Spalding Business Improvement District and Springfields Outlet Shopping Centre work on plans to boost town centre visitor numbers

Plans to improve transportation between the town centre and a shopping centre are being developed.

Spalding Business Improvement District (BID) is working with Springfields Outlet Shopping and Leisure to help work up initiatives to ‘close the gap’ between the Camel Gate venue and the town centre.

Better transportation links, signposting and marketing opportunities are being considered in order to attract some of the popular shopping centre’s visitors into the town centre.

Springfields is often cited as one of the reasons why the town is ailing — as shoppers are drawn away to the outlet centre — but it is hoped that this scheme could help boost visitor numbers.

Spalding’s Water Taxi, which has stopped operating for the winter, is one of the main transportation links between the two main sites along with some bus services.

Sarah Fletcher, manager of Spalding BID, said: “Spalding BID is aware that locally people feel the town misses out on shopper numbers because of Springfields Outlet and whilst there is some truth in this, BID is keen to share that Springfields Outlet management is fully behind our BID and really want to help support the businesses and especially retail in the town centre.

“As a result, they are working closely with us on initiatives to close the gap between the two sites.

“Many of the stores in Springfields such as Levi, Radley and Osprey you wouldn't find on most smaller town high streets, and you will not find our great Spalding town independent and unique stores in Springfields, so we need to make people more aware.

“Initiatives include looking at ways in which Springfield Outlet and local shoppers and visitors are much more informed about town centre leisure, things to do, retail and hospitality, provide better signposting and transportation between the two sites, as well as new marketing opportunities for some independent businesses.”

Springfields was granted planning permission in 2020 for to add a further 18 outlets to the Camel Gate site and a condition of that approval is that £200,000 be set aside to help the promotion of Spalding.

Spalding BID, which organisers promise would bring in £1million over a five year period, was established last year following a narrow vote of one and is funded by a mandatory levy on traders.

It has faced controversy in recent months after 45 traders were taken to court for not paying the mandatory levy while a number have also spoken out to say they did not receive ballot papers in the run-up to last year’s vote.

Earlier this month, the BID announced its plans to bring in a big screen to show sporting events in the town centre, flowers and planters along with an app.