According to a Post survey, the best thing about Bulwell is its shops. But what could be improved? Jayne Garfitt reports...

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THE spotlight is to fall on Bulwell marketplace as part of a new plan to regenerate the shopping area.

A Post survey revealed that people living in Bulwell think the best thing about the town is the shops.

However, more than ten per cent of people asked admitted they would like to see a wider variety of businesses in the area.

With an officer employed two days a week in Bulwell dedicated to looking at how to improve the centre, Bulwell councillor John Hartshorne believes residents have more to look forward to than ever before.

"We have had a special officer looking at how to develop and enhance the business community," he said."There are plans to put the spotlight on and a lot more effort into the marketplace, not just in terms of activities but the actual market."

The cheaper prices and convenience of Bulwell means that existing shops in the town are already popular.

A total of 57 per cent of people surveyed named them as being the best thing about living in the area.

Melvyn Thurlby, 47, of Bulwell Pets And Aquatics, in Main Street, said the friendliness of traders and the strong community links in the town also play a big part in the shops' success.

"The friendly atmosphere in here always goes down well with people," he said.

"We always try to talk to people and in a way they are like friends and there are a lot of people who will come back to have a chat.

"We also spend the time with people explaining things and telling them what they should be doing and what certain items do and that's something you don't get at the bigger places.

"I think it is the personal touch you get at shops in Bulwell and the close community that makes all the difference."

However, despite the popularity of the existing shops, 14 per cent of people who were asked said more variety was needed in the town centre.

Adult, ladies and children's clothes shops were all identified as lacking, along with independent stores and coffee shops.

Katherine Lowe, 39, of Repton Road, Bulwell, said: "There are some good ones but shops seem to open up here and then shut down again.

"I think Bulwell has a good selection of shops for the size of the place but it does lack male clothing. You've got Littlewoods and Bon Marche for the women but nowhere to go if you're male."

Away from the shops, transport was named as the second best thing about Bulwell.

The links to the city by bus, tram and train are clearly well used by both Bulwell residents and visitors to the town.

Terry McKeown, 62, lives in Sneinton and visits Bulwell to buy fresh produce from the markets.

"I wouldn't be able to get here if it weren't for such good transport," he said.

"The transport is brilliant in and out of here. There's plenty of buses and then we've got the tram which is the biggest bonus of the lot."

While the shops and services that exist in Bulwell are well used, people surveyed by the Post felt the town and its residents would benefit from more investment.

The work that had been done by Friends Of The Bulwell Bogs was clearly appreciated, with around 10 per cent of people saying parks were the best thing about the town, but some residents said it wasn't enough.

John Prichard, 79, has lived in Bulwell for around 40 years.

"If you look around all the shops here are closing down and that tells the story," he said.

"To be honest I think the place is going rapidly downhill. There used to be 29 pubs in Bulwell and now there's about five. There used to be a cinema, a theatre. When we were kids there used to be youth clubs – there's nothing like that now, people just don't have anything to do.

"There just doesn't seem to be the money being put in here to change things."

Other big concerns for people were litter, crime and unemployment. Overall people were happy living in Bulwell – with an average of seven out of 10 being given in the town.

And Mr Hartshorne said he believed things were on the up in the town.

"I'm more optimistic now than I was five years ago about the future of Bulwell," he said.

"Yes, there's going to be some pain caused by budget cuts, but Bulwell has always been resilient enough to bounce back and I'm sure that's going to be the case again."