Jonathan James' Blog

When a Steam train comes into Ely Station hundreds of people flock to see it and rightly so.  That wouldn’t have been the case when Steam trains were the norm.  People took them and the services they provided for granted.

I cannot help but think this could be the case with High Streets in years to come.  Our once “nation of shopkeepers” had thriving, bustling High Streets that glued the entire community together.  The advent of the out of town Supermarket has slowly but surely put pay to High Streets up and down the country and our communities have paid the price accordingly.Fenland District Council voted in favour of an out of town supermarket last week.  Sadly, albeit it will take three years, the decision will kill the High Street and the small shops that trade there.

The Coalition Government is very keen to ensure decisions are “localised” but some decisions cannot be. Where national planning guidelines are in place they are there for a reason.  Councils do not always have the benefit of hindsight whereas Central Government can draw on experience from others.  Indeed John Gummer, during the last Conservative government, saw the worrying decline in High Streets and thus kerbed out of town shopping.

Fenland District Council decided to go against guidelines and Chatteris will be worse off for it.

Im sure in years to come, the ”olden day photos” of the once vibrant High street will bring back the same, nostalgic memories, as the Steam trains at Ely still manage to conjure up.