Sir – I would like to add a postscript to last week’s piece about the struggle for existence of Cousins and its neighbour, plus all of Twickenham’s businesses.

Although sadly another three shops have closed, or are about to do so in so many weeks, the difficulties have been recognised and have become sharply focused over the past year on the underlying reasons.

To seek remedies Twickenham Town Centre Management Board set up its third sub-committee to advise on inward investment opportunities.

Having started with a clean sheet we are gradually grappling with the fundamental problems, so far we have organised opinion surveys among residents in the TW1 and TW2 areas and traders.

The results while predictable have indicated the priorities for future action.

We are currently researching the names of the landlords of all the properties in the central area of the town and will extend the study outwards.

Thus shortly we hope to convene a meeting chaired by MP Vince Cable where dialogue with the landlords can commence about their role in the success of the town, as they are essential participants, alongside that of the traders and residents, so that a much brighter future for the commercial success of the town can be developed.

In addition to these activities we have engaged the services of top-flight consultants to analyse further our best course of action over the next year with the expectation of results early next year.

We have published the first copy of our new Traders News and hope that this will be a twice yearly information sheet.

Very shortly we hope to appoint a new town centre manager in succession to Esther Worboys who after five years with us, is diversifying her talents into new areas of event management.

This will be a wonderful opportunity for the new person to make their mark, not least by coordinating the production of a Twickenham marketing pack aimed at attracting new businesses and taking forward the Twickenham Festival and the many other activities of the board.

Fill we will (or create the enabling conditions for) a significant number of the empty properties over the next year so that once again they are functioning properly and contributing to the better interests of us all.

JOHN ARMSTRONG
Twickenham Town Centre Management Board