Doon frae Troon
Ryder Cup Winner
After Covid 19 and into the new year our high streets are going to look rather strange.
The High Street.
- Thread starter Doon frae Troon
- Start date
I think it is quite sad. In towns it is a little easier to adapt, there are blueprints out there for how it can work, change office and shop space into living accomodation, some shops, certainly cafes, bars, restaurants will service those new people living in centres. To get there will take some pain, some long established businesses will disappear. It is a little harder to change cities this way and the pain in terms of job losses will be even greater.
The decline has been gradual and could have been managed but Covid has been brutal for all involved in the high street. There is a social aspect to actually going out to shop which the internet can not replace.
The decline has been gradual and could have been managed but Covid has been brutal for all involved in the high street. There is a social aspect to actually going out to shop which the internet can not replace.
Imurg
The Grinder Of Pars (Semi Crocked)
Our High Street hasn't held any relevance for me for years..
I go down it once every 2 or 3 years when I go to Specsavers..
There isn't another shop that I need there.
Our town centre has been an awful place for years...they've recently redeveloped large areas and there's more to come.
Now it's just new and awful..
I go down it once every 2 or 3 years when I go to Specsavers..
There isn't another shop that I need there.
Our town centre has been an awful place for years...they've recently redeveloped large areas and there's more to come.
Now it's just new and awful..
USER1999
Grand Slam Winner
Certainly for Watford. Intu are going bust, Debenhams also, and John Lewis have permanently closed their massive store (JL have been in Watford for around 100 years).
jim8flog
Journeyman Pro
After Covid!!
Our local town has got loads of empty shops and has done well before covid.
It is just that there are even more now.
There are several with closing down notices on the windows.
Mind you one of them has had the notice up for 2 years now.
Our local town has got loads of empty shops and has done well before covid.
It is just that there are even more now.
There are several with closing down notices on the windows.
Mind you one of them has had the notice up for 2 years now.
jim8flog
Journeyman Pro
One of the funniest notices I saw last year said
Closing Down
Everything must go
New stock arriving daily
Closing Down
Everything must go
New stock arriving daily
Inverness is like a ghost town nowdays, its either empty, charity or bars with the odd tartan tat shop in the summer. Highland council have gradually managed to kill of what decent shops there were with rent and rate hikes. opened an indoor centre that is mostley empty too, only Debenhams and M&S worth visiting , with Debenhams going, i can't see how its viable any longer as M&S is on the edge so you don't even have to go in the SC to get to it.
sad state for most high streets now
sad state for most high streets now
Bracknell was regenerated recently but already we've got empty shops. It has a decent eating area but how many of the chains will re-open is anyones guess. Reading is struggling already and has a massive Debenhams in the Oracle that will no doubt go. Who will want to take that massive space on in these times?
Tashyboy
Please don’t ask to see my tatts 👍
Who does the blame lie with though. Councils charging a fortune for parking. Governments charging a fortune for rates. Amazon paying next to nowt in taxes. Forum members wanting the cheapest. Whatever the reasons, am sure shop owners would want a level playing field When trying to keep a business afloat.
Slime
Tour Winner
As far as I'm concerned, the nearest major High Street to me, Guildford, lost all relevance and credibility when S R Jefferey and Son Ltd. were forced to close.
The best shop ever.
The best shop ever.
woofers
Medal Winner
“Forced to close”, why ?
williamalex1
Money List Winner
When we had a small clothing shop, rent, rates and lack of short time parking were the killer.
ExRabbit
Club Champion
My local small town centre is now dominated by vape shops, phone shops, discount stores and charity shops. It used to be a vibrant market town when we moved here almost 30 years ago. 
DanFST
Head Pro
Maybe it’s because i’m younger, but I don’t really care?
I’ll support small and family run businesses all day. But our high street is 100% corporations. (Jd sports, schuh etc) or phone repair/dodgy vape shops. Why would I go to the extra effort and cost supporting these Corps, over other cheaper online Corps that I don’t have to go out to?
I’ll support small and family run businesses all day. But our high street is 100% corporations. (Jd sports, schuh etc) or phone repair/dodgy vape shops. Why would I go to the extra effort and cost supporting these Corps, over other cheaper online Corps that I don’t have to go out to?
Bunkermagnet
Journeyman Pro
I think the “want it now, want it at the cheapest possible” mentality has done for the High Street.
Sadly quality service is seen as a none cost item and place no value on the ability to be actually able to see something in the flesh before purchasing.
ai don’t councils haven’t helped, but we are to blame overall.I hope the demise of the a High Street can be reversed, but I fear the damage has been done.
Sadly quality service is seen as a none cost item and place no value on the ability to be actually able to see something in the flesh before purchasing.
ai don’t councils haven’t helped, but we are to blame overall.I hope the demise of the a High Street can be reversed, but I fear the damage has been done.
SwingsitlikeHogan
Major Champion
Two big town centre redevelopments happening with us. The big one is charging ahead - the smaller is on hold as I guess planning permission is sought to reduce retail elements.
Big one to include a 6 screen cinema as well as 400 apartments. The fact that a lot of people will be living in the centre of our town is perhaps a way ahead for town centres such as ours as these folks will require ‘servicing’ and if I lived in our town centre I don’t think I’d be bothered heading to out of town superstores if I could can get most of what I need on my doorstep. We live less than 15mins walk from town centre and tend to use town centre stores and supermarkets as these include Lidl, Sainsbury’s and Waitrose.
