The end of an era?

The very sad news from Andrew Smith yesterday evening that he has had to close the Post Office is a blow to the village and especially to Andrew and Lynne who have worked so hard to build a business when so much was being taken away by technology and much else.

The closure is also a sign of how hard a community like Audlem will have to fight to ensure it remains a vibrant commercial centre which, amazingly, over recent years has enjoyed shops opening at a faster pace than the occasional closure.

From fewer than ten shops a decade ago, the village has recently seen almost twenty retail outlets open, a remarkable number for a village of only a two thousand population.

Shopping locally is vital to protect services, but tourism is also a vital part of the story. Large numbers visit the village on boats, cycles, on foot and for the major events such as the Music & Arts Festival, Party on the Park, the Historic Boats Gathering and the Transport Festival, the Beer Festival, Bonfire & Fireworks and The Big Switch On.

Last month, the Canal & River Trust (CRT) hosted two workshops to examine ways in which canal tourism can be enhanced. Many individuals and organisations attended and many ideas came out of the sessions. CRT's consultants have now circulated a draft report.

It was announced at the second workshop that a new Audlem Tourism Group would be formed and a number of the organisations that attended immediately asked if they could be involved. As a result, there will be an initial meeting tomorrow attended by the various organisations interested in building tourism where new ideas to promote Audlem and possible new facilities will be discussed.

A canal closure due to a breach a few years ago at the height of the boating season showed how much Audlem's shops and other services depend upon tourism. We are extremely fortunate in having as wide a range of shops, pubs, cafes and take-aways as we do. The closure of the Post Office is a sad but timely reminder of how hard we will have to work to ensure we don't lose any more facilities.

AudlemOnline will keep readers up to date on progress with this group.

In the meantime, we are sure everyone's thoughts are with Andrew and Lynne Smith and are equally grateful for the wonderful service they have provided to so many people – both locals and visitors – for so many years.

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