Spalding area readers give mixed reaction to plans for former Coneys store in Broad Street
A business centre and affordable housing are some of the ideas put forward by readers for a landmark site that could become a church.
The former Coneys store in Broad Street, Spalding, has stood empty for months after the doors were closed for the final time due to rising costs and declining sales.
Earlier today, we revealed that The Lighthouse Pentecostal Church has submitted a change of use application to turn the old Hills store into a community facility which would include a ‘Youth Zone’, a soft play cafe and extended foodbank.
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The plan will also include a church as their current building in Haverfield Road is overcrowded.
But the change of use application has been given a mixed reaction from readers with some calling for a return of M&S Food Hall which closed its Holland Market stall in 2021.
Lewis Lovett said: “This is going to be such a benefit to spalding, from what I understand there will be a soft play for kids and lots of space set apart for youth! It would bring so many people and life into the town centre!”
Alistair Main posted: “This plan brings an empty building into seven day use bringing people into town centre every day of the week. Look past the headline and into the details, children's play area, youth facilities etc. This would be great for the town centre.”
Nicola Addison says she avoids town as much as she can and added: “It's becoming a ghost town - council need to sort their heads out.”
Beverley and Frank Dyson posted on our Facebook page: “Why can’t you bring back M&S foods with a cafe that would much better serve the town and community.”
While Jenni Rayner stated: “I know that times have changed quite radically, but when I was young Spalding had four department stores - Hills, Berrills, Penningtons and Hanson's along with several small boutiques and a large market.
“It was a place to shop and brought people into the town. Now there's nothing, no reason to visit. This is going to be the final nail in Spalding's coffin!”
An indoor market or several independent retailers was an idea for the site put foward by Rachel Thompson. “We need to encourage people into the town not keep pushing them out!”
While Gary Trueman said: “If it can't be used for a sole retailer surely it would be better divided up for use as something like an indoor market, or even affordable housing units?”
Reader Liz May would like to see the store being converted into a business hub to help new firms get off the ground.
She said: “Fill it full of pop up shops, little booths for permanent space for selling and mini restaurants. People could still have cafe and meeting spaces but they'd give loads of people to start up on their own or grow without masses of overheads.”
What’s your view on this issue? Post a comment below.