Wishing you a fantastic Easter

Enjoy meeting up with friends and family in the great outdoors.

Hope you love this photo as much as us! 

#LoveStratfordUponAvon 

Bright and early in sunny Stratford. A wonderful day for making the most of the new freedoms.

We can meet outside as 6 people or 2 households, but still need to stay local. 👍

The theatre will be opening it’s fabulous riverside terrace cafe soon for takeaway!

Six people or two households can now meet outside, in England! Yes! 🙌

Have you done anything differently today with our greater freedom?

What a beautiful blustery day. Spring is everywhere!

Stratford-upon-Avon has been chosen as one of the best places to live in 2021 by The Times newspaper!
'From sports clubs to swan wardens, this half-timbered riverside town has far more to recommend it than simply being the Bard’s home'

'Here’s the rub, as Hamlet almost said. Tourism has defined Stratford-upon-Avon since the theatre impresario David Garrick organised the Shakespeare Jubilee in 1769 and brought (stage)coachloads of the public from London to pay homage to the Bard. Strip away the tourists and this turns out to be a pretty riverside town that is well connected (it has direct trains to Birmingham and London Marylebone) and has been hiding its impeccable family credentials beneath a tacky layer of Shakespeare souvenir tat.

As well as modern executive mansions on Tiddington Road, tree-lined suburbia around Bridgetown Road — with roads named after Shelley, Keats, Bryon and Kipling — and period terraces in Old Town offering a range of family homes, it is the schools here that take top...'

“Inclusion is access for all” and access is more than a ramp...

To see the new accessibility guide to Stratford for those needing extra access please click on the website link below.

The guide was produced by local disability advisor, Elizabeth Dixon, with support from Stratford Town Trust. 

There are headings for many different businesses and organisations with their facilities listed on thewebsite. 

As Covid-19 changes take place the website will be updated.

Currently the Visitor Centre, Shopmobility and many other central venues are closed but things are improving all the time.

Please contact Elizabeth if you, or anyone you know, would like to receive a copy of the printed 'My' Accessible Stratford-upon-Avon guide

Elizabeth Dixon  Accessible Stratford  07850-715782   www.accessiblestratforduponavon.co.uk

Shakespeare Week starts today! An annual celebration of William Shakespeare aimed at primary school children but watched by many others. Now online. Do you have a favourite Shakespeare saying?

See the upbeat introduction broadcast now at www.shakespeareweek.org.uk 
Hosted by the wonderful Ben Cajee of CBeeBies 

Take a peak around Shakespeare's birthplace and find some interesting facts.

There's a wellbeing work out with a Shakespearean Twist!

Daily events online at 10am and 2pm. Free resources.

All thanks to @shakespearebtrust

#stratforduponavon  #shakespeareweek

Stratford upon Avon Spring and Summer Festivals Fall

Two of Stratford's favourite festivals are the latest victims of Covid. The Festival of Motoring and the River Festival have both had to be pulled for the second year running because of the pandemic. The news comes just 24 hours after one of the most famous festivals in the world fell on its sword too – Glastonbury, will not happen in 2021 either.

The Festival of Motoring traditionally takes place over the May Bank Holiday weekend and is seen by many as the official start of the season in Stratford; attracting car fans from all over the UK. In early July, tens of thousands descend on the town for the award winning River Festival which is regarded as one of the highlights of the town's summer calendar and start of the Summer.

Speaking on behalf of Stratforward BID, organisers of both events, Joseph Baconnet said:

"This has been an incredibly difficult decision which we have not taken lightly. Both events are massively popular with locals and visitors alike and provide a huge economic boost for the town. 

"However, none of us know how long the current lockdown restrictions will be in place or what restrictions there will have to be in the coming months as lockdown eases.  However, it seems irresponsible to plan for events like this that encourage huge numbers of people to gather together against a backdrop of what is currently going on. " 

He added: "Events of this scale take many months to organise and are costly in both monetary and resource terms. A huge number of our members that fund our activities are currently not allowed to operate, so have no income and as a result our income has been drastically affected as well. We cannot afford to risk ploughing money and time into projects that might not be permitted to go ahead. 

"Festival and event organisers have been campaigning nationally for the Government to step in with some sort of insurance safety net to allow planning for events like this to carry on, but this is looking unlikely. We are now at the point of determination for these events so have had no choice but to make this decision."

