In a recent response to WPAG’s pre-election questions one of the candidates suggested that getting a Post Office reopened would be a good project for WPAG.

What this candidate may not have known is that when the old Post Office in the centre of Welwyn closed down, WPAG did spend a considerable amount of time looking at alternative options to get it reopened, but were unsuccessful. The key reasons were:

a/ To make a local Post Office viable it needs to be run in conjunction with another profitable business. The previous owner, despite running it in conjunction with a gift shop, could not make a profit. She also had staffing and security problems.

b/ We approached a variety of individuals and businesses and were given good reasons why there was no appetite for running a Post Office.  These were:

• Not cost effective unless run in conjunction with a profitable/viable business alongside.
• Security and insurance very expensive.
• Staff training and costs.
• Major personal commitment.
• Personal responsibility and liability for any shortfall to the Post Office.
• Problems with Post Office Horizon system.  Etc.  etc.
• Considerable financial outlay

c/ We approached the existing local Post Offices in Oaklands and Codicote to see whether they would be interested in taking over the one in Welwyn High Street to run in conjunction with their own.  They said it would not be possible. 

d/ We found there was a ‘locum’ postmaster service, but the nearest was too far away and anyway would have required investment in location, IT and equipment.

e/ A community ‘not-for-profit’ Post Office still requires it to be run in conjunction with an additional business to make it viable plus a large time and responsibility commitment. It also requires investment in premises, IT and equipment and a sizeable rota of committed and trained volunteers to take the responsibility of running it. Even in this scenario the Post Office insist that the ‘postmasters’ are liable for any shortfall.

Although we are all sad to see the Post Office close, the recent survey for the Neighbourhood Plan showed that only 5 responders out of the 1128 who responded actually spontaneously mentioned the need for a Post Office. So perhaps we have got used to going to Oaklands or Codicote.

However, should WPC feel the need is strong enough and decide to start a working party to look into this again, we would be happy to be part of it.

WPAG AGM will be held in the Small Hall of the Welwyn Civic Centre at 7.30pm.

Key issues will be the implications of the adoption of the new Local Plan to Welwyn and Digswell and the progress on the Village Green application for Singlers Marsh.

Everyone is welcome.

Following over 1000 people completing an evidence questionnaire last year, Herts County Council decided this application should go to a non-statutory Public Inquiry.

The preliminary meeting to try to iron out legal issues was held on November 3.

We have yet to receive the Inspectors ‘directions’ which determine how the Inquiry will proceed.

More information is available here

Following our very successful first Open Evening where we discussed our proposed Neighbourhood Plan policies on Planning, Development & Housing; Crime & Security; Shopping and Work & Employment, we are planning a further session where we will be covering Transport & Travel, Environment and Health & Wellbeing – subjects we are sure you will want to find out more about. 

That second Open Evening will be on 19^th October, in the Civic Centre, Prospect Place.  We will open the doors from 7.00 pm and start the session promptly at 7.30 pm.  There will be a brief opening presentation and then the audience will be guided around  3 break-out groups where members of the Steering Group will present the proposed draft policies for each aspect and then invite questions, discussion and  the chance to contribute further ideas.  We will then re-join for a final Question and Answer session.  If there are any questions that we cannot answer on the night, we will reply via e-mail.  The evening should last for approximately 2- 2¼ hours and tea and coffee will be available.

Do come along to find out what is being proposed and help shape the plan for your parish to cover then next 15 – 20 years.

Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council’s submission of their proposed Local Plan in Jan 2020 challenged the original requirement to find sites for 16,000 new homes in the Borough. The Inspector is questioning that and has called a review of all the sites which were considered but not included.In particular the Inspector felt that Welwyn was ‘not pulling its weight’.

WPAG have been working closely with Welwyn Parish Council (WPC) to rebutt this. His Hearings will be held in early March and written statements had to be submitted by 12th February in order to be considered.

WPAG’s final response is here: https://www.wpag.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/EX238-WPAG-response-FINAL-0221.pdf

WPC’s draft response is here: https://welwynpc.egnyte.com/dl/3x9iLTBXOH/? The final version will be uploaded as soon as it is available.

