Back on the Map has taken over the block on the corner of Toward Road and Villette Road which has stood partially empty for 15 years.
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00:00Jo Cooper from Back on the Map, what's the thinking behind the project?
00:05So we started about a year ago with a programme of High Street Revolution looking at community
00:10wealth building and transforming the High Street on Bullett Road. We wanted to work
00:15with local people to find out what was going to make a real difference in transforming
00:19the area in the long term, bring more businesses, a new offer, enhance the existing offer and
00:25bring footfall to the street to provide services for local people but also a quality shopping
00:31district for other people across the city.
00:35And the block that you've been working on I think was identified by local people as
00:38a major problem.
00:40It was, so during our consultation for the High Street Revolution project we talked to
00:46local traders and over 500 local residents and that was identified to be the real thing
00:50stopping the area thriving. It was, it is on the main bus route through our area and
00:58it was a bit of an eyesore. It had been empty for 15 years and it was a source of anti-social
01:05behaviour, crime disorder and we aesthetically looked unpleasant to passers-by and visitors
01:12but also to local people.
01:15And I understand we already have two tenants lined up?
01:17We do, we're delighted that we've got a fantastic local business selling cards, gifts and personalised
01:22balloons and we're hopeful that the lease will be signed on a children's clothing store
01:27this week.