We take to Market Drayton to see if anybody was making New years resolutions and probe them with some topical questions about events in the town and surroundings.
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00:00So, what are your New Year's resolutions for 2025, if you have got any?
00:05Just to keep active really and, you know, sort of try and get out more in the garden and everything.
00:12Okay. You're out here market-drating today. Councillors have recently said that the town is on the up. Would you agree with that?
00:18I think so, yeah. It's all very busy. I've been in the library today, which is always really, really busy, so that's good.
00:26And a few councillors as well, recently speaking about empty shops in the town, big units and stores. Would you like to see them filled, personally?
00:33Definitely, yeah. It's a shame that there aren't more active shops. So, yeah, it would be nice to get some, not necessarily big companies in, but definitely fill up the empty ones.
00:45Do you think that would bring further increased footfall to the town?
00:48I think it would, yeah. I think it would, and especially if maybe the parking charges would help a lot as well.
00:55Yeah, parking's a topical issue. Do you think it should be made free, do you think, in areas like this?
01:00I think so, yeah, because I think that's the only way to bring more people in.
01:04And we've seen discussions recently, maybe potentially a bus service between Woodchurch and Market Drate and connecting it down with Wellington. Would you welcome that as a resident? Do you use the buses at all?
01:15I don't use the buses a lot, but I don't drive, so yeah, getting to Woodchurch would be good to be able to go on the bus.
01:22And do you think other residents would welcome such improvements to the town?
01:25Definitely, definitely. I think there's a lot of people that don't drive or can't drive, and it's important that they have the access to be able to do that.
01:35And finally, recently councillors have voted to continue funding floral displays in Market Drate. I don't know if you've seen them previously. What have you made of them?
01:44What, you mean the flowers around the town?
01:45Yes, yeah.
01:46I think they look nice and they cheer the place up, so yeah, definitely a good thing.
01:50Good, thank you Sue, much appreciated.
01:52You're welcome.
01:53So then Carol, my first question is, have you got any New Year's resolutions?
01:57No, I don't do New Year's resolutions because they always fail. I've got aims and ideas.
02:04So then, 2025 is here, have you got any New Year's resolutions?
02:09Right, well, I think, can I make a mistake? I'm taken by surprise here.
02:18I think the thing is, to see the countryside more tidier really. I feel as though with them restricting the, what was it we take the rubbish to?
02:35Household recycling centres.
02:36The household recycling centres, which is that it's going to restrict people going if they've got to make an appointment to go there.
02:43They want to go when they think, when they've had a clear out straight away, otherwise it's going to be left.
02:50And they end up by just throwing it on the roadside and in places.
02:55And I find that there's a lot of our road, we live in Stoke-on-Trent, and we're forever picking up rubbish from the side of the road.
03:04But that's probably been thrown out of class.
03:06Have you experienced the household recycling centres since?
03:10No, we haven't, not personally, no. But I can see more rubbish being left about.
03:15Are you going to be booking and using that system? We've seen people set up a petition recently.
03:20Right, okay. I haven't got any thoughts just at the moment, but there always is stuff to go.
03:27Now, Margaret Drayton has a town, councillors recently said they think it's on the up. Would you agree with that?
03:34I haven't seen many shops opening yet. The market seems to be improving more.
03:44You mentioned shops. There's a couple of big ones empty at the moment.
03:47So our councillors recently spoke to me and said they want to see them filled. Would you too?
03:51Well, yes, because Margaret Drayton has always been a thriving town in the past.
03:58Ten years ago, it was different to how it is now.
04:02As well, floral displays is a topical discussion in town. They're going to be coming back next year, which you must be pleased about.
04:08Yes, well, it brightens the place up, doesn't it? People come out, see a bit of colour.
04:13Finally, structure as a whole then in this year, 2025, have you got any hopes and aspirations for the county and any improvements you'd like to see?
04:22Oh, gosh. Roads. Roads and potholes in the roads are absolutely in the countryside here.
04:28Do you experience them quite bad yourself?
04:30Oh, very much so. Very much so, yes.
04:32Shropshire Council, they're obviously under big financial constraints at the moment. Is that concerning for a resident like yourself?
04:39Well, it is, really. It is, yes. But the trouble is they're spending on other things.
04:44You can see roads that are really good being improved and then the by-roads, which are absolutely got so many potholes.
04:52Do you think they get forgotten?
04:54Yes, they've been left. And the by-roads are getting very busy. A lot of lorries, tractors, machinery.
05:04Are there any particular things in Shropshire that you'd like to see in 2025 or any improvements, maybe?
05:11My feeling is that our way forward would be best done through community.
05:17So I'd like support for there to be community going forward in the smaller places rather than just the large ones.
05:25Is there any particular reason why that is?
05:28Yes, because we feel that we're sometimes left out and there's preference put into other places.
05:33And the difference between Whitchurch and Market Drayton in the last 20 years is a good example.
05:38Okay. Do you think there's any particular things that stand out for you with that?
05:42Do you think Market Drayton is in need of any particular things?
05:45I think Market Drayton needs to be listened to.
05:49I think that they're not asking the people in Market Drayton enough what would improve their life.
05:56So I think that's what they should do.
05:57We recently spoke to councils and they said actually about a new bus service potentially linking Whitchurch, Market Drayton and Wellington.
06:03Would you welcome that?
06:05Oh yes, I think bus services are a marvellous thing and a valuable thing to be doing.
06:12Lots of people are isolated because of their lack of transport.
06:15And another thing in the town, the floral displays are going to continue next year.
06:19I'm sure that's another welcome thing for you.
06:21Yeah, it is, yeah.
06:23And councils have also said that the town is on the up.
06:27What would you say to that? Do you agree? Do you think it's on the up or not?
06:30Yeah, I think a good bit of evidence about that is what they've done to the indoor market which has really improved.
06:37Yeah, I think that's okay and I think they're glad that they're positive about that.
06:43My next question to you, Carol, is do you have any experiences with household recycling centres?
06:48Yes, I do.
06:49Have you had to visit one recently?
06:52I used to visit it regularly and when they've made it a telephone option to, sorry if I'm saying it very well,
07:01but when they've made it so that you have to phone in to book your time in, I'm not going to do it.
07:07I'll just put everything in the black bin because I can't be that, I have to be impulsive and have a bit of time to be able to go.
07:13Yeah, we've seen a petition launched in the last couple of days.
07:16It's now got more than a thousand signatures. Is that something that you back that up?
07:20I will definitely, yes. Where do I get on that petition? Is it online?
07:24So would you urge Shropshire Council maybe to scrap that?
07:27Yeah, go back to what it was before. I know, I can understand that they're trying to employ less people but it's not working.
07:33I think they'll be dumping.