The HRG were the first to recognise the dangers of inadequate control and pressed for appropriate enforcement. Although welcoming the investment and diversity so excitingly brought into Henley by new retailers, restaurateurs and hoteliers, we also identified the great danger of loosing the town's historical charm to "identikit" shop fronts.

For far too long previous Town Councils simply did not appreciate there was a problem, whereas the HRG, working closely with local traders, realised if the intention was to attract shoppers to a centre of retail excellence, then the overall character of this riverside market town had to be preserved.

The consequence of ignoring the planning regulations was an ever increasing spiral of destruction, caused by a plethora of large corporate logos, poorly designed shop fronts and the use of inappropriate materials.