I was previously in the RAF and had a choice of where to live, we thought it was temporary, our kids were in boarding school, we had just returned from Germany. St Ives was convenient I liked the Bridge, River, Buildings, Skyline.  As an Aviator I probably look up and notice skylines more than most.  We bought property and stayed.  It’s large enough to have everything and small enough to stay personal.  3 things are important to me; 1) celebrate the history, 2) Preserve the timelessness 3) Update the Human amenities.

 

I was born in Fenstanton, St Ives has always been unique – there are few street markets left and ours has a real buzz.  When I was away at University I remember the feeling of coming back, I felt at home as soon as I came over the bridge, there is a strong bond.  At Loughborough we had a tradition of sending letters and I said to friends just put (name), St Ives.  It still got to me, my friends couldn’t believe it.  There were dances and everything in the Corn exchange, Cubs, Secondary School, it was all here.

 

I moved to St Ives 15 years ago, initially I planned to be in Cambridge but was working a lot away from home, it was convenient that there was always plenty of rented accommodation available.  We found St Ives by default, brought the family over, liked the bridge and the views.  But apart from all the pleasing aspects it is a good central location when travelling for business.  You can easily get away but you can also easily get home.  It is a functionally useful town, my son was a typical 12 year old who loved being out on his bike.  Thanks to the Ivo he went on to HRC and then polytechnic.  We really liked that children go to 1 comprehensive.  There is very little need for private education.

 

To me St Ives is beautiful, I love the history, the people are friendly.  I come from Hampshire and moved to St Ives 7 years ago, it’s so friendly.  I walk the meadow every morning and enjoy the buildings. I feel like a part of history.  I like the individual shops.

St Ives is such a friendly town, in the 10-12 years I been here people shop and talk.  Everyone you meet before 9.30 am stops to say hello.  Julie might ring me to say I’ve put the kettle on and I say I’ll be 5 minutes but I am always 25 minutes late because I have met so many people on the way.

We moved here when we decided to reduce our dependency on the car, we were looking for shops, a house and to have our face in the sun.  We like the diverse shops.

 

I was born in Ilford, I was working in Local Government in East London, we had had enough of London and were looking for a smaller town, we were fed up with city life, I applied for a few jobs it was difficult to move (in ’76) but I finally took a job with HDC.  We lived temporarily in St Neots – our kids were 10 and 7, St Ives had good facilities (pool, the Ivo), they could walk to school.  There was no commuting and I became very active in the sailing club.  We moved in on 23^rd December, we threw our stuff in the house and went to stay with parents for Christmas.  I remember coming back after Christmas and looking across the causeway and at the shimmering flooding fields.  I like the stability of the town. I have no intention of moving, all our friends and activities are here.

 

I was very nomadic, here is the longest we have been anywhere.  When we were looking for a house I was sat in the coffee shop with the estate agents details and looked out over the river, walked down through the market, looked at the rooftops and I have the same feeling now as I did then.  I like being able to park in the Market Square.  It’s big enough for all my needs.  I can walk in, cycle.  I love the bridge and wouldn’t want to see too much change.

 

We are bounded by nature here but it’s still a busy town, I like the life and busy-ness.

People come in from the villages and park in the middle of town.

I got a puncture the other day, it was my 3^rd of the week, I was pushing my bike over the bridge, I swore and someone tried to book me for swearing in public.  I asked someone to witness my comments. I was born in West St, I lived next door to the house where I grew up, went to school on Hemingford, 3 years schooling in the Church Hall.  I left at 13 ½ and took a grocery apprenticeship.  Our weekends were spent boating, swimming, skating, Youth Clubs.  I nearly moved to run a B&B in St Annes with my sister, it was not long after my father had died and we were very close but I realized I was moving for all the wrong reasons.  My friends and clubs were all here.  Every Monday we used to go to the cattle market and watch the cattle being sold and have a picnic.

I remember being with my Dad, he died when I was six so I must have been quite young.  We  were in the auction room and an old horse was being shown that no-one was bidding for.  I looked at Dad and he looked at me, he bought the horse and we took the poor old thing home.  He was my horse.  Now there’s the Friday market and the Farmers market, there’s always something to do.

Two weeks ago I met a coach party from Staffordshire who had spent 2 days in Norwich, they were on their way back and stopping here for lunch.  I showed them the chapel and they visited the museum,  3 years they have been coming back and I asked them why they liked it and they said it was unspoiled and the shops were welcoming.

It’s nice for tourists they can access the town by boat, car, on foot, by bike but we need to make sure its tidy for them.  We need to keep it vibrant but protected.

I knew why I liked St Ives – listening to tonight has really made me realize the specialness of a Market Town.  I was born in Harrow where River meant Thames or the Pin in Pinner.  River meant nothing to me.  Architecture meant Harrow School, St Pauls or Buckingham Palace.  London was very boring and meant nothing to me til I came up here. I had never been before – we moved to RAF Wyton with our children aged 2 and 5, I needed playgroups etc.  I don’t think I even really looked at the River.  My eyes have really been opened by the flood plains, the River and the significance of Market Towns.  My parents were from Birmingham so this really was  a whole new world, really educated me.  I didn’t see friends in London –we were all so scattered around.  Now I see people in the market square, I don’t necessarily know them but they are familiar faces.

 

There is a lot to find out about our historical heritage.  It would be good to write a drama about the significance of the fairs and why 12000 head of cattle were driven over the country to be sold here.

 

We’ve been here since the ‘70s – we liked the diversity of shops and the family run businesses.  It would be good to get the rivers organized to allow boats in – get more people into the town.  Local publications encourage local shopping.  We need to reach out to Hill Rise and the Burleigh estates, show them we care about them.  I like family run businesses but the rent and rates are so high they can’t make it pay.  We need to bring more people into the town.

I remember nipping into the WI to buy a cake – we should encourage that sector, through the Corn Exchange – put on events, art exhibits, bring people into the town that way.

 

I’m a firm believer in doing things through children, event that bring children into the town bring whole families

 

I remember a day we had in Cambridge, that’s a centre of wealth but has good transport links to here.  Cambridge has reinvented itself 3 times, we have much lower cost of housing – we should advertise in Cambridge and attract more people, get the Estate Agents to put up a board, get the demographic balance right.

My Daughter-in-law moved from Cambridge to here because there’s always such a lot to do. She likes the range of shops, the diversity.

I lived in Cambridge for 30 years, I had been all over the country, I liked Market towns and was looking for real countryside. I looked at Ely, Newmarket, Saffron Walden, a friend suggested a day in St Ives, I said “why?” but when I stood on the bridge I turned to her and  I said “this is it”.  I still feel the same, even with all the problems I have had with the house I still feel the same.  I can walk, cycle, there are so many countryside walks, I like the friendliness, I am basically quite shy – I never felt I couldn’t go somewhere on my own, I always felt welcome, that’s very important when you are on your own.

We need to go beyond the usual 2D approach we need a 4D look at breadth, depth, height and time.

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Thanks to you all for your time and stories, the themes I believe are important from looking at them are:

Architecture – especially the roofline

Nature – especially walks and the meadow

Tourism – especially bringing people in to help the local economy thrive

Diversity – of shops and businesses, access to the town

Sense of Community – especially community events and drawing the town together, maintaining the friendliness.