Worst high streets

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stefanovic

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According to a recent list these are the worst high streets for retail therapy and 6 are in Wales.

1. Girvan, South Ayrshire
2. Bristol – Baldwin Street
3. Chepstow, Monmouthshire
4. Cardigan, Ceredigion
5. Southsea, Portsmouth
6. Tonypandy, Rhondda Cynon Taf
7. Ammanford, Carmarthenshire
8. Haverfordwest, Permbrokeshire
9. Canning Town, east London
10. Newtown, Powys

A bit unfair because all I ever see in just about any town centre these days is boarded up shops, closing down signs, traffic going nowhere (unless the ring road is closed).
Is it the end, or is there hope?
Well, Craven Arms lures people with the promise of seeing a mammoth, even if there's some doubt about the truth of that.
Stratford-upon-Avon has Shakespeare, even if there's no hard evidence that he actually wrote the plays.
Evesham has a Marian apparition, even if (you now the rest).
 
The town where I live, Morpeth in Northumberland, has a thriving high street. It's about getting the right mix of social and retail, the right retail for your customers. Those towns clinging to the high street of old will continue to decline, the model has to change.

If those 10 are all worse than Ashington high street then I dread to think what they are like ?
 
I have seen Morpeth town centre and it actually looks like a place you would want to browse around.
Barnard Castle is a similar sort of experience, and now gets tourists from the Cummings effect.
Sad to say not all town centres have limited traffic and pedestrianised areas.
Cyclists and e-scooters weaving in and out of people can make you feel unsafe and the police seem to be powerless to do anything.
 
Leicester ought to be in, but the road called "High Street" is not the main shopping street. That would be Granby Street/Gallowtree Gate.
On High Street you can get a tattoo or a kebab, but not much else.
 
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We left. Brentford about 3 years ago, can’t believe it didn’t make the list. Must mean those 10 are awful.
The pharmacist in Brentford is great, the rest is horrendous. But if you need a place to get your nails done, have your pick.
 
Voyager EMH said:
Leicester ought to be in, but the road called "High Street" is not the main shopping street. That would be Granby Street.
On High Street you can get a tattoo or a kebab, but not much else.
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Then renaming High Street might help, as might be giving more publicity to the Guildhall which if open is free to enter.
Might be spooky, however.
Leicester Guildhall - Visit Leicester
 
I get the reasons why high streets are struggling and there are many. Amazon would be in that top ten of reasons why. But I don’t think it’s a simple fix. Look at Mike Ashley. He is loathed but he bought ? House of Fraser and said if he is to continue using there stores then rent needs to drop. Some dropped, some didn’t. The ones that didn’t are now empty. High private rents, councils charging a fortune for car parking. Retail parks opening up. It all adds up to folk not going to town centres.
Take Mansfield ( and I wish someone would) a market town. Really. Council charges high rents with less footfall so less market stalls. There answer, all market stalls being moved into a large empty shop. How much will rent be.
Beales is now shut, so the Mayor of Mansfield is now moving the council from a Purpose built offices just out of town centre with plenty of parking to the old store in the town centre. Labour council, Tory MP who put himself up for the top job in Notts council means no one is singing off the same song sheet.
 
Whoever compiled that list has obviously never walked down Haverhill high street. A more depressing place I could not imagine. TBH Hornchurch High Street is in decline, just pound shops, chicken shops, nail bars and charity shops. Nearby Upminster is much better.
 
Baldwin Street Bristol. What!!
Baldwin street isn't a high street, it isn't even considered a shopping area, it's a road in a city centre that traditionally had a Cinema, a night club, commercial offices, eateries and a few small shops.
Whoever considered it a high street can't have been there.

Screenshot_2022-01-29-20-40-05-35.jpg
 
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Shut them all I say. Outdated and expensive , parking. Out of town covered malls is the way forward. Free parking, with all the main chains in them and decent food stores or food court. I hate town centre shopping.
 
PS. It appears we are getting one. ? Althought our council should be shot for wasting 2 million on converting a building society building and recently laying expensive stone flags on a town street that has nowt but three banks and a chippy on it
 
Crazyface said:
Shut them all I say. Outdated and expensive , parking. Out of town covered malls is the way forward. Free parking, with all the main chains in them and decent food stores or food court. I hate town centre shopping.
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What about those people who don't drive? How are they supposed to get there.
 
SocketRocket said:
Baldwin Street Bristol. What!!
Baldwin street isn't a high street, it isn't even considered a shopping area, it's a road in a city centre that traditionally had a Cinema, a night club, commercial offices, eateries and a few small shops.
Whoever considered it a high street can't have been there.

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Exactly what I was thinking - all the 12 years I lived in Bristol not once did I go shopping in Baldwin St...shops - nope - nightclub, pub, restaurant yes - but shopping...eh?
 
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