Does it matter if the high street dies?
Discussion
Johnnytheboy said:
Another example: I've something I need to buy in a chain shop. I travel a fair bit so I can choose a location.
There's one in Bristol where I am today... but it's in the city centre mall.
There's one in Bournemouth where I am tomorrow.... it's in a small suburban retail park.
No prizes for guessing.
Bristol though, you park in the huge easy car park at the bottom of the M32 and then nothing is more than a 10 min walk. At least they've got that right, making it easy to get to a car park. It's also a 'destination shopping experience' so it's designed that you go in for an hour or two and browse/shop.There's one in Bristol where I am today... but it's in the city centre mall.
There's one in Bournemouth where I am tomorrow.... it's in a small suburban retail park.
No prizes for guessing.
In Swindon we've still got a major link road closed after 2 years of inactive roadworks, whilst they start on another on a major route into town.
I'm pretty sure that it's well known that poorly dressed middle aged men really aren't that into "going to the shops", particularly since the death of Tandy 
and therefore not the target audience of the high street.
There are a considerable amount of people, for some weird reason, that love going to the shops.
This thread is a bit like having a thread in Mum's Net on the death of the naturally aspirated internal combustion engine in sports cars.
It will rearrange itself to take into account the boring things that no one want to shop for, the old peoples odd clothing shops will shut and there will still be a high street, in some form or other, but in a smaller scale, I'd imagine.
and therefore not the target audience of the high street.There are a considerable amount of people, for some weird reason, that love going to the shops.
This thread is a bit like having a thread in Mum's Net on the death of the naturally aspirated internal combustion engine in sports cars.
It will rearrange itself to take into account the boring things that no one want to shop for, the old peoples odd clothing shops will shut and there will still be a high street, in some form or other, but in a smaller scale, I'd imagine.
It's varied though. For some the high street is a collection of 30-40 local shops, independents with an occaisional national chain, for others it's a huge inner city/town shopping mall with the whle mix. Those may well do OK if they are rebranded as a 'shopping destination' a 'retail experience', think Bristol Cabots with the mix of entertainment, food, shops etc.
At the same time the specialist shops may do OK - think Richer Sounds as an example, or a fabric shop because they require a special visit.
At the same time, home shopping of familiar goods or very specialised items are perfect forinternet shopping and delivery, especially whilst many are working from home. It'll be interesting to see how that pans out as people return to the workplace.
But it's the local newsagent, butcher, baker, deli, clothing shop that needs the support in the smaller town areas, the things that are better bought through using the full range of senses...
SO I think we need a mix - it's just that most councils don't recognise the importance of the small local shops
At the same time the specialist shops may do OK - think Richer Sounds as an example, or a fabric shop because they require a special visit.
At the same time, home shopping of familiar goods or very specialised items are perfect forinternet shopping and delivery, especially whilst many are working from home. It'll be interesting to see how that pans out as people return to the workplace.
But it's the local newsagent, butcher, baker, deli, clothing shop that needs the support in the smaller town areas, the things that are better bought through using the full range of senses...
SO I think we need a mix - it's just that most councils don't recognise the importance of the small local shops
I was pretty pessimistic, but spring has seen our local high street have a bit of a second life. The shops that shut were 'sit at desk' places like hairdressers, carpet shops, estate agents - all shut and it looked touch and go the units would be relet for a while,
but they have been replaced with more trendy shops that seem more about experience, like pet shop, guitar shop, clothes shops, takeaway coffee shops. There were queues outside the butchers and bakers. The cafes were all depressing places to sit, but now have been refurbed for the first time in forever, into trendy counter based takeaways, with more outdoor seating and pavement space reclaimed from parking.
I accept not all high streets and sectors can sustain such transformation, but seems like there is light at the end of the tunnel for som.
but they have been replaced with more trendy shops that seem more about experience, like pet shop, guitar shop, clothes shops, takeaway coffee shops. There were queues outside the butchers and bakers. The cafes were all depressing places to sit, but now have been refurbed for the first time in forever, into trendy counter based takeaways, with more outdoor seating and pavement space reclaimed from parking.
I accept not all high streets and sectors can sustain such transformation, but seems like there is light at the end of the tunnel for som.
Electronicpants said:
I'm pretty sure that it's well known that poorly dressed middle aged men really aren't that into "going to the shops", particularly since the death of Tandy and therefore not the target audience of the high street.
There are a considerable amount of people, for some weird reason, that love going to the shops.
This thread is a bit like having a thread in Mum's Net on the death of the naturally aspirated internal combustion engine in sports cars.
It will rearrange itself to take into account the boring things that no one want to shop for, the old peoples odd clothing shops will shut and there will still be a high street, in some form or other, but in a smaller scale, I'd imagine.
I'm sure it's been covered upthead (or maybe in the 'death of the high street' thread, but there really are two types of shopper: the ones that want to wander around for several hours and maybe buy stuff, and 'poorly dressed middle aged men' who have a specific need that they want to fulfil and leave. and therefore not the target audience of the high street.There are a considerable amount of people, for some weird reason, that love going to the shops.
This thread is a bit like having a thread in Mum's Net on the death of the naturally aspirated internal combustion engine in sports cars.
It will rearrange itself to take into account the boring things that no one want to shop for, the old peoples odd clothing shops will shut and there will still be a high street, in some form or other, but in a smaller scale, I'd imagine.
In my example above I want to 'pull the trigger'
on a very nice pair of walking boots but that doesn't mean I want to look at other things and have a coffee and wander about. So the owners or managers of retail space have to choose to some extent between the cash rich or the time rich shopper.
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