Following the recent Local Data Company report, which expresses concerns about the future of Nuneaton town centre, local MP Marcus Jones has called for a full, frank and non-partisan debate about the future of the town centre.

Marcus, who is passionate about the town centre, believes that Nuneaton still has a great deal to offer, but the structural change experienced by town centres across the country means that there needs to be a different mind-set and a fundamental change to see the town centre prosper in the 21st Century.

The local MP, who is the chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Town Centres, has, over the last five years, spoken to people from across the country about the issues that town centres face.

Marcus has welcomed the recent announcement by Government to undertake a fundamental review of business rates, a move that should help towns like Nuneaton.

But such is the structural change and the pace of it, with people increasingly buying their goods on the internet and in out-of-town stores, Marcus believes that an urgent review and a proper dialogue amongst elected politicians of all parties, property owners, traders and the Nuneaton public to set the base for a forward looking vision for the town centre.

The leading local MP said: “We are in uncharted territory, the economy is improving and Nuneaton, like many similar town centres, is not seeing the full potential of that recovery, mainly because of the changes in shopping habits.

“We need a fundamental review to work out what we want our town centre to look like in 5, 10, 20 years’ time. We need to work out why the people with disposable income are spending too much of it elsewhere.

“In my view, there needs to be a debate over whether we have too much retail space of the wrong type, whether we can get more people living in the town, whether we need more leisure activities in town, if car parking charges are set at the right level and if some of the quieter streets should be opened back up to cars.

“I fear that if we don’t start such a debate, this very disappointing report will become the norm rather than the exception.”