Witham town centre

Witham town centre in 1988. Credit Airpic. My ref M1041. Town centres, the problem. I’m writing this in 2026, when Witham’s town centre, like most others, is suffering. Nowadays the cause is mostly internet shopping, but other threats from the past have played their part. As long ago as 1964, when the by-pass was opened, Witham lost its ‘passing trade’ which was often very high-class. In fact the local Council had opposed the by-pass. Since the seventies, there has been severe competition everywhere from out-of-town shopping centres. And in 2020 there were the restrictions of the COVID epidemic. But until recently, Witham town centre was still a happy place where people would often go for many reasons, including meeting each other. Probably the main reason for going there was still shopping, and it is the shops which have been closing recently due to competition from the Internet. The losses include several that were the longest established and the best-loved. What’s to be done ? When…

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