We visited a former mining town in Staffordshire to ask locals what they hope to see in its future - here's what they had to say
Residents and visitors to a Staffordshire former mining town told us of a lack of vibrancy and a feeling of stagnation in the town centre - but also about bright hopes for the future.
Rugeley sits on the edge of Cannock Chase Forest, but is a town which carries a feeling of leaning to the past and reflecting on better days.
The town has seen the loss of the mining industry, which employed thousands in the area, as well as the loss of the coal-powered Power Station in 2016 and the closure of the Amazon warehouse in early 2024.
In the town centre, there have been small developments over the years, but the overall feeling is of a town which has one eye in the past, with buildings looking dated and several empty shops dotted around.
However, there could be more scope for a brighter future as the town has support from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) to better understand issues, constraints and future opportunities around improvements.
Cannock Chase Council has been inviting residents, businesses and visitors to have their say about Rugeley town centre and talk to them about what they love about the town centre, what could be improved and what developments would benefit the area.
The council said it hoped the views would help to shape the vision for the future for the town.
