CHARD Mayor Jenny Kenton has hit back at the claims that Chard town centre is run down and lacking in basic shops.

Last week, the News reported that jeweller and valuer Stoker and Sons was to close its shop in the town after 35 years of trading but leave its Ilminster one open.

Other traders in the town said footfall had been low and that Chard was lacking in a wide choice of shops, keeping shoppers away.

Readers also reacted to the story on the News website.

Taz man said: “I lived in Chard for many years but now I only return a few times each year.

“As an outsider now I can see how bad Chard has become, Chard needs to encourage big name retailers into the centre of the town where the people of Chard can get good deals without having to travel to Taunton for them.

“This would also pull in trade from surrounding areas and bring life back into the town.”

But Cllr Kenton said the town was starting to revitalise, with shops that had been closed for many years starting to reopen.

She added: “There are at least nine shops which were closed which have now reopened in the past few years.

“I don’t think Chard is dying, we are starting to see people and shops come back into the high street.

“We do have a lot on offer and a lot of unique little shops.”

One of those shops is Area 51, in Holyrood Street run by Neil and Pat Ling.

They opened the antique store in July and said business is going well.

Mr Ling added: “We have had a good start and we’re seeing trade pick up, I think our unusual name helps and the fact that we sell a variety of objects here both for collectors and people interested in old, weird and wonderful things.”

Owner of LikeCrafts also in Holyrood Street, Lisa Morse opened her new shop in July.

She said: “Since we moved this side of Sainsbury’s we have had a lot more visitors to the shop.

“It has been a fantastic start – of course business is tough for everyone, especially if you’re starting out, but you have to give it a go.”

Teresa Welch who runs Dovetails in Fore Street with Theresa Arter and Joy Seymour, said shops needed to offer something different.

She added: “We offer all sorts in here from furniture to wool and little bits for the home.

“I think it helps that there’s three of us running the store, because we all bring different ideas, and we sell things from a lot of different people – they all have their own space in the store so there is a lot for people to see and buy.”