Hard Times

Tourists visit the Cotswolds anticipating a certain kind of comfortable, nostalgic Englishness. Golden limestone, thatched cottages, village greens, huge wool-churches from the heyday of 'the Cotswold Lion' (a sheep with much-prized wool). The well-known towns - Bath, Cheltenham, Stow-on-the-Wold, Burford, Chipping Campden - have exquisite, historic archiecture that provides the perfect backdrop for a high-end retail experience. It is a place that attracts people whose tastes are conservative, and expensive

I think travellers must get a bit of a surprise when they reach Chipping Norton. Their expectations may have been raised by its notorious association with the "set" - the moneyed elite who live in expensive country houses in the area, though not in the town of course. Although it is an ancient market-town ('chipping' derives from old English for 'market'), it does not boast opulent buildings or any atmosphere of refinement. If you pick a shop at random, it is quite likely to be trading for charity, very unlikely to be selling antiques or high fashion, and might easily be vacant

The Wednesday market still exists, but it has only maximum of six regular stalls, and none of the businesses are from the town. The shopping area is divided by a major trunk road, on which large lorries must pass between narrowly spaced buildings and negotiate sharp turns. There is one light-controlled pedestrian crossing, some steep slopes and very limited parking. The district council want to revitalise the market as a way to reinvigorate business in the town, but the details of what that involves are sketchy

All of this is to be discussed at the annual town meeting in this Victorian, neoclassical town hall next month. I hope it generates enthusiasm not recrimination. I like the town - not least for the very reason that it does not fit the affluent Cotswold mould - but there is no doubt it is struggling to deal with the same commercial and political forces that are hollowing out town centres nationwide. Like the town hall itself, it is looking a little battered