High Streets

NasserAlazzawi

Northumberland Street (Newcastle) used to be buzzing on Saturdays and a focal point for shoppers.

Soph and I have been a few times recently and it seems:

Mostly quiet
Those who are there, are mostly chavvy?

Its like the chavs stayed out and everyone else backed off.

The type of shops aren’t bad. (Fenwicks, M&S, Starbucks, mobile shops, TKs, banks etc)

In your town/city has footfall also gone extra thin? Where have the normal people gone?

Footfall looks nothing like this now:

This would be more accurate:

Unbroken1

NasserAlazzawi …definitely quieter in town, mind you, as suggested in this thread, I think all town centres are.

Northumberland Street has always been a bit of a hive for chavs though, no? Definitely not somewhere you’d take guests to the city to show them it’s best side. I think its current state is largely due to the concentration of the few outlets that remain busy, Greggs, Sports Direct, Macdonalds and Primark.

Company I work for has offices in the Haymarket building above the Metro station… last time we were there management had just sent an announcement around all the employees not to walk out of the office with phones/purses in hands after a spate of muggings…. honestly can’t think of anywhere else in the city where that would happen.

Hursty

It’s the same everywhere mate, I watch a couple of youtubers who go round the Uk looking specifically at this problem, many are absolute ghost towns or full of wrong uns

It’s a shame but the decline has happened over years, online shopping, out of town retail parks, high business rates have all contributed

I don’t think we will ever see a reversal

NasserAlazzawi

Its mad though - as far back as anyone has known, in society the town centre / city centre is that focal point in an area.

To rent a small restaurant space in the Metro Centre (big shopping mall) the costs were £1 mil per year before staffing, energy bills, rates, insurance, goods, other utilities, appliance leasing etc. That shopping mall is starting to see a decline. Debenhams already closed which was big news.

I would like to fast forward to see what the next plan is when it unfolds.

Hursty

NasserAlazzawi people are staying at home more with everything on tap over the internet, the town centre is a legacy format but like you say, it will be interesting to see what the future looks like for them

Dubman

My hometown of Worthing has gone right down hill in recent times. Can you believe there’s only one independent mens clothes shop. We used to have quite a few in the 90’s as well as record shops. Nowadays it’s all charity ,coffee and phone shops. The internet and shop rental plus business rates have only made it harder for shopkeepers to make a profit to stay open

NasserAlazzawi

Dubman Nowadays it’s all charity

A friend of mine is in Commercial real estate (he owns few corner ‘estate agent’ type shops with flats above them - and a lot of student housing). He was wise to some of this.

He said it was always the goal with the local landlords to avoid adding charity shops onto high streets as much as possible. If too many were on one street, it drove the valuations of the properties near them downward. Then the quality of the tenants who wanted to lease empty commercial units would often go downhill after that (i.e. betting shop, another charity shop, etc etc).

alistair

The fairly recent arrival of Bond Street, with a big John Lewis, an array of decent clothes shops and an Everyman cinema (which is a personal go to) has lifted the spirits of Chelmsford’s high street.

Dan

alistair 🤣

Dubman

NasserAlazzawi
Charity shops pay a lot less on business rates. It’s 80% less I believe.

alistair

A good market and street food options are key to a thriving town centre. Still think trying before buying will always have its place with shoes etc.

Smallman1

Tooting High St is absolutely buzzing lads!

Wasily

The Times today…

Seven of the UK’s loveliest high streets

https://www.thetimes.com/article/8837b6e4-d279-4a3c-8ea2-643dfd5dbb64?shareToken=5f955bc6441ea380b0db43238adafa84

Here you go Nass, get yourself to one of these

mono-stereo

Amazon happened. Government far too slow to react which means traditional shops can’t compete on price.

Relative of mine opened a restaurant in Nottingham a couple of years back. His business rates are astronomical. The amount of covers he needs to do before clearing a profit is insane. He’s giving up to go back to street food. Thousands down the drain on fit out and equipment. The odds are stacked against new business.

Millsy

mono-stereo sounds like he needs a bit of biz tranzing tbh.

mono-stereo

Millsy if only we had someone who could explain what that means.

Smallman1

Millsy sounds like he needs a bit of biz tranzing tbh.

You rang?!

Smallman1

mono-stereo if only we had someone who could explain what the means.

It means more moolah for those involved.

Cash rules everything around me!

mjh

Same down here in Bournemouth. The town centre is a dump. The Pleasure Gardens that run through the town centre are still nice in parts, but the rest of it is a shit hole.

There are some really nice ‘villages’ - Southbourne (I live there, so clearly the best) and Westbourne have plenty of independent shops.

I can’t see how town centres can improve. Councils seem intent on bleeding business owners dry via rates, as mono mentioned.

Millsy

mjh we’re getting The Ivy soon mate. That will change everything!

Fabian

mjh

I’m Bournemouth born and bred. I’ll infrequently eat/drink in the town centre during the day/early evening if I must. I set a curfew of 21:00 in the evenings, at which point I’m fucking out of there! I move quick sharp to Southbourne/Westbourne as you mentioned.

Even during the day, the scumbag ratio has skyrocketed over the last 5 or so years.

Millsy

Smallman1 get yourself to Nottingham mate. There’s a biz tranz crisis going on by all accounts and there’s not a moment to lose.

Smallman1

Millsy get yourself to Nottingham mate. There’s a biz tranz crisis going on by all accounts and there’s not a moment to lose.

Buckle up Nottingham, you’ve got an OLB incoming!

mono-stereo

Smallman1 What with your best in class footwear, top bants, chocolate box good looks and general joie de vivre, I’m sure you’ll have this national crisis sorted in a jiffy!