Oakengates 'Theatre Quarter plans threatening our businesses'

A Theatre Quarter is planned to breathe new life into part of Telford. But existing businesses in Oakengates fear they face ruin after being told they must relocate to make way for the project. They spoke to the BBC about their concerns.

For 30 years, Tracey Moseley has worked to build up Nutcrackers hair salon.

But earlier this year, she was informed by Telford & Wrekin Council her premises in Oakengates was in line to be demolished to make way for a new 'Theatre Quarter', and she would be evicted.

"We are going to be replaced with a small park area," she said.

"I feel very, very disheartened."

In 2021, the council was given £22.3m by the government to invest in three areas of the borough, including Oakengates, over the next five years.

It put forward proposals to create the new quarter, external, improving shop fronts, creating ten new flats and enhanced public spaces in front of Telford Theatre, formerly called The Place, on Limes Walk.

But it would involve knocking down several shops, including Nutcrackers.

As compensation, Ms Moseley said she has been offered £20,500, which she said would not be enough to either fit out a new shop or to pay redundancies for her staff and cover costs if she decided to close.

She has also been told the new premises, which is further away from the high street, would have an increased rent.

"After 30 years of trading in my local town and supporting my local town, they are telling me 30 years of my life is pointless and I have done it all for nothing," Ms Moseley said.

"I don't know where I go with my career and my staff have got mortgages, young families, rents to pay...where do they move on to, what is their future?"

Two doors down, Sue and Bianca Gregory have been told their haberdashery business, Gems, will also be knocked down.

The grandmother and granddaughter have been trading out of Oakengates for four years, and they do not know where they could be moved to.

"They are offering us a shop which is not as big as this, they won't even include the rent at the moment so we don't know where we are going or what financial state we will be in," Miss Gregory said.

"They are offering us a tiny bit of compensation which is only to do the shop up, so we are getting no help from the council at all."

Not all the affected businesses are being demolished entirely. Tattooists Some Ink Different will retain its downstairs studio, but the upstairs is being converted into an apartment.

The team said they face either staying in their current premises and losing a member of staff to cope with the reduction in space, or relocating. They have been offered £5,500 compensation to pay to refit their new home and are waiting to see what alternative location might be suggested.

Co-owner Garth Cole-Jones said: "We are just in limbo so we can't plan ahead, we can't, if need be, look for a new premises - we can't do that because we don't know what we are being offered."

The Severn Hospice said it has also been told its charity shop will have to leave its home on Market Place, but will not be offered a new site.

"We last year raised £60,000 towards patient care and we receive about 10,000 donation bags every year so we really are at the heart of the community," said Tracie Harrison, the charity's director of income generation.

"We want to stay at the heart of the community and it is just disappointing the council doesn't want to see that as well."

The authority said the work would transform "the look and feel of the heart of the town centre".

"Discussions continue with all existing retailers, where tenants are relocating occupation costs have yet to be finalised," a spokeswoman said.

"The compensation each tenant is entitled to is personal to their particular circumstances and tailored support will be provided to those businesses directly affected by the proposals."

Regarding Severn Hospice, the council added with six to twelve months before possession is required, it does not see any reason as to why it should not be able to find new premises in Oakengates.

It said traders and tenants will have further chance to comment on the proposals following the submission of the planning application later this month.

But the businesses have pledged to fight, with Christine Orford, chairman of the town's chamber of commerce, launching an action group and petition against the work.

"This is people's businesses, livelihoods and what they are proposing for them is nowhere near what they have got," she said.

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