Although these two events have been cancelled it is hoped that the third major BID event of the year – Stratford Town Centre Food Festival - might still be viable in September.  Stratforward also plans to plough some resources normally used for these cancelled events into activities and campaigns to help Stratford and its businesses get back on their feet as restrictions ease.  

"This is the one silver lining, said Mr Baconnet. "By pulling these two events we can be more flexible with our resources and can create a greater emphasis on marketing and directly supporting Stratford’s town centre businesses.  As things change over the coming months we will work with our members and other stakeholders to ensure town is in the best shape possible to welcome people back.  For our locals, please continue to support local businesses – it is a crucial key to help their survival. For a list of businesses with their opening details and websites go to our website. www.stratforward.co.uk/shop and www.stratforward.co.uk/eat-drink "  

Have your say on Markets on Waterside now

Just fill in this short survey or through the SDC planning portal by Wednesday 27th Jan. The Planning Information for the application number can be accessed from here: 20/02682/FUL 

Agents acting for Stratford District Council (SDC) have submitted an application for a revised Change of Use of parts of Bancroft Gardens on Waterside. 

This application covers the Waterside specialist markets that normally take place on Waterside on Sundays from approximately Easter until October and other selected dates - which we know have caused concerns for some BID members over recent years - plus a whole range of other uses.   

The wording on the application is as follows: 

“Proposed partial change of use from public open space to mixed use of public open space, leisure, recreation, market stalls, the sale of crafts, goods, food, refreshments, public information, sale of tickets, advertising, charitable and local group activities and any other associated development.” 

It is not clear what SDC’s strategy is for the wider usage of Bancroft Gardens (or the application area) but the current application is wider than the current permissions in place. 

The BID wants to know your views are ahead of making any official response to SDC. However, time is tight - the plans were not posted publicly until last week and the SDC deadline for responses is NEXT WEDNESDAY (January 27) - so we need your input as quickly as possible. 

We have designed a quick survey (see below) which we hope will help if you are short of time - but feel free to write to us and we will pass your comments on.  Or you could write to the Council direct (see below) if you prefer.  

Before you do the survey – here’s some background …  

In September of last year, the BID Board agreed that it would write formally to SDC requesting that they and Stratford Town Council (STC) - who are jointly responsible for the markets in Stratford - discuss a number of items with the market operator (LSD) that had been repeatedly raised by BID member businesses over an extended time period.  

Amongst these, was a request to regularise the planning situation with use of the Bancroft Basin area (we call it the Dustbowl) for markets (which had been used for some time apparently without the necessary permissions). This was to ensure that the market did not exceed the number of days under permitted development rights (14 days maximum in any year). This request was felt to be fair and equitable as all BID member businesses have to adhere to planning rules. 

The application to regularise the situation should be welcomed as it will bring the markets in line with the situation that businesses find themselves in. However, the planning application submitted does not restrict any usage of stalls or place a limit on the number of stalls of any type. 

The Government is clear that markets form a part of the mix and make up of town centres and that they contribute to the vitality and viability of the whole town centre offer. This planning application purely relates to the markets on Waterside and not the Friday and Saturday markets in the Market Square. Specialist markets have existed on Waterside since 1995 when an 8 week specialist market was set up for the summer.  

The current market contract is not deemed a material planning consideration and therefore any issues surrounding the market contract really cannot be raised in a planning context.  

The Planning Information for the application number can be accessed from here: 20/02682/FUL 

Stratford-on-Avon District Council: Eplanning 

All of the information is contained within the supporting statement here: 

• The application states that the market will provide for 12 additional stalls 
• The application states that the increase will support vitality and viability of the market 
• The market will only operate on Sundays and Bank Holiday Mondays 
• The application states that the current location is viable proven by the success of the current market. It states that the application will provide further jobs and attract people to the area. 
• The application states that this will enhance the existing market area. 

Extract of the conclusion from the consultant's report

Notes for BID Members: 

The previous application limited the number of market days on Waterside to 43 days per annum. This application will increase the number of available market days to 52 + Bank Holidays. 

No limits on total stall numbers or the number of food stalls are being proposed as part of the planning application. 

Regardless of what happens with the markets contract - which is due for review in the coming year -  when planning permission is granted those conditions will remain available to all operators in future. 

To take the survey please click here Complete the survey

If you want to lobby the ward councillor then Cllr Fradgely's details are jennyfradgley@warwickshire.gov.uk