STRONG emotions remain about the closure of the Forum and the market in Barrow – and, perhaps more importantly, about what will replace them in the plans for a new town centre.
That anger hasn’t faded. If anything, it has hardened into a demand: this time, things must be done properly.
Just over a week ago, two packed Heart of Barrow engagement sessions took place in the town hall and the Bridge in Portland Walk.
They were billed as a chance to take stock, to examine blueprints for the town’s future, to speak to project leaders, and to think honestly about where we go from here. People came with curiosity, scepticism, hope, frustration – and memories.
Everyone has their own version of Barrow. Some, like me, remember a town centre that buzzed through the early 1980s, before shipyard redundancies in the 1990s changed the town’s fortunes almost overnight.
The town hall session reflected that mix of those fond memories, hope for brighter future, and unease.
The rooms were crammed with charts, maps, and hand‑outs. But beneath the displays setting out an inspiring vision, long‑standing frustrations spilled out.
People spoke of a town centre hollowed out by decades of decline, missed chances and unkept promises. Above all they shared the feeling of being ignored over the years.
Attendees were clear: leaders must confront that anger head‑on, not brush it aside.
And we must explain, convincingly, how Barrow now has its best chance in a generation to turn the tide.
The closure of Marks & Spencer on Dalton Road six years ago was a blow. But when it was announced in February that the market and the Forum were to be demolished, public morale seemed to hit rock bottom. For many, those buildings weren’t just bricks and mortar – they were symbols of a town that once had confidence, bustle and pride.
In an ideal world, earlier opportunities would have been seized. We wouldn’t be standing in the rubble of past decisions, trying to rebuild from scratch. But here we are. And despite everything, this really is the best chance we’ll ever get to turn things around.
The £220m investment package is coming because of Barrow’s role in the design and construction of nuclear submarines at BAE Systems. That industrial strength has put the town squarely in the national spotlight. Government attention is fully on Barrow, and its revival is now a top priority. A growing economy and a burgeoning town centre make us attractive for private‑sector investment. We have a lifeline other communities would die for – so we must get it right.
And getting it right means listening to the people of Barrow, not just consulting them as a box‑ticking exercise.
I have few doubts that without residents being so outspoken about the need for a replacement theatre, we wouldn’t now be looking at plans that feature one so prominently.
That is proof both that public pressure works, but also that this time their views are being listened to.
That must continue. Residents must have a say, every step of the way. And they will.
This moment is rare. It is precious. And it will not come again. Barrow cannot afford another decade of drift. The town deserves a future built with its people, not merely presented to them.
Please send me your thoughts: michelle.scrogham.mp@parliament.uk