Stone Independents:

Support the development of Crown Wharf into a mixed use of leisure, commercial, performance area and heritage centre. 

Support leisure improvements in Stone as long as they are funded appropriately and are available and inclusive. The major leisure improvements are coming in 2023-24 in the development of Westbridge Park into a destination park.

Support any moves of major retailers, such as Marks and Spencer to Stone as long as they are appropriately sited and are beneficial to the residents and other retailers in town.

Are liaising with interested groups (traders, residents, Stafford Borough) to fight against shop closures on the high street and to attract new business to the town centre where such closures are inevitable. Stone is fortunate that its occupancy rate is currently better than average for the area although it has experienced a number of closures in the lifetime of this council.

Support the use of events, such as the Food and Drink festival as a means of drawing the public into the town, thereby increasing trade and tourism. We will work with the Stone Traders Association to look at ways to improve the footfall. 

Support developments to Stone Station, which will improve access particularly for disabled users. The northbound line is only accessible via a footbridge. We also support increases and improvements to the service and are liaising with the West Midlands Rail users through the town council to enable this.

Support improvements to the appearance of the High St to make it more attractive to visitors and are working through the Town Council to liaise with the traders to review areas such as street cleaning, encroachments onto public areas for advertising, street furniture, trees, floral displays, shop frontages, etc. We welcome the improvements in signage and the new notice boards.