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Small businesses fear Eastwood town centre updates coming ‘too late’

By Lauren Monaghan, Local Democracy Reporter

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An Eastwood business owner thinks the council’s plans to boost town centre businesses could be ‘too late’ for small businesses.

Joanne Berry, the owner of Two Sweet Sisters, an independent sweet shop on Eastwood’s Nottingham Road, fears Broxtowe Borough Council’s plans to bring vacant shop units back into use may not increase town footfall in time.

These plans involve local authorities requiring landlords to rent out ‘persistently’ vacant commercial units to new tenants by auctioning the lease right of up to five years. After the five years it’s transferred back to the original landlord.

The scheme for Eastwood is an extension of the same pilot project underway in Stapleford, which has already seen one out of 17 empty businesses let and one sold at auction.

The update on this scheme for Eastwood, where a public engagement period has started until August 25, 2025, was discussed in the council’s cabinet met yesterday (July 29).

It is hoped the wider project would increase the economy within towns, where increased footfall from new business could have a positive knock-on effects for existing businesses.

But Joanne Berry thinks the rejuvenation effort is “too late” for helping increase footfall for existing Eastwood small businesses.

She said: “When Peacocks shut down that’s when the footfall started to drop.

“Businesses in Eastwood are really, really struggling. I don’t think we would be here next year.

“[The sweet shop] is battling with Iceland and Morrisons because they got the [American sweets] stock in.

She added she would like to see a book shop or toy shop open as part of future new businesses in the town.

Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service today (LDRS), council leader Milan Radulovic (Brox Alliance) said he has concerns the scheme does not currently mitigate “rogue landlords”.

He said: “That five-year period, it needs rental freeze on any increase in rent and extended to period of 10 years to have guarantee over the future when the rents revert back, so they won’t be doubled or trebled.

“What you don’t need in Eastwood is any more nail bars or hairdressers.

“We need a food anchor in the town to bring the footfall to make the other shops more viable.”

Anthony Davies, owner of Ants Emporium told the LDRS he would like to see a hardware store take up one of the empty units, but said he wants potential plans to “use a bit of imagination” with business-types.

But Mr Davies added: “You’ve got to look at the parking first to start to do everything.

“Everyone says they’d stop [by the shops] but they’re not going to pay three or four pound to look in a shop.”

He said he’d like to see the council assess free parking amongst the plans to update the high street.

On the announcement of the new scheme, minister for local growth and building safety, Alex Norris said: “High Street Rental Auctions are a brilliant way for councils to bring shops and shoppers back to the high street, boosting trade, creating jobs and supporting our communities.

“We are committed to growing the economy and improving opportunities for people across the country through our Plan for Change, and thriving high streets have a key role to play.

“That’s why we are backing the rollout of the powers with over £1m of funding on offer to help ensure our communities have the resources they need to realise their potential.”