Hello Shepperton. Welcome to 2022!
As we entered the new year, it seems that the High Street was in pretty good shape over the holiday period.
Shops and businesses appeared to be doing a brisk trade on the whole and the High street was bubbling along.
Our stalwart businesses – the butchers, bakers, greengrocers, Homecare and pharmacies reported busy times up to and over Christmas and the New Year. Our supermarkets seemed quite pleased with footfall on the whole as well.
We could see that our hairdressers, beauty businesses and the coffee shops were also doing OK. This included many of the newer traders that have opened more recently.
Overall, Shepperton High Street is holding up quite well so far.
They will still need our support and help over the coming year – times are still difficult for many of us.
KEEP SUPPORTING THE HIGH STREET.
On the planning front, Ken Snaith writes:
Christmas and New Year are comparatively quiet times for processing planning applications. Two most recent applications which will be more obvious to resi-dents are the new café, 4 Thurlestone, in the old Top Tune motor accessories shop, which is awaiting a decision on an alcohol licence. And the revision to the outline planning approval for the Shepperton Studios enlargement by re-placement of a car park with a backlot area which includes further encroach-ment into the green belt but which was approved at the January planning com-mittee meeting. It is proposed to provide replacement parking in a multistorey car park near the new main entrance in Shepperton Road to which the Laleham, Charlton Village and Shepperton Residents’ Associations are concerned as to the appearance and impact on traffic flow in the area.
This issue is expanded further in the article by Shepperton, Laleham and Charl-ton Village Residents Associations – also in this magazine.
So, nothing is life is perfect – we have to watch and react to the various issues and developments that can affect our lifestyle quality in Shepperton – and, at the same time, maintain the key part of our community – the High Street … Keep shopping – NOT all online – but socially as well. Meet your friends and neighbours ..and Shopkeepers – in your High Street. Carl Phillips, Vice-Chair, Shepperton Residents’ Association