FORMER Mayor Cllr Martin Wale believes Chard town centre can go from strength to strength once the regeneration project gets underway.
Cllr Wale has supported proposals to bid to become a Portas Pilot town and believes that if successful it could work "hand in hand" with the ongoing regeneration project.
He firmly believes people behind the regeneration are committed 100% and have backed it with cash.
"Somebody has bid millions to redevelop the Boden Mill site," he said.
Cllr Wale believes enhancing the town centre could also have major benefits for other existing traders.
He told members of Chard Town Council on Monday statistics had shown that 65% of all retail trade in the town went to Tesco.
"If we could get some of that trade back to a town centre store that would sprinkle back into the town itself," he said.
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