Bourne Hill update

Seeing the reception at Bourne Hill busy with customers is usually nothing out of the ordinary – its people going about their business, coming in with their queries and issues and speaking to our council staff and Wiltshire Police colleagues.

But, after seven months of the building being closed, the main reception in the ‘new’ extension re-opened to the public this week. That regular, nothing out of the ordinary sight was very welcome illustrating that we’re getting back to normal business.

It’s a credit to council staff and Wiltshire Police that customer services were maintained seamlessly while part of Bourne Hill was closed. Our customer services operated from the register office in the old building and the police were based at the library and Five Rivers Health and Wellbeing Centre. 

Getting back to normal is what we all want to see as we know the number of people coming to the city and the town dropped, particularly after the second incident and the latest figures put footfall at 12.5% lower than this time last year. 

Encouraging people to visit both Salisbury and Amesbury needs new and different offers. Next week’s Salisbury Literary Festival (17 – 22 October) is a vibrant festival packed with events, workshops and activities across the city including the cathedral; library; Playhouse; Sarum College; Fisherton Mill and the Guildhall. This year’s headliners are best-selling crime writer Val McDermid; Matt Haig and Jonathan Coe. A feature of the festival is the Salisbury Greats talk which focuses on a renowned writer with a link to Salisbury. This year it’s focusing on crime writer Dorothy L Sayers who went to school in the city and I’m sure will be both interesting and popular. Events like the literary festival are helping to bring visitors, shoppers and local people back into the city and to Amesbury. I hope you’ll enjoy the festival and show your continued support to the city.