WATCHET traders are planning major clean-ups of the town in an attempt to attract more visitors after the closure of the B3191 has reduced the tourist footfall by up to 90 per cent

“If we are to survive we have got to make the town look more attractive and become somewhere where people want to stay and spend money rather than merely drive through,” chairman John Richards told an emergency meeting of Watchet Chamber of Trade (WACET) on Wednesday night. 

The move is part of a concerted campaign masterminded by a new task force set up last week by Watchet Town Council with representatives from WACET, Watchet Coastal Community team, the Onion Collective, marina operators the Marine Group and the town’s visitor centre.

“People are staying away from Watchet because they’ve got the impression that the town is closed. One way to change this is to smarten ourselves up,” Mr Richards said. “The entrance to the town could certainly be made more welcoming.”

He added that the clean-up campaign will start on Sunday, March 26, when teams of volunteers will polish shop windows in Swain Street, sweep up litter and weed pavements. The district council has also agreed to sweep and weed the Esplanade and traders are urged to brighten their shops with bunting and hanging baskets.

Special events are also being planned, including celebrations for Easter. “People were full of ideas and it was a very encouraging meeting,” Mr Richards said. “Watchet has a lot to offer and we must make sure that everyone knows it.”

After the task force’s first meeting last week, chairman Cllr Sean Terrett, who also chairs the council’s recreation and tourism committee, said: “We had a really positive meeting that recognised that the road was unlikely to be reopened any time soon and the town needed to come together and work on some projects to ensure that visitors continue to come to Watchet and enjoy having less through traffic to contend with.

“The committee already has budgets available which it could use to improve signage in the town and we will be actively looking at using them for the benefit of traders and residents.

“The task force will take its ideas to county council highways later this month in Watchet.”

Improved signage was among the measures discussed at last week’s meeting, along with suggestions that a transport service could be provided to bring into Watchet residents on the western side of town who were cut off by the closure.

In the medium term, it was agreed more intensive use of the town brand with increased marketing on social media was needed.

Fiona Payne, of Watchet Visitor Centre, said the town’s marketing brand, which is used on a wide range of leaflets, had been praised by visitors for its bright colours.

The ‘scratch the surface’ brand was designed to encourage people to stay and explore how much Watchet and the coast had to offer.

In the long term, it was believed Watchet high street would benefit from improvements to make it more pedestrian friendly.

A 20 mph limit and better separation of cars and pedestrians could see the revival of plans to semi-pedestrianise the main street, and it was also suggested there should be better, separate, unloading of lorries.

Town clerk Sarah Reed said: “When the council heard the concerns of traders at the February council meeting, we knew we needed to act fast.

“Building on the work started by WACET we, as the local authority, were able to bring people together to represent significant viewpoints in the town in quick time.

“The town council next week will consider what projects might be funded by the council to promote the tourist trade in the town.”