BASINGSTOKE residents are being given a chance to make a lasting impression on the town by helping to decide whether an historic area should be given a new name.
In an attempt to give the Top of the Town a new lease of life, Kaye Cousins, Basingstoke town centre manager, has been leading a campaign which is reviewing whether the area needs a change of image.
The idea has created plenty of interest and now Mrs Cousins is calling on readers of The Basingstoke Extra to have their say.
Two possible new names are being mooted for the area - the Old Town and Cultural Corner.
Mrs Cousins would like to know what the people of Basingstoke think of the names, whether they believe the area should remain named Top of the Town, or if anyone has any other ideas.
"We are running this consultation so the general public have a chance to air their views," said Mrs Cousins.
"The majority of feedback we have received on the name change, from both the public and local businesses, has been positive, but we want to be sure that everyone who has a view has their say."
Mrs Cousins works for Basingstoke Town Centre Management Ltd - an independent company that works closely with Basing-stoke and Deane Borough Council - and is trying to plan a strategy for the long-term economic development of the town centre.
She believes a name change could highlight the historical and cultural significance of the Top of the Town.
"The point is to show that the area is different to the rest of the town centre," she said.
"It has culture in the Haymarket Theatre and The Willis Museum and a number of historical buildings and shops of a specialist nature that give it an identity of its own."
Residents have until the end of April to register opinions.
To do so, write to Kaye Cousins, Town Centre Manager, Basingstoke Town Centre Management Ltd, business Support Centre, Deanes Building, London Road, Basingstoke, RG21 7YP or e-mail kaye@theplacetob.co.uk
The Basingstoke Extra would also like to hear your views on the issue. Write to The Letters Editor, Gazette Newspapers, Gazette House, Pelton Road, Basingstoke, RG21 6YD or e-mail editor@basingstoke gazette.co.uk
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