The Results (3)
Click Here Oakham Town Council Oakham Business Survey Introduction (1)
Click Here Oakham Town Council Oakham Business Survey The Survey (2)
You are Here Oakham Town Council Oakham Business Survey The Results (3)
Click Here Oakham Town Council Oakham Business Survey Comments (4)
Click Here Oakham Town Council Oakham Business Survey Recommendations (5)
www.rutland.gov.uk
www.oakhamtowncouncil.gov.uk
The following percentages relate to the responses received as some respondents failed to respond to all questions.
a. Closure RAF Cottesmore
- 76% believed that the closure of RAF Cottesmore would have a detrimental effect on their trading position.
- 16% thought that the closure would have a marked or serious effect on their business.
- 44% considered there would be little or no consequence on the number of staff employed or the opening hours of the business due to the closure.
- 16% thought that they would employ fewer staff and/or reduce business opening hours.
- 23% considered that the closure of HMP Ashwell would have a detrimental effect on the business.
- 17% thought that the closure would have a marked or serious effect.
- There were no indication that the closure would entail the employment of fewer staff or areduction in opening hours.
- Only traders in central and inner Oakham identified parking as having a direct effect on their business.
- 35% thought that the availability of parking needed to improve.
- 41% considered parking to be to expensive.
- There was a general feeling that on-street parking time limits should be extended from 1-2 hours as present limits do not allow sufficient time for shopping.
- Parking charges in general should be reviewed and reduced. Respondents could not understand why charges rose on market day when it was hoped Rutland County Council was intending to attract shoppers into the town. The view was that market day charges should at least be the same as any other day or reduced to attract people into the town.
- It was also felt a pay on exit would be a more effective method of collection. Traders reported that some shoppers would suddenly dash from the shop as the end of thier parking time approached and they would lose a sale.
- Comments were made that there should be one free parking space per trading unit and where there was a reliance on volunteers that they should be also provided with a free or subsidised parking.
- Other proposals included; provision of a park and ride; a roving parking ticket that could be transferred between car parks in Oakham and the provision of more cycle racks to assist the reduction in car usage.
- 68% stated that tourism was moderately or very important to their business success.
- There was a strong view expressed by many traders that both Oakham Town Council and Rutland County Council needed to invest more in tourism to attract greater numbers of visitors to the town.
- It was the view of 19% of the respondents that the Tesco expansion would assist their business.
- 23% felt that the expansion would be detrimental.
- 58% remained unconcerned about the expansion.
- 8% thought that the Sainsbury development would be beneficial to their business.
- 39% viewed the development as a problem.
- 53% remained unconcerned.
- Traders in Gaol Street/Knights Yard commented in the lack of signs at either end of Gaol Street to advertise shopping opportunities in Gaol Street and Knights Yard.
- Likewise business units in Station Approach also commented on the lack of signs on the approach to indicate the units that were located there.
- 63% thought that the economy in general was having a negative effect in their trading position.
- 43% of those located in central and inner Oakham stated that the high levels of rent and/or rates were adversely affecting the business. Businesses in Pillings Road, Station Approach and other areas of Oakham did not report this problem,
- 3 respondents that relied on the internet to trade reported the poor broadband connection affected their ability to trade. (Rutland County Council has already declared its intention to install superfast broadband within two years)
