High Street

[80sChav]

Re: High Street

It is great to know amethst that places like Rye still exist - I was only thinking similar earlier, though in other aspects I believe Supermarkets can help places. A few very Towns near where I live which are more of a "Village-Town" have done really well by the large Supermarkets moving there - though I guess to it is if the people who go to the large Supermarkets are interested in venturing further than Tesco/Asda's etc front door, but I really believe that this can help with Supermarkets regenerating places - though ia m not in favour of them moving in where-ever/whenever they sense an opportunity. Though it is terribly sad that all the shop's that until are know not even been noted/represented on the High Street - that until recently sold things that was specific to their shop. In my Home-town alone we must have lost 5 music stores alone and now HMV have finished there is not 1 unless you go out of town. Hopefuly though I feel that the High street is winning in part and can survive easily - it just needs more inventive ideas like Markets in Streets/Farmers Markets/Events of other descriptions which could really "re-invent" the era's of the past I think possibly.

[amethyst]

Re: High Street

I did like Rye whilst visiting they had at least 3 old sweet shops with a display or jars in the window,it was so nice to see.The tea rooms were so nice,there was even adverts in some places for part time work,a florist,cafes etc.Even the cottages you saw were so pretty with the roses climbing up the wall.Also local people were really friendly saying good morning to you.

[sweep]

Re: High Street

When I was a kid there was one supermarket on the edge of town, it was there for many years without any discernible effect on what was then a very busy market town. fast forward thirty years and we now have seven major supermarkets plus there mini versions dotted everywhere, the market is all but dead and the town centre shops are ether charity, pound or takeaways. personally I blame the town councils for doling out permission without any thought for the consequences, its not the supermarket that's the problem just the shear number of them.

[themilkman]

Re: High Street

You don't see many 'Haberdashery's' anymore.

[darren]

Re: High Street

we still have one shop that has never changed since the day i was born.

mackles you call it its been around since before i was.

its the same in every way now as it has always been.

mainly a sweet shop still sells all the sweets we remember as kids in those big screw top see through plastic containers.

can order in a half pound etc.

still does a roaring trade it has survived through the decades as many other shops have bitten the dust.

[amethyst]

Re: High Street

When I was a kid there was one supermarket on the edge of town, it was there for many years without any discernible effect on what was then a very busy market town. fast forward thirty years and we now have seven major supermarkets plus there mini versions dotted everywhere, the market is all but dead and the town centre shops are ether charity, pound or takeaways. personally I blame the town councils for doling out permission without any thought for the consequences, its not the supermarket that's the problem just the shear number of them.

I agree it has a lot to do with the council,dont shop in Tesco anymore had a bad expeirence with them couldnt care less about their club card points,they still send me money offs spend £40 and get £3 or £4 off just binned them

[sweep]

Re: High Street

I hate Tesco with a passion, they are by far the worst when it comes to running roughshod over planning laws and they seem to employ the rudest most unhelpful people they can find. on a different note until quite recently we had a large haberdashery in in town it had been there fifty plus years its now just another empty shop, I'm guessing that clothes are now so cheap that making your own is no longer a viable option, or is it that people have lost the skill.

[80sChav]

Re: High Street

I think that sadly as well as Supermarkets - everything has been allowed to be taken over by chain stores. Even 13/15 years since near where I used to live we had independent shop's of any description like sports Shop, Butchers, Bakery's, Greengrocers but as much as Supermarket's rule there has been other Shop's like Greggs etc who have just taken total control of Town Centre Bakery's. As much as I like Greggs though we have 4 where I live now - all in a 10 minute walk of each other - to me that is just totally beyond belief that so many are needed. It is great they are doing well and bringing in Customers and taking over empty shop's but at the cost of no longer having individual Bakery's or Greengrocers etc where it was possible to call on the off-chance and find something different or what you may not normally notice - it is really sad I feel that the uniqueness of these shop's of yester-year are dying and may-be lost forever is a terrible thought I think.

