What do you think of your high street? Survey of shops and shoppers launched

New survey from Three Rivers District Council will help inform a programme of support for high street retailers

“Help our local high streets to thrive” is the message to businesses and customers in Three Rivers who are being asked to share their views in a survey.

Three Rivers District Council has launched the High Street Survey to gather feedback which will help the council develop a range of initiatives to support retailers, hospitality and leisure businesses. The findings will also help identify potential opportunities to enhance high streets both for businesses and their customers.

Cllr Sarah Nelmes, the Leader of Three Rivers District Council, said: “Since March 2020 the world has changed dramatically – and we are keen to understand how our high streets have been affected. By listening to our local retailers and their customers we can better understand what can be improved, what would help them and what role as a council we can play in making sure high streets not just survive but really do thrive in the months and years ahead.”

The survey will ask what improvements customers and businesses would like to see in high streets across the district, including Rickmansworth, Chorleywood, Abbots Langley, Croxley Green and South Oxhey. It will look at issues concerning customers ranging from the variety of shops, parking, signage and accessibility, to issues for businesses themselves such as how they coped under lockdown and the challenges facing them today and in the future.

The survey forms part of the council’s Covid recovery plan, with a broader package of support to be announced this autumn for local businesses.

The survey is aimed at supporting and creating jobs and growth. In August the council partnered with Hertfordshire Growth Hub, powered by Hertfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership, to deliver a new programme of support grants worth up to £5,000 designed to be spent on business consultation services as well as business tools and equipment.

The survey will run from 7 September to 4 October. The information collected by the council will be kept in the strictest confidence and used for research purposes only.

To take the survey follow this link: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/WLN8MCR

For more information about the Three Rivers Business Growth Grants visit:  https://www.threerivers.gov.uk/news/district-council-supports-businesses-with-new-grants-to-boost-local-economy