over the past 10 years. Why? What can we do?

With the support of the Thames Valley Women’s Business Group members, I want to try! Let’s petition for action now. Who would like to help?

Let’s hold a public meeting in the Town Hall, initiate a lively debate. Invite Theresa May, local celebrities, invite residents to join the partnerships putting together the new face of Maidenhead, let’s see how we can celebrate Maidenhead on the Thames, regenerating Skindles to its former glory.

Let’s create community cohesion – schools could sponsor planting flowers in the ugly black pots that  feature in our High Street to instantly brighten it up – what other ideas are there?

There are positive things happening – the activities in Nicholson’s Walk, the French market, lets build on them!  Let’s get Sainsbury’s finished and the new empty shop units filled fast. Could the car park be improved?

We were promised a vista with shops, street cafes, and elegant trees.  We need to improve St Mary’s Walk, how about carrying out a simple survey to past, present and future shopkeepers in the town, find out what they need to be able to trade here. Can we bring the Farmers’ Marketto the High Street?

The  town has 257 shops of which 41 are empty (about one in five). Let’s ask questions! Why is there going to be another office by Sainsbury’s? We already have 105 empty offices. Which shops have been asked to come to Maidenhead, why don’t they  come? Why don’t they get planning?

Look at High Wycombe, notout of this world to organise.  We cannot let the town die, we need good decent shops in our town centre to support living and working in this extremely affluent Thames Valley riverside town.

Let’s promote future tourism. Look at all the positives – Boulter’s Lock and Ray Mill Island, Brunel’s Bridge, The Guard’s Club, Cliveden, the Stanley Spencer gallery, Cookham, promote historical river cruises.

Let’s market Maidenhead for the future, especially the Olympics and Crossrail, putting us on the ‘map’. Let’s fight for the wonderful Waterways  Project – why should another office block manage to get planning permission?

Chapel Arches  is one of the very few historic relics of the past of the town and it should not be dominated by a massive  office block. This is a vital site for the  town waterway development.
Who wants to join the battle? Let’s support Peter Prior! A petition is being organised.

SUZY KIRKWOOD
Balmoral
Pinkneys Green