A TOWN action group is calling for urgent progress to be made by the council following the news that three independent traders on the same street are due to close down.

Clitheroe Town Action Group (C-TAG) is urgently calling for a business confidence survey of high street traders to be carried out by the council in Clitheroe, Whalley and Longridge.

The action group was set up by a group of prominent Clitheroe traders and local councillors to lobby for the regeneration of Clitheroe town centre.

Kevin Horkin, of the action group, said: “Business confidence is a finite commodity and it is currently in short supply.

“The closure of three high-profile businesses, two of which which had been trading for many years and were regarded as semi-permanent fixtures, on just one high street right in the very centre of Clitheroe is no coincidence.

“The fact that they are all in close proximity to the market tells you everything you need to know.

“The problem is that we were promised a new market development which was supposed to have been nearly completed by now but nothing seems to be happening.”

The action group also claims that footfall has declined between 10 and 15 per cent in Clitheroe town centre in the last year.

Ribble Valley councillor Ged Mirfin, chair of the Clitheroe Town Action Group, said: “I will be lobbying the newly-appointed economic development director of the council of the critical need to carry out regular business confidence surveys of high street traders in the key service centres.

“Business confidence surveys provide raw intelligence in real time of trading conditions.

“I believe we are currently being too reactive and not pro-active enough about issues high street businesses are facing.

“Local independent traders are the lifeblood of the community and we are ignoring them at our peril.”

Council leader Cllr Ken Hind said: “I am concerned about the confidence of the traders in Clitheroe and I ask that they give us a short period of time before they make any fundamental decision about closure."

The council leader also revealed that meetings have been planned to address the market development scheme.