THE first stage of a consultation which will decide the future of a town centre has attracted views from hundreds of people.

There were more than 650 visitors to a week-long public exhibition held in Letchworth GC’s town centre who shared their views on the long-term development of The Wynd and surrounding area.

Those who came through the door at 12-14 The Arcade between Saturday, May 14, and Friday, May 20, had the opportunity to get their point across by hanging notes on a ‘thought tree’, as well as sticking notes on a map of Letchworth GC and The Wynd.

Letchworth Garden City Heritage Foundation, who is holding the consultation after agreed plans for The Wynd were scrapped in November, will now collate comments from the exhibition and their dedicated website - www.thenextsteps.co.uk - in order to define the topics for workshops in June.

Adrian Brace, the Heritage Foundation’s director of property, said:

“It was great to see over 650 people visiting the exhibition last week, chatting with the team and sharing their ideas for the town centre. If you haven’t already, you can still sign-up for workshops, just visit www.thenextsteps.co.uk or give us a call.

“We’d like to thank everyone that attended the exhibition and invite more people to get involved. We’re particularly keen to hear from young people and what they want from their town centre.

“We’re hoping to take the exhibition ‘on the road’ during the summer visiting schools and community events. If you see us, please come over and share your views.”

So far planned activities to gather more ideas and suggestions for the town centre include working with Letchworth GC schools The Highfield, Fearnhill, Icknield and Hillshott, visiting elderly persons home Robert Humbert House, meeting with local groups including Transition Town Letchworth and holding ‘on-the-road’ exhibitions at Letchworth Arts Centre’s ‘Who do you think you are, Letchworth?’ festival and at the Town Centre Partnership’s Letchworth Street Fest.

If your local community group or club would like the Foundation to come along and chat through your ideas or you have a local event which they may be able to attend, call 01462 476047 or email info@thenextsteps.co.uk