Save the soul of Dover, a councillor has pleaded.

John Heron said that the town’s precinct must be kept alive with shops in the face of the threat from the massive St James’ development.

Already 12 shop premises are shut between the Town Hall and Market Square.

The 13th is now expected to be McDonald's, closing on November 4.

He said: “If we lose the high street we risk losing the soul of Dover.

"We need to encourage independent traders to come into the area. We can’t let it collapse.

“We need to move this forward as we are at a fork in the road with St James’ coming.”

Cllr Heron was speaking at a Dover District Council meeting where a 1,388-name petition was presented from people fearing for the future of the town centre.

It was presented to the scrutiny (policy and performance) committee by cafe owner Sandra Malho, before yesterday's revelation that McDonald's would go.

She said: “What is going to happen to the high street?

“One shop has been closed for 21 years.”

This is a double unit at Cannon Street, next to the ETC (European Trading Corporation) pawn shop.

Ms Malho, of the La Salle Verte cafe in Cannon Street, explained that there were other major developments in the area such as the Dover Western Docks Revival but a plan was needed to save the precinct.

District and town councillor Peter Wallace said: “There are quite a lot of shops that have been empty for a long time.

“Businesses such as Costa, Marks & Spencer and Shoe Zone, that are helping prop up that area, are moving to St James’. We need to get new shops to replace those leaving.

“Our high street is a source of revenue and community and we need to add it to our list of priorities.
“There is no focus on the high street whatsoever.”

Cllr Dan Sargent said that Dover District Council needed to use its powers to make landlords put their buildings back in a state of proper repair.

Cllr Trevor Bond said: “There are a lot of signatures on that petition, not just from the high street but also Dover residents who have a passion for it.
“There is enough interest in the town to look at strategies and challenge landlords.”
Councils can use a maintenance order called a Section 215 Notice (Under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990) when the condition of a building affects the area.

Members voted to request council leader Paul Watkins to ask the council’s head of investment and council partners to assess the impact of the Dover Town Investment Zone (where St James’ will be) on the high street area.

The resolution also asks what might be done to retain “the vibrancy of the high street retail offer in the town.”

The £53.25 million St James’ retail and leisure development, off Townwall Street, is expected to open in the first quarter of 2018.

As early as summer 2016 businesses in or near the precinct announced that they would move to the new site.

These are now known to be Marks and Spencer, Costa Coffee, Greggs, Carphone Warehouse, Poundland, Shoe Zone, Superdrug and Card Factory.

Marks and Spencer and Poundland, in nearby Pencester Road, confirmed that they would leave their present premises in Dover. Greggs said it would still keep its branch in Biggin Street.

Carphone Warehouse said it was too soon to say if it would keep both branches.

For further details see this week's Dover Mercury.