‘Affordable’ housing in Sidmouth town centre could help regenerate its night-time economy, says MP Sir Hugo Swire.

He suggested that some town centres had got too big and wanted to shrink - and had done so by reallocating empty buildings to affordable housing to get communities back into them. Sir Hugo suggested this was something that Sidmouth could consider, adding: “If you have more people living in the town, you can create a night-time’s economy and so forth and give worth to cafes and other associated pubs and places for entertainment.”

Sir Hugo said, in the last 30 to 40 years, more and more ‘identikit’ high streets had appeared, where it did not matter where you were, whether it was Scotland or Cornwall.

“If that is what people want, but the sameness is very sad. Sidmouth is slightly different,” said the MP. “Sidmouth is unique in many ways – it is the most unspoilt regency seaside town in Britain.”

Email sidmouth.letters@archant.co.uk and tell us what you think.

Read more about the meeting held with MP Sir Hugo Swire here:

Does Sidmouth have too many charity shops?

Business rates are ‘not sustainable’ says MP at urgent Sidmouth talks

Multi-storey car park or park-and-ride for Sidmouth?

Calls for levy on internet shopping made by Sidmouth’s MP

Sidmouth’s MP vows to take town’s high street woes to Government - and calls for future vision