MAY I wish all Journal readers a very happy and healthy 2019.

The past year has certainly been a dramatic one – both nationally and locally.

Few of us, this time last year, could have expected Salisbury to spend a substantial part of the year at the centre of an international media storm.

It has been a difficult twelve months in the wake of the Novichok attacks, with the impact of reduced footfall continuing to be felt by the whole city but particularly by small businesses.

Salisbury is fortunate in the range and quality of independent shops and they, in turn, contribute hugely to its draw as a tourist destination.

However, as we leave 2018 behind, we have also, thankfully, said goodbye to the immediate ‘crisis management’ stage of the recovery effort and we are heading into what I personally feel could be a very positive stage of long term promotion and improvement of what the area has to offer.

For starters, we have extra money to spend on promoting Salisbury around the world.

We also have the honour of hosting Armed Forces Day to look forward to and a great deal of accumulated goodwill, which I look forward to translating into further opportunities that will lift Salisbury to the next level – both as a heritage destination and a vibrant place to live.

One such is the arts quarter and the possibility of a landmark capital project to anchor the city’s artistic offerings. I am delighted that funding has been secured to investigate next steps and I look forward to the conclusions with keen interest.

I am grateful for the tireless work of countless organisations – the BID, Salisbury Cathedral, Wiltshire Council, the Chambers of Commerce, Wiltshire Creative, the FSB and Salisbury City Council for all their efforts in the immediate aftermath of the crisis.

I hope that 2019 will be a year that is not just about recovering to where we were before last March but about looking to the future with ambition and optimism, so that we ultimately emerge from this experience brighter, bolder and more resilient.