THE SDLP’S Sinéad McLaughlin has called for creative thinking to revitalise the North’s town and city centres.
Ms McLaughlin was speaking at the Annual Northern Ireland Economic Conference in Ballymena this week.
The Executive Office Committee chair called for a joined-up approach to restore centres to the heart of communities across the North.
Said the Foyle MLA: “Our town and city centres have undergone a massive transformation over the past few decades. They were once the port of call for everyone In our society, young and old would gather to shop, socialise or relax.
“However, in recent years we have seen many household names disappear from our high street as more and more businesses move online.
“If we want to reverse this trend and restore our town centres to once again be the hub of our communities then we need creative thinking to adapt them for modern life.
“There are major challenges we must address. Rates in the North are significantly higher than elsewhere on these islands, while online retailers get away with unfair cost advantages.
“We also have to make our urban centres more attractive, not just as retail destinations, but for a leisure package that includes cafes, restaurants, cinemas and theatres.
“We must keep investing in public spaces, including green areas which look good, contain public art, and are properly maintained.
“We need to see further pedestrianisation, wider pavements and ensure consumers feel safe by sensitively tackling the challenges that plague our centres.
“One of those is to bring our population back into our urban centres and convince the retail sector that the future doesn’t lie out of town.
“If we are going to wean people away from their Amazon addiction we must create vibrant cities and towns that cater to people living in the area and make them attractive to tourists and visitors.”
SDLP Ballymena councillor Eugene Reid said: “Ballymena town centre and areas across North Antrim have seen numerous businesses close in recent years and scores of jobs lost as a result of the shift to online commerce.
“Once thriving towns and villages have become ghost towns, largely relying on the summer months and the boost from tourism to keep themselves going.
“While many of our issues are as a result of a chronic lack of investment for this area, we must also devise a strategy to keep our areas bustling year-round with a retail and hospitality experience that appeals to people of all ages.
“I was proud to welcome my SDLP colleague Sinéad McLaughlin to Ballymena this week as she laid out our party’s plan for revitalising our urban centres.
“The SDLP has the vision to make change happen for people right across the North and I’ll continue to advocate for a new approach to things here in Ballymena and across this entire area so that spending from local people benefits local businesses and not huge companies with massive turnovers.”
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