The death of the high street.

[eltawater]

janesmith1950 said:

In these times I don't really get why society is told by the government when it can and cannot visit a shop.

And it's completely undermined by the likes of Amazon and home food grocery shopping who will deliver on a Sunday, thereby robbing any other bricks and mortar shop of the opportunity because they had to stay shut.

[So]

janesmith1950 said:

he argument against this has been that retail employees have the right to a day/time off. The counter argument is they should have the right to work the hours and earn more money (than they can at present). These people would then pay more income tax and NI and, invetiably, VAT. Shoppers would have thought convenience of being able to view all 7 days of the week as ordinary shopping ones.

In these times I don't really get why society is told by the government when it can and cannot visit a shop.

My understanding is that it’s that, the unions and small shops not wanting the competition.

Easy enough to get round one would have thought. Shop workers to have limited working hours and allowed Sunday off if they’ve religious beliefs. Convenience stores will survive on range and location I would have thought.

[snuffy]

I've just wondered around Chester for an hour or so this afternoon (I only live about 5 or 6 miles away but I hardly ever bother to go into the City now) and I ventured into HMV and WHSmiths. HMV has just moved (well, within the last year I think). No wonder it's gone bust, it was like walking into something from the 80s.

And Smiths was worse. It was like travelling back in time to the 70s ! How can it survive ?

[walm]

snuffy said:

I've just wondered around Chester for an hour or so this afternoon (I only live about 5 or 6 miles away but I hardly ever bother to go into the City now) and I ventured into HMV and WHSmiths. HMV has just moved (well, within the last year I think). No wonder it's gone bust, it was like walking into something from the 80s.

And Smiths was worse. It was like travelling back in time to the 70s ! How can it survive ?

Smiths is supporting its high street business with its hugely successful (read: overpriced) travel business - which is all the WHSmiths you see at airports and in train stations.
Captive audiences are more than happy to pay over the odds!

Also - Patisserie Valerie died yesterday.

[NormarkSuperswede]

We went to Shrewsbury 2 weeks ago. centre of town was amazing.Amazing shops. Lots of money. Artisan food and booze shops. Never saw a boarded up shop . The moment you allow places like Sports direct etc , it lowers the tone and attracts chavs .

[So]

walm said:

Also - Patisserie Valerie died yesterday.

It went into administration. So for now it will continue selling appalling coffee and mediocre cakes to fat women.

[NormarkSuperswede]

So said:

It went into administration. So for now it will continue selling appalling coffee and mediocre cakes to fat women.

Exactly .Its been a place for wannabe middle class people for years .

[Red 4]

NormarkSuperswede said:

We went to Shrewsbury 2 weeks ago. centre of town was amazing.Amazing shops. Lots of money. Artisan food and booze shops. Never saw a boarded up shop . The moment you allow places like Sports direct etc , it lowers the tone and attracts chavs .

I wouldn't go so far as to say Shrewsbury is amazing.

It's a reasonable town centre much like many others.

A few independent shops and generic chains.

If you like quirky (shop wise) Royal Leamington Spa might be the place for you.

[Cold]

John Lewis has today announced it's to close its small (35,000 sq ft) Knight and Lee store in Southsea. Not many K+L branded shops left now - just the one, in fact, when this one goes.
Funny store, the Southsea branch. It's always been a bit Grace Brothers but without the charm or dynamism.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-46970877

[Gecko1978]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Don't worry give it 10 years or so all retail shops will close. I was going to say convienance stores will still be there but nah. The internet will be where you shop and goods will arrive on demand in driverless vehicles with the warehouses staffed by robots then all thoes shop workers can have 7 days off a week.


Sad but that is the way we are heading

[NormarkSuperswede]

Red 4 said:

I wouldn't go so far as to say Shrewsbury is amazing.

It's a reasonable town centre much like many others.

A few independent shops and generic chains.

If you like quirky (shop wise) Royal Leamington Spa might be the place for you.

RLS is a no go. Could not live in that area. Shrewsbury seems great . Certainly money around . And far cleaner than any part of LOndon !

[julianm]

Another bank being disembowelled in Pocklington - little market town in the east Riding of Yorkshire. Asked the lad filling the skip 'what's the plan?' - a restaurant.
You'll now have to walk only 10 metres to find the next one instead of 15.

[Red 4]

NormarkSuperswede said:

. Shrewsbury seems great . Certainly money around . And far cleaner than any part of LOndon !

That's not really saying much ! My bin is cleaner than many parts of London

I'm not sure that Shrewsbury is a particularly affluent area. The outskirts of the town centre are mainly terraced properties and council/ ex-council estates. (Not that there's anything wrong with that).

The town centre is relatively nice and has a nice feel to it - if you like the market town vibe.

Plenty of worse places than Shrewsbury though.

[NormarkSuperswede]

I think the big "mall" business in the UK is not going great .Is there not reports of the banks been very worried about "Westfields" ?

[anonymous-user]

julianm said:

Another bank being disembowelled in Pocklington - little market town in the east Riding of Yorkshire. Asked the lad filling the skip 'what's the plan?' - a restaurant.
You'll now have to walk only 10 metres to find the next one instead of 15.

Was wondering if it might be a butcher’s

[Stan the Bat]

snuffy said:

I've just wondered around Chester for an hour or so this afternoon (I only live about 5 or 6 miles away but I hardly ever bother to go into the City now) and I ventured into HMV and WHSmiths. HMV has just moved (well, within the last year I think). No wonder it's gone bust, it was like walking into something from the 80s.

And Smiths was worse. It was like travelling back in time to the 70s ! How can it survive ?

Try the new library, it's quite a nice place to spend a bit of time.

[PF62]

Salmonofdoubt said:

I think longer/more flexible weekday opening hours and a total closure of retail stores including food one day per week would be a way to go.

Why shouldn't everyone who works in retail get one day a week where they can socialise with their friends/family who work elsewhere? many places selling the same things we don't need? What seems to be missing now are the things you need occasionally.

If you go back to the early 90s before Sunday opening was allowed, John Lewis used to close on Mondays to give their staff a two day weekend.

[snuffy]

Stan the Bat said:

snuffy said:

I've just wondered around Chester for an hour or so this afternoon (I only live about 5 or 6 miles away but I hardly ever bother to go into the City now) and I ventured into HMV and WHSmiths. HMV has just moved (well, within the last year I think). No wonder it's gone bust, it was like walking into something from the 80s.

And Smiths was worse. It was like travelling back in time to the 70s ! How can it survive ?

Try the new library, it's quite a nice place to spend a bit of time.

Storyhouse you mean ? I've been to the theatre there and also the bar on the top floor is very nice (not open unless something is on).

[snuffy]

Stan the Bat said:

Try the new library, it's quite a nice place to spend a bit of time.

And today I've never seen so many empty shops. Watergate Street must have had 6 or more, Frodsham street was not much better and the bottom of Foregate Street near The Old Queens Head was like a shanty town.

What is going on in Chester ?

[Lemming Train]

snuffy said:

And today I've never seen so many empty shops. Watergate Street must have had 6 or more, Frodsham street was not much better and the bottom of Foregate Street near The Old Queens Head was like a shanty town.

What is going on in Chester ?

The same that is 'going on' in every other town and city in the UK.