Shopping

Farmers Market
LRA initiated the monthly Farmers’ Market and arranged for Hughmark to run it.

Improvement Schemes
LRA has consistently campaigned for improvements to the two main shopping centres in Loughton. (See the High Road and the Broadway for details of current state of development)

Retail shops
Over the years, LRA has successfully pressed for an upper limit on the proportion of non-retail premises in Loughton’s main shopping areas, as part of the District Council’s Local Plan. However, apart from this requirement, The Broadway (where the District Council owns the shops) is the only area where councillors can have some influence over who can become retailers. We continue to fight hard to maintain ‘real’ shops in all Loughton’s shopping areas.

Take-aways and restaurants
The District planning limit of not more than 30% non-retail shops in the High Road has already been exceeded, and the Loughton Residents Association's Plans Group will normally fight any further applications for changes to retail premises - such outlets almost never revert to real retail shops. Incidentally, although there are a number of empty shops in the High road, and times are hard for traders, the proportion of empty shops (3%-4%) is far smaller than in many other shopping areas round the country (average 12%).

Links with traders
LRA supports shopkeepers in fighting high rents and loss of parking. LRA supports and has representatives on the Town Centre Partnership of the High Road and the Broadway (associations of local traders, businesses, residents).

Do you run a business in Loughton?
The One Shops Local website has been developed by One Epping Forest, the local strategic partnership to support local traders in challenging economic times. It provides information on the wealth of shops and other traders operating locally and provides a means of offering discounts to local shoppers. The site has been built by the partnership with financial support from Epping Forest District Council and will be administered by Epping Forest Chamber of Commerce. Add your business now.

Developments
LRA endorsed the idea of a quality foodstore within the town centre boundary, and lent its support for an M&S food store on the Lamb's site.