Oakham High Street is ‘an absolute disgrace’ meeting told

The poor state of Oakham’s High Street was discussed at the annual town meeting, with a councillor reporting there is a ‘general sense of apathy’ among retailers.

Former town councillor Joyce Lucas, a founding member of Oakham in Bloom, said some parts of the town were ‘an absolute disgrace’ including a doorway between two established shops which was regularly piled high with post and which she herself had to swill to clean vomit from.

She also drew attention to lamposts that had not been painted for years and a ‘dangerous’ litter bin which has been faulty for several years and she said could lead to an accident.

She said: “If you can’t afford to get it replaced I will have a garage sale for you.

“Councillors need to walk the town and look.”

She also said she would be sitting outside the congregational church in June to give out information to visitors due to the lack of a tourist information centre.

She told the council: “The sooner you get back into Victoria Hall so that people can go in and ask ‘is the museum open’, where is the nearest toilet?"

Mrs Lucas was the only resident of the town who attended the meeting.

Councillor Martin Brookes agreed that more could be done.

He said: “It would be nice if a few more people took a bit of care. We had no decorations for VE Day from any shops, except the florist, there seems to be a thing locally where nobody wants to do anything. It is an apathy I’m told.”

Coun Brookes also said he did not think the recent deep clean the town council commissioned was ‘value for money’.

Mayor Paul Ainsley was much more optimistic about the fortunes of the town and at the start of the meeting gave a speech.

He said: “We are dreamers and doers. Through Oakham Traders Networking Events, we have strengthened support for local businesses and opened new conversations about revitalising the High Street. Collaborating with Rutland County Council, we have worked on free parking initiatives and a town wide spring clean up, because Oakham deserves to be a place of beauty, opportunity and pride.”

The council is also holding a meeting tonight, where it will be decided who is going to be the mayor for the year ahead.