A prominent businessman in Northampton town centre has been left ‘frustrated’ by West Northants Council’s (WNC) ‘computer says no’ response to his iconic business quitting the town.
Director Wes Suter, son of founder Steffan, says the decision stems from the poor state of the town centre, which he blames largely on West Northants Council (WNC) and a lack of support from the local authority.
A West Northants Council spokeswoman said: “We’re saddened to hear about the closure of Steffans and acknowledge the significant role it has played in Northampton’s history and retail offering. As a council, we are committed to creating a vibrant environment where businesses can grow and succeed. We’d be delighted to meet with Mr. Suter and any other local businesses to discuss the wide range of support we offer. This includes 1:1 expert advice, workshops, and grant funding opportunities aimed at fostering business growth, innovation, and sustainability.” Click here to read their response in full.
Reacting to that response, Wes and Steff called the council ‘amateurs’ before saying they would like to take WNC up on the offer of a meeting.
Wes said: “It was a bit lightweight (the response). It’s a bit like ‘computer says no.’ I’m frustrated. I don’t need to know how to run a business in Northampton—I want clean streets, I want police officers, I want homeless people to be helped off the street. They’re not doing the basics. I don’t need to know how to run a business. It’s not my business that has failed; Northampton has failed.
“But yes, it is something that I would be interested in doing (meeting), but nobody has approached or spoken to me from WNC. We could host it at the store or at a neutral place. Let’s see if we can get them out and see what they say.”
Wes says he has had “so many” business owners ring him up with messages of support since speaking out this week. He said: “I’ve been inundated. I never thought I’d get this reaction. It’s great in one respect, but sad in another because—did it have to get to this?
“This is home. It’s sad to leave it. But I walk into town and every time it reaffirms what I’m feeling. It’s just not good. The council think they’re doing a great job, but they’re not. Somebody from the council should be picking up the phone to us. They just don’t get it. They don’t understand, and they need to.”
Father Steff Suter said on Facebook: “My business doesn’t need propping up. I purchased the building some years ago and restored it to a high standard. I am an independent and local lad. I am from the boroughs and have been established for nearly 50 years. The council are pure amateurs. I will meet the council at their convenience. The clock is ticking, let’s open up a debate.”
WNC has been asked if they will accept the offer of a meeting.
This post was originally published on here
