THE owners of Thornbury’s town centre remain optimistic about the future despite a tough recovery from the recession.

The Peer Group took ownership of the St Mary Shopping Centre in 1997, a time most commentators consider the high street’s heyday.

Richard Blake, assets manager for the Peer Group, said: "Between 1997 and 2007 there was no need to micro manage but then the recession came along and we have to keep looking at the shopping centre and trying to keep it fresh, working with the stakeholders.

"If anything has come from the recession it’s bringing key players like local councils, us, traders, the chamber and local people together to take Thornbury forward."

St Mary Centre has had a difficult few years' trading with now up to eight shop units empty, as well as several second floor office spaces, but Mr Blake is keen to emphasis the many attributes the town centre has, which he and The Peer Group hope to build on.

"This is a very local market centre but with an ageing population, so facilities like the library and the car parking are essential.

"For a community like Thornbury they enjoy a thriving farmers’ market. There’s knowledge, an agricultural heritage and people are passionate about where their food comes from and supporting producers, and we want to use that," he said.

The Peer Group has been criticised for not filling empty shops quickly enough, but with the arrival of WHSmith later in the summer Mr Blake believes the company’s approach to Thornbury will pay off.

"We need to be selective, we can’t just let the shops to any discount retailer for short-term gain. There’s nothing worse than shops that continually change hands.

"Right across the country there are more shops closing than there are opening. WHSmith is only opening something like 20 new stores and Thornbury is one of them – that’s quite a coup for the town.

"It’s not that we are missing anyone or not mail shooting, it’s just the economy and at the moment things are very quiet," he added.

Continuing on from the success of WHSmith the next step for The Peer Group is to create a new website to entice businesses to the town.

Mr Blake said: "I want to tell people about the lifestyle benefits of living, working and shopping in Thornbury.

"We need to get people thinking about what a nice place Thornbury is to be. Someone could rent office space in a nice market town centre and round the corner there are houses to live in and good local schools for their children."