Barriers to business in Tonbridge. Part One....

Anyway, enough of all that nicey nicey arts festival stuff and time for a good old moan. Today Tonbridge Blog asks: Am I living proof of what Mary, Queen of Shops, Portas has been banging on about? Remember she was the one who the Government took on to compile a report into British High Streets and concluded that there were far to many barriers to successfully launching and succeeding in setting up shops. In particular she sighted the demise of the traditional independent shops and the incessant rise of the charity shops. So how much is our dear own old council helping to encourage small businesses and retailers onto our increasingly desparate looking High Street? Having recently moved Mr. Books Bookshop from Bank Street to the High Street I feel quite well placed to examine some first hand evidence based on my own very recent experience. Now, on the whole, I'm a calm natured sort of bloke but it really does start to rile me when you find that you have to chase up the planning department of Tonbridge and Malling Council who, let's not forget, are supposed to be serving us and not the other way around, for listed building consent just to have your shop name painted over the shop window where it's supposed to go. Eight weeks they told me, which is poor to say the least in the current economic climate. Eight weeks it has know been and not a dickie bird out of them. There's no wonder the vast majority of businesses in the north end of the High Street simply ignore the need for such consent and just go ahead anyway. Eight weeks or more is totally unacceptable and goes against their claim to be pro-small independent retailers. It's just not on. Why can they not just send someone along to discuss your plans and give you the go ahead there and then if the application is a simple one? It beggars belief that you have to fill out ridiculously complicated forms, of which of course they want 3 copies of each, and becomes just another of the many hurdles to jump over when setting up a business. I'm sure that it's not the case but, it feels as though, the borough council are actively trying to put you off doing anything enterprising. And don't even get me started on Business rates....