By Carmelo Garcia – Local Democracy Reporter
There is a united effort underway to help reverse the decline of Cinderford.
The town’s high street has suffered in recent years with several shop closures and it was identified as being the highest percentage (18 %) of empty premises among the four Forest of Dean market towns in 2023.
A Market Town Regeneration report commissioned in 2024 highlighted the challenges around shopping and the need to develop a regeneration plan for the whole area.
To help address this, a market towns officer was appointed by the Forest of Dean District Council last year and the role is seen as key in the efforts to reinvigorate town centres in the Forest as they need help to attract shoppers and provide job opportunities
And now Cinderford Town Council, the Dean District Council and Gloucestershire County Council are all working together on a plan for the market town.
The District Council’s research found that less than 20 per cent of the 948 people surveyed felt that their Forest of Dean town catered well for families, children, or young people.
Most young people from Cinderford, head to Ross or Gloucester for their entertainment and activities.
But council chiefs want to make the town, which is the largest in the district with 12,961 residents, more of a destination as it sits in an area which attracts millions of tourists each year.
Positioning Cinderford as the centre of visual arts in the Forest of Dean is an opportunity identified in the report.
And they could make the industrial history of the town official by introducing relevant events such as Trevithick Day in Camborne or create something akin to the World Heritage Site for Cornish Mining by combining smaller projects across the Dean.
Vacant lots could also be offered at low rent or for free for arts, culture and heritage projects while celebrating a concept of ‘making’ in Cinderford, encompassing traditional industry, skilled trades and the arts.
And the town could also be given a new industrial identity as the pioneer market town for the Forest of Dean’s transition to renewable energy.
Town Council chairman Graham Morgan said it is really positive that everyone is getting behind a united plan for the town and that there is a real ambition to improve Cinderford’s lot.
The Labour Party councillor said the former mining town has suffered in recent years.
And believes the area has never truly recovered from the closure of major employer Rank Xerox when they closed in nearby Mitcheldean in the early 2000s.
Reform UK County Councillor Ray Donaghue, who represents the area at Gloucestershire County Council said the idea is to bring everyone together who has a stake or responsibility in Cinderford.
And for them to reflect on how Cinderford has been particularly affected by the decline in high street shopping, the changing use of town centres, and to consider what can be done to collectively respond to that reality.
“This response includes; landlords keeping their frontages in good condition, Highways ensuring utility companies and local authorities replace slabs properly, and councils and contractors focusing not just on essential safety repairs but also on making the town feel welcoming,” he said.
He said getting everyone to work together requires goodwill and flexibility, both of which are challenging in the current financial climate and within the constraints of how services operate.
“However, if we each play our part, we can make Cinderford the town it deserves to be.
“There are many good people in Cinderford who care deeply about the current decline, and more are stepping forward to help.
“The various councils are recognising the scale of the challenge and, equally, if not more importantly, the consequences of not working creatively together.
“Regardless of political beliefs, we are beginning to see collaborations from across the spectrum and people who want to work together to achieve a positive result.
“A town plan is being developed, and my hope is that the public, stakeholders and services continue to contribute to it and, collectively, we all commit to making the plan work.”
Liberal Democrat Councillor Julian Tooke (Pittville and St Paul’s), who is responsible for business and economic development at Shire Hall, said a lot of work is underway to help Cinderford and improve the wider Forest of Dean.
There are also plans to get a business improvement district (BID) set up for the area to help.
These business-led and business-funded partnerships deliver projects such as enhanced cleaning, increased security, marketing, and public space improvements above what local councils provide.
“I think it is the duty of politicians, public sector and private sector organisations to work together to solve problems,” he said.
“I’m really pleased that I have been able to work with local councillors and councils in the Forest of Dean on an initiative to create a Business Improvement District in the Forest.
“All of us want the Forest’s towns to thrive.”