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A story that has appeared on my radar time and time again has been the highly controversial refurbishment programme of a tourist town. Ashbourne, often called the “Gateway to the Peak District”, has seen its famous streets of cobblestones and independent traders closed to traffic all summer, which has divided the town and brought a lot of uncertainty.
In my visits to the quaint town, I was always greeted warmly by traders, who all took their time and sat down with me explaining their situation. Some showed themselves grateful for the town’s long-overdue overhaul while others looked at me with deep worry in their eyes and explained they had made a mere £10 in trade all day.
In a tourist town like Ashbourne, the summer is what gets you through the winter, so say the traders. In summer, tourists flood the town on their roadtrips through the Peaks, on their way to hikes or when they want to enjoy a nice family day out. The bubble bursts, however, when visitors enter Ashbourne and are greeted with roads ripped open, access and parking blocked and building works spoiling the views.
A couple from the US told me during one of my visits in early summer told me they would never have come to Ashbourne if they had known this is what it would look like. This sentiment appears to have been shared by many – as I walked down the roads, trying to squeeze past construction equipment and balance across wooden planks, I wasn’t joined by any visitors trying to navigate the town’s maze with me.
Despite traders attempting to stay positive and holding on to hope that the steady stream of tourists would return once the town reopened, a sense of deep worry about winter edging closer and closer has been apparent. Without the comfortable pillow of savings the businesses make during a busy summer season, they will be in for a hard winter – at no fault of their own.
According to the council, Ashbourne Reborn was called for by the people of the town and its impact will far outweigh the short-term losses the businesses have made. Some of them agree, showing themselves enthusiastic for the upcoming celebrations as St John’s Street reopens to the public. Others, however, are angry. There will be no compensation for their losses, they face uncertainty during the colder months and are unsure to what extent new pavements will benefit the town.
If the benefit for the town will indeed make up for a “ruined” summer, as some called it, it will show once the days get longer again, warmer weather holds its long-awaited return, and we head into next year’s summer season. I truly hope that by then, walking down the streets in the town will feel the same as it used to, lined with small businesses that are delighted to sell truly special offerings in a beautiful place.
Whether this will be the case, or if traders will see themselves forced to move away, will show – but one thing is already clear: The town has been divided, with residents describing a dark, toxic feel looming over it as works progress. While some work with the council, others call for more transparency and scrutiny, and the two sides seem to have clashed more than once.
A lot of questions are still unanswered, and a lot of people are unhappy about the way things have turned out. Only time will tell if the town can make a return to its old ways and come out of the troubles unscathed. Personally, I sincerely hope all traders can recover from a summer that has been as stressful as it has been hard on their pockets.
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