Big one to include a 6 screen cinema as well as 400 apartments. The fact that a lot of people will be living in the centre of our town is perhaps a way ahead for town centres such as ours as these folks will require ‘servicing’ and if I lived in our town centre I don’t think I’d be bothered heading to out of town superstores if I could can get most of what I need on my doorstep. We live less than 15mins walk from town centre and tend to use town centre stores and supermarkets as these include Lidl, Sainsbury’s and Waitrose.
Swinglowandslow
Well-known member
Excellent reasons given above
The combination of internet shopping and making high street shopping difficult has caused high street decline.
I think of the sort of people who enjoyed the high street and town centres.
Families of course, but mostly folks who weren't internet minded, weren't into paying by smart phone etc.
Older folk mainly, out for a browse and a shop, pay by cash, call at the bank, building society maybe, ( where there was personal service), family businesses with knowledgeable staff.
Now it's Shops where you have to battle with loud music, piled up goods to wade through then take to a dingy counter where mostly clearly disinterested staff just took your card. These shops were just cheap and yuk
And to get to this Mecca of shopping, you have to pay through the nose to park. Councils doing this couldn't see, or didn't care , that they were helping to kill the high street, as was their colleagues down the corridor who were responsible for setting business rates.
Covid was the last straw, I think. Without the above problems, Covid would have been a blip.
Can the high street return? Only if the Central government instill a sense of cooperation instead of competition. Councils to have an overall plan to promote its business community. They say this at the moment, but then all the different depts go back and each tries it's darnedest to get as much money from the high street to show what an efficient dept this is.
Government should prevent banks from closing and providing only online services.
When there is only online banking , it strongly promotes online shopping, and strangles shopping with purses
Government should realistically fund councils so the latter don't feel forced to get their funds by squeezing parking and businesses to the fullest. A reasonable income from a thriving business community is better than what has been going on.
Different departments of councils cooperating to create a viable high street, such as using out of town cheap parking and park and ride services with all the benefits that brings.
It's natural for people to go for the cheapest, but if internet shopping is too cheap the high street cannot compete. If the only difference between the two is the perceived convenience of internet shopping, then the social benefits that high street shopping gives will allow it to be viable.
X
The combination of internet shopping and making high street shopping difficult has caused high street decline.
I think of the sort of people who enjoyed the high street and town centres.
Families of course, but mostly folks who weren't internet minded, weren't into paying by smart phone etc.
Older folk mainly, out for a browse and a shop, pay by cash, call at the bank, building society maybe, ( where there was personal service), family businesses with knowledgeable staff.
Now it's Shops where you have to battle with loud music, piled up goods to wade through then take to a dingy counter where mostly clearly disinterested staff just took your card. These shops were just cheap and yuk
And to get to this Mecca of shopping, you have to pay through the nose to park. Councils doing this couldn't see, or didn't care , that they were helping to kill the high street, as was their colleagues down the corridor who were responsible for setting business rates.
Covid was the last straw, I think. Without the above problems, Covid would have been a blip.
Can the high street return? Only if the Central government instill a sense of cooperation instead of competition. Councils to have an overall plan to promote its business community. They say this at the moment, but then all the different depts go back and each tries it's darnedest to get as much money from the high street to show what an efficient dept this is.
Government should prevent banks from closing and providing only online services.
When there is only online banking , it strongly promotes online shopping, and strangles shopping with purses
Government should realistically fund councils so the latter don't feel forced to get their funds by squeezing parking and businesses to the fullest. A reasonable income from a thriving business community is better than what has been going on.
Different departments of councils cooperating to create a viable high street, such as using out of town cheap parking and park and ride services with all the benefits that brings.
It's natural for people to go for the cheapest, but if internet shopping is too cheap the high street cannot compete. If the only difference between the two is the perceived convenience of internet shopping, then the social benefits that high street shopping gives will allow it to be viable.
X
IanM
Journeyman Pro
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I moved away from my home town in 1987. When I heard Jeffrey's had closed I could have cried. Bought my first proper cricket bat and keepers gloves in there. Lots of fishing tackle and subbutteo in there too.
Proper old shop. Had a lovely atmosphere, even its own smell.
The Internet has been killing the High Street for years. Covid is another big nail. Although large chains could be replaced by local smaller shops again if landlords are realistic about rents, councils about rates and entrepreneurs allowed to get on with it.
parking hasn't helped, two good shops in Castle street closed last year after the council made it double yellow lines where before it was single, one was a beer shop and most of its customers used to be able to stop outsde and collect. DY put paid to that and it went under. council have now made that street one way, so didn't need the DY anyway
harpo_72
Journeyman Pro
To be honest the high street and a good example is Debenhams sell “tat” brands of no interest .. just went online to see what they had, came back with your in a virtual queue... may be a bit impatient but I try not to queue at any point unless I am being paid for it then I will queue all day.
That may sound selfish, but in reality it’s about time and the finite time we have.
The high street is only going through a natural decline and I am sure it will return in some form or other.. but no need to support it let it die of natural causes.
That may sound selfish, but in reality it’s about time and the finite time we have.
The high street is only going through a natural decline and I am sure it will return in some form or other.. but no need to support it let it die of natural causes.
