Mary Queen of Shops

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.dailymail....s-thousands-shut.html

Judging by these photographs our Premier seems to have that much time on his hands these days, that he can afford to go 'shopping' with Mary Portas.

Is it just a pipe dream that our high streets will ever return to how they once were, now that we have all become accustomed to carrying out all our shopping under one roof and out of the cold winds and rain?

It's almost like campaigning for the return of filling stations to how they once were.

Now that is not a bad idea, just sitting in the warmth of one's car while the filling attendant, puts in the petrol at 4 gallons for a pound, then checks one's oil and finally cleans the windscreen.

Well one can at least dream even if one has given up the pipe.

[Ankou]

"Yes, we have thousands too many shops. They will have to close and do other things"

isn't that what philip green is already doing, bless his little cotton socks.

"The businessman said, however, that it would look to shed 250 stores in the UK when their leases came up for renewal over the next three years, reflecting changes in shopping habits as more goods were bought online."

how much did they pay her for stating the already said ?

[grffindoor2011]

''Is it just a pipe dream that our high streets will ever return to how they once were''

No thanks. I am happy with better choice and cheaper prices. Waiting 10 minutes whilst an old codger buying three potatoes chats about her cats with the stereotypical shopkeeper in a white overall isn't something I want.

[jno]

I think she has acknowledged that the future for high streets will be one permanent fire sale, sort of like a whole world of DFS. As councils have already spent decades encouraging Tescos to kill local businesses, this isn't really news. But I suspect the loss of community spirit is the sort of thing that leads to rioting.

[jno]

depends what you mean by better choice, grffindoor. There are thousands of varieties of apple. How many do Tescos stock?

[Ankou]

but jno, many high streets are being swamped with charity shops, so the rioters will either need to get a bus to the retail park for some jolly rioting or loot some second hand primark outifts from oxfam or nick some uncooked kebab meat and the like.

thats good for our high streets aintnt it ?

[ichkeria]

I agree. "Better choice" is a bit of a myth. Also, when we wanted to have a barbecue in October, Sainsbury and Tesco were useless: they'd long since cleared out their stocks of charcoal, despite having a massive space in which to store at least one bag.
The local shop came to the rescue.

[jno]

true, it's all poundland out here (but no riots).

I'm sure a charity shop for dispossessed rioters would do well. They are badly oppressed. (Calling on Twitter for a riot: months in jail. Calling on TV for strikers to be shot: pat on the back from Cameron.)

[ichkeria]

And let's hear it for the charity shops too. Many of them are fascinating repositories of (cheap!) but often high quality stuff. And all - so we are led to believe - in a good cause. If the alternative to them is yet more designer clothes outlets and shoe shops then I know what I prefer. If there were lots of butchers , fishmongers etc queueing up to take their place but being priced out by the rates then I'd be less keen but I don't think there are.

[jno]

I don't think they're priced out by the rates (after all, if the charities can afford them...), just undercut by the supermarkets, who buy in bulk and squeeze their suppliers. When the last British farmer kills himself, they'll just switch to Chinese farmers.

[Old_Geezer]

Carrots work better than sticks. If you wish to bring the crowds back into town and the High Street, then provide what the public want there. Simple supply & demand economics.

I heard there was a suggestion to tax out of town shopping centre and supermarket parking. I'm glad this article suggests that, that was rejected. Hitting the public with extra charges doesn't bring the crowds back into town or the High Street, it gives pause for thought on whether the Inteernet/mail order option isn't a better option instead.

[Old_Geezer]

Filling stations won't go back to how they were. Their product is in demand, finding ways to cut costs is likely to be considered more useful to them than a reputation for service. Especially if the supermarkets undercut them with cross subsidies. Still it might be interesting if one tried to buck the trend. They'd be being very brave though.

[Ankou]

they are also priced out by greedy councils who charge for parking and by public transport which can drop you in town or at the retrail park for more or less the same amount of money.

my local village has a thriving shopping centre with butchers and greengrocers, hardware store etc. always busy and no chagres for parking. a town a few miles away has lots of shops closing, you have to pay for parking there. the local shopping retail park has 250 parking spaces and its free to park all day.

[ichkeria]

"I don't think they're priced out by the rates (after all, if the charities can afford them...),"

But some politician was on recently complaining that there were too many charity shops in towns as they get preferential rates. Which begged the question of whose place were they taking. It seemed a bit rich complaining about that when every other shop in a High Street these days seems to sell clothes of some sort (you'll gather that clothes shops are not a favourite of mine! :-) )

[Ankou]

the local government act requires local authorities “to give 80% relief (from business rates) on any property occupied by a charity that is wholly or mainly used for charitable purposes” they have discretion to increase this to 100%.

i think very small businesses can get up to 50% depending on their ratable value. but add this to the cost of staff and stock, which is generally free to a charity shop, its kinda make or break for the small trader.

[anotheoldgit]

What about this idea, build a large shopping mall such as Westfield at the end of the high street, then knock down all the shops on either side of the high street, and turn the space into car parks?

[mosesg]

There will come a day when we won't have shops, just giant warehouses, as we will buy everything online and get it delivered to our door.

[anotheoldgit]

grffindoor2011

/// whilst an old codger buying three potatoes chats about her cats with the stereotypical shopkeeper in a white overall ///

That's rather ageist isn't it?

Almost like saying what about all those young women who push their screaming kids around the supermarket eating stuff they haven't paid for.

Then having to wait behind them at the checkout, while they load their purchases into the stores plastic bags.

Then having to wait even longer while they fumble in their handbags for their purse so as to retrieve their credit card.

Then finally waiting while they tap out their four number digits while trying to hold the obligatory mobile telephone between their ear and shoulder.

Now there's stereotyping for you. :0)

[VHG]

>No thanks. I am happy with better choice and cheaper prices

Do you REALLY think supermarkets offer cheaper prices?

They may do a few "headline" offers, but then charge a lot for everything else.

Go to your supermarket and see how much they charge for fruit and vegetables.

Then go to your local grocery store (if there is one) and see how much cheaper they are there.

Often a supermarket may offer say a pineapple for £1.99, but at your local grocer they may be 99p (I know ive cheked). So if the grocer can do them at 99p why cant Tesco.

And because the supermarkets run a sort of "cartel" we dont really know how much anything should cost.

If all the supermarkets charge 50p for a tin of baked beans say, how do we know how much they should really cost, we only have their word for it.

Anyway, how do you think Tesco make their billions profit if their prices are so cheap.

[shaneystar2]

We have a thriving High St in my neck of the woods . Lots of independent shops .There's always a queue at the bakers and the butcher does a lunchtime take away cavery .We also have Morrisons and Iceland but the independents all seem to make a good living .It's always busy on our High St.
I prefer to shop locally even if I do only want three spuds :)
In fact our council encourages us shop locally with their Love Local campaign We also have a thriving market just a ten minute bus ride away .

Here's a price comparision for you ..6 slices of lovely lean salt beef,6 thick slices of juicy York Ham and a pork fillet ..cost to me from local market butcher £6.30..the pork fillet alone would have cost that in one of the big supermarkets .Served up by a nice man in a white overall with a wink and a smile :)