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Snapshot of Hungerford .... April 2005 Hungerford's Environment Hungerford is one of the two principle towns of the North Wessex Downs, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). Within the immediate vicinity of Hungerford are several areas that are given special protection such as Freemans Marsh, a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and nature conservation. Also, to the east and unique to Hungerford is Portdown Common, which is preserved for the good of the town by ancient charter to the Town and Manor. Further afield, the surrounding area is characterised by rolling downlands, which are mainly set to arable farming with pockets of woodland breaking up the otherwise open landscape and contributing to the character of the area. The land to the east and west is dominated by the Kennet and Avon Canal which was restored in recent years and provides recreational and wildlife amenities, enjoyed by all. Similarly, the town is heavily influenced by two main trunk routes the A4 and A338 that converge here, and the London to Penzance railway largely following the route of the canal. The surrounding countryside is easily accessible owing to the large number of minor roads, public bridleways and footpaths which criss-cross the landscape. Within the town, development came largely over the past 300 years owing to it being on the main East-West route from London to Bath and North-South between Oxford and Salisbury. The influence of those ancient routes has been significant during that period, leading to a predominance of mainly Georgian buildings warranting listed status and protection and a large number of inns. These are concentrated in and around the High Street and the adjoining village of Eddington, those being the oldest parts of the town and mainly characterising it's popular visual image and first impression. Social and Community A town of 4394 electors (2001 electoral roll) and 5559 persons (2001 census), Hungerford's population has steadily increased over the last ten years, while housing stock and the physical size of the town have also grown. Occupation increasingly follows the modern trend for less people to occupy a dwelling with increasing demands from single people. The current housing stock is typical of an affluent market town with a mix of private, social and rented homes, but with a high proportion of higher priced property. Most new development takes the form of executive style homes and high quality apartments, leading to an influx of well off families and single professionals and causing a growing concern that social demands are not being met. The trend is that Hungerford will increasingly become a dormitory town with it's vibrant community spirit and diversity under threat. Hungerford has a full range of high street shopping and social amenities consistent with it's size, meeting most day-to-day needs, not only serving the town, but also outlying rural communities where the central role of a market town remains alive. This is widely considered to be an important feature of the town, significant in it's popularity. Educational needs are met by good quality schools at all age ranges, as are religious needs by the presence of several places of worship, although currently all of the christian following, reflecting the town's comparitive lack of ethnic mix. With a good selection of pubs, hotels, restaurants and cafes, tourism and evening entertainment are catered for, but there is a notable lack of facilities for the younger adult population. Sports, fitness and leisure are well provided, with football, cricket and rugby clubs as well as two leisure centres with swimming pools. The Economy Hungerford is seen as having a buoyant economy with an affluent population. There are over 3000 jobs in the town, largely in small companies and businesses but notably Kerridge, who's headquarters is in the town, has over 200 employees. A wide diversity of industry is present, mostly located in small units in either Charnham Park, Smitham Bridge Road or the Station industrial areas with many other one-off premises around the town mostly adjacent to the High Street. A significant contribution to the local economy is retail, centred largely on the High Street, with many shoppers needs catered for and a large proportion serving the antiques trade, a feature for which Hungerford has become well known and which attracts many visitors to the town. Other diverse and, in some cases, unique, outlets reside in the High Street, but there is a notable lack of household names, inhibiting competition with neighbouring Newbury and Marlborough. A recent major addition to the street scene is the Somerfields supermarket which replaced their smaller streetfront premises. This addition has served to improve the range of grocery goods while providing additional shoppers parking and enhancing the appearance of a publicly viewed area. It also attracts many out-of-town shoppers, who would otherwise grocery shop in neighbouring towns. Although there are plenty of jobs in Hungerford, a large proportion are filled by workers from elsewhere. Similarly, many Hungerford residents travel to neighbouring towns or further afield to work. This is seen as a trend that ought to be addressed, as much for environmental as economic reasons. A major contributing factor in this, is the excellent road and rail links to and from the town. Hungerford is comparatively affluent, the economic effect of which, is to bring wealth to the town and it's businesses, but also to drive up property prices to the detriment of lower income local people, who are finding it increasingly difficult to remain resident. Transport and Accessibility Although a small market town in a rural setting, Hungerford is well served by strategic transport links. The M4 motorway is 3 miles to the north, the South West main railway line travels through the town as do the A4 and A338 trunk roads. All these transport routes have an affect on access to, from and through Hungerford and play a major part in all aspects of the town's life and character. Possibly the most significant is the ability for long-distance commuting both for Hungerford residents to work in places as remote as London and Bristol and for local employers to attract staff who do not live in the area. The Kennet and Avon canal also runs through the town and was once the major commercial transport route, but is now given over to leisure use with consequent effect on the economy. A network of minor roads link Hungerford with outlying villages and hamlets, allowing access to the town's facilities from it's hinterland. There are also a large number of bridleways and public footpaths criss-crossing the landscape, allowing largely leisure access to the open downland that surrounds the town. Once in the town, drivers have a variety of car parking available. Although there are a large number of spaces, those available are not generally organised to cater for the needs of allcomers. Additionally, with the busy A338 forming the High Street, congestion is a problem at busy times of day and the way the parking is arranged is a contributary factor. With the dominance of the motor vehicle in the town, brought about by the major road links and the need to attract commerce, there is little provision for pedestrian or cycle access, over and above normal pavements which vary in quality. This is an area that is widely considered to have room for improvement. Tourism Hungerford can provide a total of 130 hotel and B&B beds in a variety of accommodation, catering for the professional and tourist. Hungerford is only now emerging as a tourist destination with it’s charming character and setting in the North Wessex Downlands AONB. It is also a convenient base for visiting other local attractions. The antiques industry attracts some tourists, though mostly day visitors and the Kennet & Avon Canal is an established and well used feature, contributing to tourism in the town. The Marina, to be build to the west of the town, will inevitably have an impact on that aspect of the canal’s use. Supporting Data
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