Welcome to Dunstable Town Centre.
Association of Town Centre Management
This section aims to provide you with information on the shopping, leisure and business facilities in Dunstable and on town centre initiatives that have been developed to increase footfall in the town.
The economic situation currently facing Dunstable is not uncommon with many medium sized market town high streets throughout the country facing decline. Town centre retailers have to compete with ever growing out of town retail outlets and with the growth of internet shopping. In Dunstable, local retailers are faced with considerable competition from other retail centres in the area and added to this England’s economy is also officially in a recession. Furthermore, Dunstable also has the added challenge of having a very busy main transport artery running through it, i.e. the A5.
Dunstable Town Council however, plays an active role in both town centre management and maintenance.
The Town Council provides the Christmas lighting, an annual town wide events programme, all town centre flower bedding and hanging/barrier baskets and some elements of town centre repairs and maintenance such as street furniture. The Town Council also owns and manages Priory House (incorporating the Tourist Information Centre) and Priory and Grove House Gardens. The Town Council is also part of Dunstable’s Town Centre Management Committee along with Central Bedfordshire Council and as a result has a leading role in the development of a Master Plan for the town centre.
The aim of town centre management is enhance the town centre for everyone, through partnership working and in Dunstable this is effected through the Dunstable Town Centre Management Committee. The partnership seeks to ensure a focused plan of action so that the town centre becomes, and continues to be, a popular place to shop and visit and meets the needs of all its users, both now and in the future. Furthermore, it aims ensure that any opportunities to create a vibrant and prosperous town centre are maximised.