Paul Blakemore
New high street vision wants to hear from the people of Weston
As part of a changing era for the High Street, Turner Works has been appointed by North Somerset Council to work on a new vision for Weston-super-Mare’s town centre in response to the changing face of the high street. To help build this strategy, Turner Works want to hear from the people of Weston.
A series of activities and events will be held over the next few months, with a base in the Food Court at the Sovereign Centre:
• Weston Wishes
Turner Works will be talking to visitors, residents and businesses in Weston to find out about what they want for the town. Thousands of cards will be distributed, asking people to write or draw a wish for Weston and will culminate into a display which will be exhibited on 31 January 2020 at the Sovereign Centre.
• Weston Wanders
On the 31st January 2020, Weston Wanders, a walking workshop around Weston, will explore histories and personal stories in the streets. In collaboration with The Poetry Machine, run by poet Beth Calverley who will be making poems with those that take part, we will build a map of the invisible town, stories old and new, big and small, near and far. The public are invited to walk and map thoughts, stories and feelings of place in Weston, culminating in a big community map, situated in the Food Court at the Sovereign Centre.
• Design Lab
On the 6-7th February, Burgess & Beech will be running a Design Lab in the Sovereign Centre Food Court, developing live a graphic identity for Weston, with the public.
• Work Weston
There will be a workshop focusing on entrepreneurs, businesses and retailers, centred around retail and workspace needs. If you are interested in setting up a business in Weston or have workspace needs, please get in contact with us at hello@superweston.net
• Wild Weston
And lastly, Wild Weston will be held in March. This workshop will focus on the outdoors, health, biodiversity and the environment. We want to hear from anyone running activities that relate to these themes.
Carl Turner from Turner Works said: “There will be a series of workshops and events to reach out to people who live, work and visit Weston. We want to learn from the experts; you. Weston has so many hidden gems and we want to bring them to the forefront and create a unique and exciting strategy for Weston.”
Cllr Mark Canniford, Executive Member for Business, Economy and Employment at North Somerset Council, said: “People want more than just retail when they go shopping, they want an experience. High streets are changing and we must learn to keep pace with this. With more and more people using online retail options, we need to offer something more to entice footfall to our high street.
“There will be some really interesting engagement opportunities over the coming months with all areas of the local community. We want to hear what people want from their town centre, so that together we can bring about changes that we can all be proud of.”
Media platforms include:
Instagram: @superwestonmare
Twitter: @superwestonmare
#superweston #westonwishes #westonwanders #wildweston #workweston
Website: www.superweston.net
Email: hello@superweston.net
