Romford exists today because of its street market. The welcome signs all read “Romford: Historic Market Town”. I was raised on the markets of East London, and I want to restore this now endangered heritage asset, not see it further diminished.
The future of the market is intrinsically linked with the fate of the high street, and with the emergence of shopping centres like Lakeside and Westfield, and online giants like Amazon, we have seen regional town centres like Romford outgunned by convenience. It doesn’t have to be this way.
The incumbent Conservatives will have you believe that they want to “keep Romford special” but they have sat back and watched the decline of the area for decades. If the market dies, so do the traditional values and living heritage it represents. I believe that local high streets and marketplaces are the beating heart of our communities and I want people to feel proud of Romford again.
Labour has released its plan to breathe life back into areas like Romford, offering thousands more bobbies on the beat to make town centres safe again, halting the closure of high street banks to ensure there is face-to-face banking in every community, totally overhauling the business rate system to help independent businesses thrive, and regenerating empty shops, pubs, and community spaces.
In Romford we must go further.
A new destination market for a 21st Century Market Town could be just what we need to kick start the revival of the high street. Creating more footfall with a broader clientele will attract more investment, better shops, improved public spaces, and if we dare to dream, maybe even a new department store.
I want to see money flowing back into the local area alongside the already successful night-time economy, but to achieve this we must have an offer with wide appeal. We need to reimagine the market with a mix of traditional stalls alongside new outlets and pop-ups to ensure people aren’t traveling into London for their needs or to experience the latest trends.
Saving and improving the market could transform the town centre – that is why I encourage everyone to have their say in the #YourRomford masterplan consultation currently taking place: https://www.yourromford.co.uk/
If I am selected as Labour’s candidate for the upcoming General Election, and am successful in becoming your new MP, restoring our local high streets, town centre, historic marketplace and Romford’s pride will be a top priority for me.