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Local business is an integral part of the community in Uppingham. An extraordinary combination of establishments sustains a range of products and level of services probably not to be found in any other village with a population of 4000 people. The presence of a major public school with a superb theatre and concert facilities, a Harley-Davidson dealership, a world famous art gallery, an historic coaching inn, a weekly market, a regular farmers market and a wide range of art/antique galleries and bookshops all contribute to the sustainability of a very high quality of life.
The historic centre of Uppingham is home to more than 100 businesses offering a wide range of professional services including legal, accountancy, property, investment, travel, insurance, medical, vehicle maintenance, two banks and a post office. The education sector is the community’s most significant employer. Unusually for its size, there is significant competition in the high street amongst the small retail businesses with two butchers, two ironmongers, two chemists, two newsagents, two tea rooms, two general store off-licenses, two jewellers, three restaurants, six hair and beauty establishments, six hotels/public houses and several food take away establishments. This competitive core of family businesses is complemented by a baker baking fresh bread every day, a family owned petrol station open from very early until late seven days a week, an award winning fish and chip shop and a new small supermarket. A developing café society with tables in the market square is supported by an evening economy organised around an alcohol free zone. The excellent neighbourhood policing team helps sustain a low crime, relatively safe, urban centre that has town facilities but very much the atmosphere and culture of a medium sized village. An interesting element of the high street and market square is the number of business premises that have residential accommodation above them, thus ensuring a ‘living’ high street at all hours of the day and night. Three industrial areas around the edge of the village widen the range of employment opportunity and local services. To the south, an industrial estate hosts Arnold Wills and Co., a noteworthy company who employ mainly local people and who manufacture for Marks and Spencer among others. The estate has a number of other engineering and manufacturing companies, some with an international reputation. To the north is a high tech office development and to the East is a small collection of traditional craft employers including a stonemason, a kitchen furniture manufacturer and a cash and carry garden nursery. The business picture of Uppingham is completed by the presence of approximately fifty small businesses working from home, some employing one or two additional staff. Crucially these home-based businesses draw upon, and contribute to, the services in the town, further enriching its potential. It is this incredible range of central services that makes Uppingham such an enchanting place in which to live, work and play. This is particularly true not only for the elderly and the infirm who may not be able to, or wish to, drive to the shops, but also for the younger family grappling with the price of local housing and the limited job opportunities normally available in a rural economy. A bus service (free for the elderly) enabling travel to the nearest railway station and the city facilities of Leicester, Nottingham and Peterborough completes the attractive picture. Local employers have long demonstrated a commitment to the local community through employment opportunities, support for Christmas shopping initiatives, event sponsorship and support for youth. The Parish Plan, completed in late 2007, revealed that almost 40% of its respondents were employed in Uppingham, a surprisingly high statistic. Arnold Wills and Co. provide their own mini bus transport service for employees and the company is well known for its employment opportunities for the disadvantaged and its sponsorship of local sport, theatre and concerts. Uppingham School supports the local community by opening up many of its facilities to local groups as well as promoting an extensive range of concerts and theatre performances. The Goldmark Gallery and the Hamblin Group, who own the Sycamore Harley-Davidson showroom and garage in town, have both made substantial contributions to the community’s cultural, sporting and economic development. In 2003, following the near collapse of the local chamber of trade, a group of proactive businesses met with the then Town Mayor Ron Simpson to form a new Business Forum determined to contribute to the sustainability of the Uppingham community. It has had remarkable success. The Forum secured funding to appoint Uppingham’s first ever Town Manager, and created an executive board known as ‘Uppingham Business First’ to support the community through a wide variety of special initiatives and events. In 2008 Uppingham Business First, local government and the voluntary sector jointly formed a new strategic partnership entitled ‘Uppingham First’ setting itself the ambitious target of developing a forward vision for the Uppingham community to be embodied in a new business plan for the parish in 2009. Uppingham First is now a self financing company limited by guarantee. This business commitment to the community has been recognised on a number of occasions at regional level by the East Midlands Development Agency, with grants awarded to the partnership to research the smallest ever Business Improvement District (BID) in England, financial support for a major new tourism initiative centred around a working print museum and craft workshop, part funding of a major new plan for the town entitled Uppingham 2025 and most recently matched funding for a community wifi aerial network. |
