Supporting Chesterfield’s growth
Read the latest blog of Peter Swallow, Chair of Destination Chesterfield.
August is upon us and we’re well into the summer holidays. If you’re looking to explore what our town has to offer you and your family, then this is the time to do it!
We have more festivals and events in and around the town centre than ever before. The shortlist for the Chesterfield Food and Drink Awards has also been released, offering a great starting point for the very best places to eat and drink.
It’s a great way to kickstart the summer holidays with the kids. What better way to entice them off their screens than with the promise of a tasty treat followed by a day of learning, disguised as fun and intrigue?
There’s a multitude of events going on in the area – from canal cruises, treasure hunts and miniature train rides to hands on history at Bolsover Castle, science roadshows and the Chesterfield Food and Drink Festival. There is something to suit every taste (pun intended!).
As the events calendar has grown year on year, so has Chesterfield’s fortunes. I am delighted that we can, once again, turn the spotlight on the town in the annual Chesterfield Investment Summit. This year the theme is supporting communities through regeneration.
The increased footfall in the town centre and attendance at the many events is evidence that Chesterfield’s regeneration is successful.
More than £1bn of developments are on site and more are on the way. 2019 is the year that we are seeing spades in the ground on a number of much anticipated sites, like Northern Gateway, Elder Way and Chesterfield Waterside. All these sites are, in turn, creating employment opportunities.
There are now more jobs at Markham Vale that when it was a colliery. A record number of 2,236 people are currently employed at Markham Vale; that’s 200 more people than were employed at the former colliery site in its 1980s heyday. Proof that Chesterfield’s regeneration strategy is working.
And we have more success stories to look forward to. Avant Homes is to begin building 173 homes at Waterside later this year after receiving detailed planning permission. Pronto Industrial Paints Ltd have also acquired a new site that will treble their existing space.
Whether you’re a resident or business, it’s important that we come together as a community to support the town’s growth in order to safeguard our future success. Together we really do make a difference.
If you’re interested in the ongoing regeneration of Chesterfield and finding out about how you can support it and get involved, then register here to attend the Chesterfield Investment Summit which takes place on 11 September at Casa Hotel.