[amethyst]

Re: High Street

I hate Tesco with a passion, they are by far the worst when it comes to running roughshod over planning laws and they seem to employ the rudest most unhelpful people they can find. on a different note until quite recently we had a large haberdashery in in town it had been there fifty plus years its now just another empty shop, I'm guessing that clothes are now so cheap that making your own is no longer a viable option, or is it that people have lost the skill.

Tesco Extra Tesco Express fed up of hearing and seeing them

[sweep]

Re: High Street

Tesco Extra Tesco Express fed up of hearing and seeing them

Don't forget One Stop.

[darren]

Re: High Street

its very sad 4 greggs in 10 min walk of each other madness a bit overkill eh.
im shocked they can survive being so close toeach other.

we are lucky we still have a lot of independent bakeries greengrocers butchers.
actually we had a new fruit and veg shop open here around 4 yrs back does a roaring trade.

we still have shops here in town that have been here since before i was born quite a feat to have survived when others have not and they still do as well as ever.

I think that sadly as well as Supermarkets - everything has been allowed to be taken over by chain stores. Even 13/15 years since near where I used to live we had independent shop's of any description like sports Shop, Butchers, Bakery's, Greengrocers but as much as Supermarket's rule there has been other Shop's like Greggs etc who have just taken total control of Town Centre Bakery's. As much as I like Greggs though we have 4 where I live now - all in a 10 minute walk of each other - to me that is just totally beyond belief that so many are needed. It is great they are doing well and bringing in Customers and taking over empty shop's but at the cost of no longer having individual Bakery's or Greengrocers etc where it was possible to call on the off-chance and find something different or what you may not normally notice - it is really sad I feel that the uniqueness of these shop's of yester-year are dying and may-be lost forever is a terrible thought I think.

[amethyst]

Re: High Street

Seen it too a few greggs on the same street its ridiculous these shops are not happy unless they double up why answer greed.
Too many B & Q s around the country as well, a lot of them are extras no wonder the poor ironmongers have gone dont stand a chance.

[PC66]

Re: High Street

I blame the town councils for doling out permission without any thought for the consequences

Not just that, but also soaring business rates and other charges, plus the over-burdensome regulations when it comes to "health & safety" and compliance with the ever more stringent rules for signage, equipment, complying with EU directives, etc.

The big chains have enough money behind them to be able to afford to pay for all that and to hire the army of staff needed to keep up with the rules, implement changes, and so on. Small concerns are rapidly reaching the point where dealing with assorted bureaucracy takes nearly as much time as actually running the business proper, and in some cases the sudden imposition of new regulations would impose capital expenditure which they simply cannot afford. So another small business closes down thanks to excessive government interference.

[sweep]

Re: High Street

Not just that, but also soaring business rates and other charges, plus the over-burdensome regulations when it comes to "health & safety" and compliance with the ever more stringent rules for signage, equipment, complying with EU directives, etc.

The big chains have enough money behind them to be able to afford to pay for all that and to hire the army of staff needed to keep up with the rules, implement changes, and so on. Small concerns are rapidly reaching the point where dealing with assorted bureaucracy takes nearly as much time as actually running the business proper, and in some cases the sudden imposition of new regulations would impose capital expenditure which they simply cannot afford. So another small business closes down thanks to excessive government interference.

I would agree up to a point, but there are places were small businesses are still thriving regardless of regulations and red tape and these places are invariably supermarket free. I'm sure there are many factors that contribute to the decline of our town centers but by far the biggest is the number of supermarkets, had the councils restrict there number to say only one for every five mile radius I believe our towns would still be bustling.

[PC66]

Re: High Street

Certainly I can't disagree that the big supermarkets certainly have a huge effect when it comes to the smaller places. We had this happen a few years ago in the small town near me after Tesco arrived and built a new store. Not only did it have an effect on the independent food stores in the High St., but it also came with a cafe section. Was is just coincidence that one of the other cafes in town closed down within a short time? And then after about a year, the cafe was removed from the Tesco anyway. Not only that, but the supermarket was built on land which used to host a fair-sized open market each week, which is now gone.

The other thing I don't like is the way that some of these chains now seem to have a finger in almost every pie going - It's not just food and household goods, but they now have deals to sell insurance, mobile phone packages, and who knows what else.