Unfortunately, only people who had contributed to the first round of consultations could put in a view, but thank you to all those that did. We believe that it will help show the weight of feeling in the area as well as presenting the arguments for not going ahead with the developments.

WPAG and WPC will be attending Hearings and we will update you as soon as we have any decisions.

Open Letter to Hertfordshire County Council

We write as one-voice to Hertfordshire County Council Highways & Environment Division with our concerns about the impact the social distancing measures placed in Welwyn High Street is having and will continue to have on the ability of many of us to survive as businesses at this extremely difficult time.

In particular, the imposition of a one-way system in the High Street is extremely damaging in terms of footfall to the village. This is something we have experienced before, in 2009, with the effect of pushing some traders to the edge of survival.

The SAGE advice on the Government’s website regarding environmental transmission of coronavirus points to an extremely low risk of catching Covid-19 by passing someone on a pavement or in a shop for a short period of time.

For the first 9 weeks following lockdown when essential shops were open, the Great
Welwyn Public largely behaved with courtesy, common-sense, and personal obligation to follow social distancing rules without needing barriers to help them do this. These are the only traders that are ever likely to have queues on the pavement, such is the nature of the others that opened after 15th June, and those planning to open from 4th July onwards. Most of the latter will be operating a booking/ appointment system to avoid queues.

Whilst whole-heartedly supporting the need for people to follow social distancing
guidelines, we believe it is perfectly possible in the context of Welwyn Village for customers and staff to do this in a safe way without imposing restrictions that may lead to the demise of yet another High Street in this country. We are all making our businesses Covid-19 secure and will promote social distancing amongst our customers and outside.

Welwyn Village is fairly unique in its make-up of shops, pubs, restaurants, estate agents, hair, beauty and specialist businesses. The cross-fertilisation of footfall from one business to another has always been one of the main reasons for its ability to survive. We know from previous experience that reduction in parking and the necessity to negotiate the bypass for some journeys means that potential customers often simply decide to go elsewhere and footfall is lost, leading to a downturn in revenue which in these difficult times will be catastrophic.

We ask you to think again and support us in trying to get back on our feet.

Yours sincerely,

Belinda Walsingham, Box of Delights, 24 High Street
Susan Bull, SuSu, 21 High Street
Mick Leto, The Barbers Room, 30 High Street
Howard Hill, Hill & Co Violin Shop, 5 High Street
Matheus Gomes, Vita Ristorante, 12 High Street
Wendy Rowley, Welwyn Florist, 29 High Street
Dennis, Katie, Chris & Phill Dinsdale, Katie’s Bakery, 3 High Street
Tricia Conroy Smith, Off Broadway Travel, 18/20 Prospect Place
Filippo Mazzarella, Aqua Restaurant, 28 High Street
Adam Richardson, The White Horse, 30 Mill Lane
Dan Tubbs, The Wellington, 1 High Street
Steven Hastings & Jenny Havill, Lemon Plaice, 21 Church Street
Gill Ewing, Simmons Bakers, 34 High Street
Peter Morgan, Peter Morgan Hairdressing, 4 Codicote Road
Martin Bishop, Bryan Bishop Estate Agent, 6a High Street

Dawn Somerville, Essie & Betsy, 12 Church Street
Tanya Thanyaphon East, Thai Legacy Therapy, 27 High Street
Morwenna McDonald, Welwyn Osteopathy, 27 High Street
Gill Buszmanning, Comfy Soles Chiropody , 27 High Street
Kelvin Dean, Old Welwyn Clinic, 27 High Street
Deniz Gentle, Headmistress Hairdressing, 10 Church Street
Jay Miah, Taj Mahal Restaurant, 2 High Street
Claire Austin, Austin’s Funerals, 16 High Street
Laura Moyes, Laura Kate, 15 High Street
James Bainbridge, The White Hart, 2 Prospect Place
Lisa Green, Belvoir Estate & Lettings Agents, 9 High Street
Marianne Hawes, Danesbury & QVM Charity Shop, 4 High Street
Gobind Singh Lidhar, XO Wine Merchants, 6 High Street