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Madhatter · 19-01-2006, 12:12

This is very interesting to me. Our council took the opposite approach and ploughed tax payers money into a scheme at considerable risk, to try to save our town, which sounds a bit like ossy. Atherstone is a small town with a pop of about 6 thousand, with a mancetter being a an older area that’s adjoining the main town adding it up to about 11 thousand, And a very close village of Witherley just over one field but in the county of Leicestershire. Atherstone has struggled for years but against all odds has always fought back. Never more so than in the last two years. We have a lot of history here, most of it has been stolen off us by neighbouring towns and villages. the centre of England is said to be here, the battle of Bosworth has been proven not to have been at Bosworth and was most likely here, as was the last battle of boudica. Atherstone is one of a few remaining town that play Shrovetide football in the main street, all the shops get boarded up and a huge ball gats booted up and down the main street.
To try to get people in to the town, we have several other events throughout the year, including war day celebrations, the main street is closed and taken over with a ww2 theme, sand bags, army vehicles exhibits. WE had an air display at our small air field at the nearby village of baxterley, We have a classic car show in the market square and surrounding streets and car park. We have a summer fun day in the market Square. We have French markets and hopefully soon farmers markets too as well as the poorly attended but still in existence twice a week town market. we have a dickens night in the main street and surrounding car parks to mark the switch on of our famous Christmas lights, street entertainment, stall, fairs, exhibitions, crafts etc. Also last year our carnival was resurrected, this year we're hopefully going to get floats, and hopefully have an ‘it's a knockout’ on the field. Plus there’s other school fetes and fire station fete etc.
Witherley has its now famous scarecrow festival, locals make scarecrows to display in their garden or as part of a central display on the green or in the church.
All this advertises the town, and area, and brings in tourism as well as creating a sense of community and civic pride.
The borough council has also, as I mentioned pumped money into another project. Atherstone Booktown, England’s first Booktown. It's been slow getting there and has had problems, mainly from the town having high rents and rates. Most of the shops are owned by one person Allan Lloyd of Lloyds chemist group, although he did buy one of the hotels, gut it, refurb it and add a bookshop.

19-01-2006, 12:12	#37
Madhatter God Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Wonderland Posts: 2,767 Liked: 0 times Rep Power: 43	Re: Oswaldtwistle Shops This is very interesting to me. Our council took the opposite approach and ploughed tax payers money into a scheme at considerable risk, to try to save our town, which sounds a bit like ossy. Atherstone is a small town with a pop of about 6 thousand, with a mancetter being a an older area that’s adjoining the main town adding it up to about 11 thousand, And a very close village of Witherley just over one field but in the county of Leicestershire. Atherstone has struggled for years but against all odds has always fought back. Never more so than in the last two years. We have a lot of history here, most of it has been stolen off us by neighbouring towns and villages. the centre of England is said to be here, the battle of Bosworth has been proven not to have been at Bosworth and was most likely here, as was the last battle of boudica. Atherstone is one of a few remaining town that play Shrovetide football in the main street, all the shops get boarded up and a huge ball gats booted up and down the main street. To try to get people in to the town, we have several other events throughout the year, including war day celebrations, the main street is closed and taken over with a ww2 theme, sand bags, army vehicles exhibits. WE had an air display at our small air field at the nearby village of baxterley, We have a classic car show in the market square and surrounding streets and car park. We have a summer fun day in the market Square. We have French markets and hopefully soon farmers markets too as well as the poorly attended but still in existence twice a week town market. we have a dickens night in the main street and surrounding car parks to mark the switch on of our famous Christmas lights, street entertainment, stall, fairs, exhibitions, crafts etc. Also last year our carnival was resurrected, this year we're hopefully going to get floats, and hopefully have an ‘it's a knockout’ on the field. Plus there’s other school fetes and fire station fete etc. Witherley has its now famous scarecrow festival, locals make scarecrows to display in their garden or as part of a central display on the green or in the church. All this advertises the town, and area, and brings in tourism as well as creating a sense of community and civic pride. The borough council has also, as I mentioned pumped money into another project. Atherstone Booktown, England’s first Booktown. It's been slow getting there and has had problems, mainly from the town having high rents and rates. Most of the shops are owned by one person Allan Lloyd of Lloyds chemist group, although he did buy one of the hotels, gut it, refurb it and add a bookshop.