What d you feel about the charity shops that are springing up all over the place.

[RATTER15]

We regularly take unwanted items to the charity shop, we favour the Animal Ambulance charity but also take things to other charity shops. I know there has been talk of towns being negatively affected by these shops as people are buying so much from these shops instead of the buy it new shops.

What are your views?

[chi-chi66]

Mrs.O....all we seem to get around here are tabletop sales, even for scouts
or such. They're not really like a good rummage jumble sale.

[carrust]

I find them excellent for CD's as I'm a bit of a Luddite & don't own an MP wotsit player. They are also very good for books & vinyl.
I think that a charity shop is much better than an empty shop, at least the council are getting some council tax.

[Maydup]

But there's no-one to take up the "proper " shops now em. Clinton Cards has gone into administration today, Game, Peacocks, Past Times etc have all gone since the new year.

We have to accept that the High Street is changing. We're buying online so we've lost our bookshops and if not we're buying online we're buying from supermarkets and out of town shops.

I'd rather see charity shops and second hand shops than empty boarded up shops with fly postings and graffitti all over them.

[emmie]

Evian, If you charge the butchers 500 a week in rent, and next door a charity shop pays nothing or a much discounted rent, rate, how is that fair.
Even playing field, and maybe your high streets wouldn't be dead in the water, or so stuffed with named shops like Next and other large chains.

[EvianBaby]

To an extent I see your point but charity shops provide a service other shops can't'/don't and in my mind they are a neccessity. Not only for the people who the charities donate to but also the the huge amounts of people living on the breadline who can't afford to shop for brand new items in other shops.

Regardless, I don't think you'll see the return of what you would like in the highstreet now that so many people are internet savvy. We are a nation of bargain hunters and you'd be hard pushed to find some of the prices on the HS that you can online, even if they shops didn't have to pay large rents.

[joko]

in a mo... you cannot expect a fully trained shop manager to work for free full time!

it is ok the people with no responsibilty popping in and doing an afternoon here and there on the till, with no real responsibilty, but someone has to actually run the place... organising bills, rent, stock take, banking, accounts, staff rotas, liaising with the main office, organisings collections and deliveries ... with the best will the world, dear old doris who does mornings could not manage all that ... it is a full time role and needs a professional!

[emmie]

i believe it's the advent of so many charity shops and the likes of multinationals that have put paid to the high street. I was amazed on counting the number in an area i wouldn't have thought would have need of some many, and that was in Hampstead. A friend and i counted them, can't remember how many it was now, but it was every 2nd 3rd shop.

[EvianBaby]

I know Hamstead reasonably well and was initally surprised by the amount of charity shops, not quite as many as you mention I don't think but have you actually been in one? It's more like Prada and D&G then George and F&F.

And I disagree, the internet is largely responsible for the downfall in the highstreet, although I am sure the big supermarkets have picked up some of the business too.

[B00]

And the same will happen to charity shops as it has happened to 'normal' shops- they'll price themselves out of the market.

Was in Sue Rhyder shop other day, and put something back with the thought "how much???" for a charity shop, that's pretty dismal!

[pastafreak]

Down here,I know that if it was not for the charity shops,the city centre would be even more desolate.
They are in an area that has been in decline ever since a new enclosed mall was built,so at least the charity shops are helping to draw shoppers to this area..and in turn bring business to other shops nearby.

[chaptazbru]

The ones I prefer, RSPCA, Help the Aged and Salvation Army don't charge a lot. I got a brand new Mo Hayder book for 50p from RSPCA, but insisted on giving more.

[joko]

i think they are good for the environment - we can be a very wasteful species, simply binning things as soon as they become useless to us...i often see perfectly good items in skips or dumped on corners - this way there is less waste, and someone gets a bargain etc

only negative i can see really is of course people wont but new if they can find a sligtly used one second hand - but then anyone - like me - who will almost ALWAYS go for used over new - will either look in the charity shops, second hand shop or try ebay, amazon etc anyway...
some people will absolutely never - on some kind of 'addled' principle - buy second hand goods or go in charity shop.

my dad used to run a second shop... but gradually business went down the drain because although people would sell him stuff...they didnt want to buy it - because they felt theyd get it cheaper in the charity shops and before long there were around 16 charity shop in the area for them to choose from.

people would come in offering a pound or two for items hed paid much more for and expected more for ... because they had seen similar prices in charity shops...

but his business used to be booming - so much so i my uncle opened one after he saw my dads success... so people have always wanted and sought out secodn hand goods

i personally love them... but i feel sad for my dad ... and although its better for me if everything in them costs a few pounds, it is also good for other business that some of them now do their homework and charge a fair price for items...good for the charity coffers and for the second hand shops

[mrsweasley]

Well said EvianBaby, all my clothes come from charity shops except for presents like new coat. And i like nothing more than searching 4 books in every one i can find

[mrsweasley]

was replying to 15.56 answer. I once applied for assistant manager at one, as worked voluntarily for 15 years in different one, but wasnt good enough...

[marval]

I like the charity shops, I love looking at the books. I have got some great CDs for a quid, good condition too.

[chaptazbru]

It seems a lot of us like charity shops for books.

[joko]

i suspect one reason for the problem for shops selling new goods - is the greed of the people making the items.
their deliberate plan to make items that simply dont last very long - or become obsolete after only a few years, has made the public irked and simply sick of having to replace things all the time ...

in the old days, things were built to last and expected to serve a person for many years... then some makers realised their new models werent selling - because the old one was just too good...so they began to make things that didnt last as long...ensuring people must have to buy a new one.

its a vicious circle really i suppose - and both parties have done what was best for them - at the expense of the other...

i would happily buy new things, if i thought i would get a good long time out of it...
id rather buy a second hand quality brand iron for £5 than a brand new cheap unknown brand model for £5

i think items are hit and miss too - you can get say an iron that lasts 20 years - yet someone else with the exact same model only lasts a year ... at least when something is in a charity shop, you know that it has been working a good while already - and if it does give up - you are only £2-3 out of pocket rather than £30-40

[atalanta]

Quite a few charity shops now have ranges of brand-new goods. Because they do not have to pay the overheads which ordinary shops have to pay, they can undercut the regular shops by selling very similar goods, like glass ornaments, and spoiling the market.
This should not be allowed as it could put out of business shops which provide jobs.

[JonnyBoy12]

Is it true that they do not have to pay any business rates which other shops most certainly do?