Following our widely praised NotoCosta campaign TTT will now be focusing on working to celebrate and promote our independent high street, working in partnership with businesses, including those that serve the tourist market, with Totnes trade associations and the Town Council, both directly and through the Tourist Information Centre.
Activities that are planned include developing a website to celebrate and promote Totnes independents, developing a leaflet with a map, primarily for visitors to Totnes, promoting the independents cafes and, in time, shops and other relevant businesses. We will also continue to build on all the recent positive media coverage of the town and its unique, vibrant high street.
TTT will also be working on the root causes of why Costa Coffee were granted a change of use when opinion in the town had overwhelmingly shown they were not wanted, including our elected Councillors. This work will focus on influencing absentee landlords and lobbying to ensure the Localism Act and the rights enshrined within it, actually does deliver power to communities, including through the NPPF.
We would like to thank everyone who has supported the cause, including all the volunteers involved in the campaign and everyone who wrote to object and signed the petition. We would also like to thank our MP for her support in the matter and the Town and District Councillors who were prepared to stand up for the right of Totnes to determine what is right for the town.