Campaigning for Strood Highsteet and local traders

Cllr Hubbard and local Labour campaigners who have been working with our local Labour MP, Bob Marshall-Andrews are celebrating after strood tory councillors buckled under pressure from traders, residents and labour activists to confirm the move of the market to Commercial Road in August 2007. However, much work remains with small independent shops threatened by the closure of the Strood Civic Centre, and Tory policies which are leading to the closure of friendly independent traders in favour of Supermarkets

Strood Market threatened

Traders in Strood market had been under severe threat since being informed they will have to vacate the current site for the new Aldi development. The tories allowed Aldi to develop by allowing planning permission after the land was sold [by an indendent company], but had not agreed on a settlement for the traders who had been using the site. Indeed traders only found out about the threat when Tory councillors appeared in the local press congratulating themselves on another supermarket chain moving to the high street. Following increasingly vague answers from the Conservative portfolio holder for regeneration and local tory councillor, Labour campaigners started a petition on behalf of residents, local business and market traders to put pressure on the tories to act in the interest of Strood residents and confirm an alternate site for the market.

Commenting on the movement of the market, Tristan Osborne (pictured at market) stated.

"This would not have been an issue in Strood had the tories had the competence to manage this situation appropriately from the outset. Its great that Aldi will develop parts of Strood, but the market traders should have been informed of the situation in advance as the plans would have had to come to the council for planning permission. No petitions [including the tory petition to themselves] would have been necessary had the situation been and communicated effectively. The market traders should have been given assurances from day one, as soon as the issue was tabled and not made to wait until the announcement in the local press. Labour locally have been at the market for weeks canvassing local opinions on this matter - everyone knows the only reason for the safeguarding of the market is traders and labour pushing for a relocation site."

The Labour petition citing Commercial Road as an alternative site was handed to the tory council by Labour MP, Bob Marhall Andrews. The Labour group (pictured left at the market) worked with local traders to push for an alternate site for the market at Commercial Road.

Labour is also aware that the tories have only granted permission for the market to stay in Commercial Road until March 2008. Any moves to move the market, without consulting or communicating to residents and traders will be opposed.

Read more on this from the Medway Standard article from the 22nd April 2007

Concerns for Strood small shops

Small shops are at the heart of our high streets and town centres. They offer diversity and choice and provide a really personal service to Strood residents.The Conservative administration on Medway Council has been a significant driver to the destruction and loss of trade on Strood highstreet. The council has stiffled the development of business through a rising burden of local regulation and tax, and has failed to control the battle against graffiti and crime. In addition, the rushed closure of the Civic Centre has had significant effects on passing trade and many firms are struggling to keep heads above water.

In addition the complete lack of a coherent policy has led to an influx of larger, chain stores which are leading to the ruin of local business and the homogenisation of the high street. The council has waved through more supermarkets for Strood then you would find in a town five times the size. Netto, Aldi, Morrisons & Tesco.


The Council has ignored major infrastructure projects including the he subway allowing shoppers to cross to the highstreet being flooded and in a state of severe decay; this only 100 yards from the closed Civic Centre. Many who work on the highstreet have a very real fear that not all of the independent shops will survive, thereby reducing the choice in Strood for customers to a shrinking number of sports outlets and supermarkets which can be found in other locationss

Strood residents feel that the tories on the council are ignoring or simply havent seen the problems in Strood and are looking for local leadership that puts Strood first.