£1 billion of investment for Chesterfield over the next 10 years

£1 billion of investment for Chesterfield over the next 10 years

We regularly hear about new investment in Chesterfield; whether this is Markham Vale, Peak Resorts, Chesterfield Waterside or by one of our expanding local  businesses. But recently, at the Celebrate Chesterfield event it was calculated that the total amount of money being invested in the town over the next 10 years is actually £1 billion. There was an audible intake of breath in the room, when that level of investment was announced, proving once again that Chesterfield is punching well and truly above its weight.

This investment will bring lots of homes, leisure facilities, restaurants and businesses, etc to Chesterfield which,  importantly, will create jobs, 1000s of them in fact. With jobs comes more spending power in our local economy- Everyone in our town will benefit. The future for Chesterfield is very exciting, however we must not lose sight of what we have now. It is important to support the businesses that are already within the town and help them continue to thrive so they will be around to reap the benefits of the £1 billion of future investment.

The annual Chesterfield Retail Awards organised by Destination Chesterfield, are a great example of how we strive to celebrate and support businesses in Chesterfield. I am delighted to see that so many people have got behind the awards once again and nominated their favourite retailers. We’ll be announcing the winners of the Chesterfield Retail Awards in June.

However, it is my view that every one of Chesterfield’s retailers should be commended.   By way of example we heard at the Celebrate event that plans for the former Co-op building are in the pipeline and I, like everyone else, look forward to seeing an important  building brought back into use.

Whether or not you nominated a business for the Retail Awards my plea to you, to keep Chesterfield thriving now, is for you to Shop Local. Independent retailers in the town centre, along Chatsworth Road and Whittington Moor have everything you could ever need. You name it - fruit and vegetables from the market, gifts, clothing, furniture, jewellery, we really do have it all. Our town’s mix of retailers – independents alongside high street chains, are what sets us apart from other high streets. We have variety that others are lacking and this is the reason why people travel from the Peak District, Buxton, Dronfield, South Sheffield and even Leicestershire to shop here. But let’s make sure we support our independent retailers. Chesterfield can enjoy its modern awakening now, not in ten years’ time.

Tasty future for Chesterfield

The Chesterfield Food and Drink Awards certainly did what they set out to do – put the town’s hospitality sector in the spotlight. Not only did the awards unite our thriving hospitality sector, they showcased the up and coming talent emerging from Chesterfield College as the students catered for the ceremony. And delicious it was too.

The town really embraced its first ever Food and Drink Awards. We had no shortage of nominations, sponsors and contributors, all keen to make it a success. There really was something for everyone, right down to the table decorations on the night which were supplied by local artist and Chesterfield Champion Clare Gage. The entire project has once again showed how the people of Chesterfield really care about the success of the town and want to be part of it.

More importantly, I would like to think that the awards sent a very clear message to young people about the opportunities that exist right here in Chesterfield. They were able to see for themselves that we have a thriving hospitality sector ready and willing to offer careers to young people. The best restaurants and hotels are not in the cities, they are now right here on our own doorstep and represent an opportunity to retain our home-grown talent.

The town now has more choice than ever for places to eat and drink. In November alone we welcomed the Market Plaza Café to the newly refurbished Market Hall as well as The Wingerworth Pub & Kitchen on the outskirts of Chesterfield. If dining out is a marker of a town’s economy, then ours is booming. We got the opportunity to shout about our success to major retailers and property developers, which was hosted by Chesterfield MP Toby Perkins recently at the Houses of Parliament.

The event showcased the town’s potential to retailers and developers in order to attract new investments and present Chesterfield as the place to be for business development and job opportunities.

Yes, we have attracted some big retailers to the town, Hobbycraft and Asda Living being the latest names to join the Ravenside Retail Park, but we must not rest on our laurels. We have a future generation of workers to think about providing jobs and homes for.

Having seen for myself the talented young people training at Chesterfield College I, for one, do not want to lose them from our local economy due to lack of opportunity. I am confident however, that together, we can build a sustainable and very bright future for Chesterfield.