Death of the High Street

the public gets what the public wants. there isnt enough appetite for independent brands and little independently owned shops. just look at how many people use mcdonalds, compared to local cafes. people, in general, love to follow and love familiarity, so its forced down our necks. in a few more years time every town will look the same. little retail parks dotted around with mcdonalds, costa, aldi, b+m bargains, tesco etc.. it too convenient and too cheap. and no council is going to deny planning permission for any development like that. its all just very bland. like popular music, cars, fashion, architecture etc.. the path of least resistance, the dumbing down of people in general. the rich get richer
 


Well yes, it is for lazy people. I’m more than happy to do the “fuck on” and make the effort to support the shops and market in Ely. I’d be gutted if they started closing but you’re right, it’s the way things are going because it’s easier to click and the. Get stuff delivered.

I do think shops built and based in the community are a good thing. They also have the freedoms to offer variety. Otherwise every High Street will look increasingly the same. With national chains the only advantage to the community is the wages the staff are paid. Otherwise the money is siphoned out of the community and off to London or offshore.

The eventual fate of the High Street is when it degenerates into a repeating pattern of bookies, closed pub, kebab shop, pawn brokers, boarded up shop, charity shop....... much like Chested-le-Street Front Street is today.
The high street, for the most part, isn't local. You can go to any high street and see the same chains, selling the same shit.

Not wanting to spend your time off traipsing around shops isn't laziness, shopping is shite, it's a chore, there are better ways to spend your day.

At the end of the day if M&S goes the way of BHS its because it hasn't innovated in a way that keeps it relevant to the consumer.
 
The key to preventing the evolution of shopping centres is the way they've been packaged as investments and sold to huge companies based on future profits, and leveraged to the hilt with debt.

They can't charge lower rents, as they won't be able to pay the debts.

Sooner all these type of companies go under the better. For example, Peterlee town centre is a dump, but its owned by some big company who charges more for a unit than they do in Sunderland city centre. Its madness.
Ownership needs to go back to the public for these things. Then reasonable rents can be charged to attract the correct types of businesses.
 
Over the last 3 years we have made an effort to shop in the high street rather than online.

Of course that has changed in the last 12 months, but hopefully not long before I go back to the shops rather than online.
Clearly you dont live in Stanley, Consett, Houghton, Hetton, Shiney....
Breaking the amazon habit is going to be tough for people post-lockdown I suspect
I dont know why anyone would want to revert back to schlepping around shit holes looking for stuff the shops more than likely dont have
 
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The young are to blame.
Sadly buying online has got far too easy, not just for young - for all. You can order something on Amazon and have it with you the next morning, or get in your car or public transport (costs) Find parking (cost) all to go in store when the likelihood is the online store has a better range 9 times out of 10.
 
The key to preventing the evolution of shopping centres is the way they've been packaged as investments and sold to huge companies based on future profits, and leveraged to the hilt with debt.

They can't charge lower rents, as they won't be able to pay the debts.

Sooner all these type of companies go under the better. For example, Peterlee town centre is a dump, but its owned by some big company who charges more for a unit than they do in Sunderland city centre. Its madness.
Ownership needs to go back to the public for these things. Then reasonable rents can be charged to attract the correct types of businesses.
Spot on mate
 
Has covid finally hammered the last nail into the coffin of the High Street or do you think some retailers will survive and thrive beyond this pandemic?

The recent takeovers of High Street stores where the new owners only want the brand and will trade online only Seems to point to the end of the high street as we knew it.
Maybe Covid, or more so the knowledge and warnings it has brought will mean international trade will no longer be desired, and the Hgh Streets will once again flourish, and optimism will no longer be regarded as a dirty word.
 
Breaking the amazon habit is going to be tough for people post-lockdown I suspect

I don’t want to break my Amazon habit. Yesterday morning I ordered something and I had it in my hand at 7:30pm last night. I can’t even think of a place in the town that sells what I ordered.

The High Street worked when women were housewives and they had to go into town every day. I work and I drive, I don’t want to have to go into the town unless I absolutely have to.
 
The key to preventing the evolution of shopping centres is the way they've been packaged as investments and sold to huge companies based on future profits, and leveraged to the hilt with debt.

They can't charge lower rents, as they won't be able to pay the debts.

Sooner all these type of companies go under the better. For example, Peterlee town centre is a dump, but its owned by some big company who charges more for a unit than they do in Sunderland city centre. Its madness.
Ownership needs to go back to the public for these things. Then reasonable rents can be charged to attract the correct types of businesses.
Loads of empty shops owned by Russian and Chinese billionaires with no incentive to sell or reduce rents iirc.
 
We need to get people living in town centres - create urban villages and get the drunken yobs off the streets on weekend nights - make them safe and attractive to families.
I think wfh will free up commercial space for conversation to residential.

Oh - and councils - please don’t have robocop traffic wardens filming me when I park in your town or I m not coming back.
 
The high street, for the most part, isn't local. You can go to any high street and see the same chains, selling the same shit.

Not wanting to spend your time off traipsing around shops isn't laziness, shopping is shite, it's a chore, there are better ways to spend your day.

At the end of the day if M&S goes the way of BHS its because it hasn't innovated in a way that keeps it relevant to the consumer.
Plenty of local shops and a market in Ely. They currently have enough customers who are prepared to get off their arsed to support the shops, but I’d admit their days are limited. We are gradually turning into an incredibly lazy species.
I don’t want to break my Amazon habit. Yesterday morning I ordered something and I had it in my hand at 7:30pm last night. I can’t even think of a place in the town that sells what I ordered.

The High Street worked when women were housewives and they had to go into town every day. I work and I drive, I don’t want to have to go into the town unless I absolutely have to.
But plenty of people do, including many men. I’d rather spend my money in a shop that is run honestly and pays its tax, than give a penny to Amazon.
 
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Plenty of local shops and a market in Ely. They currently have enough customers who are prepared to get off their arsed to support the shops, but I’d admit their days are limited. We are gradually turning into an incredibly lazy species.

But plenty of people do, including many men. I’d rather spend my money in a shop that is run honestly and pays its tax, than give a penny to Amazon.

Then that’s lovely for you and hopefully there are enough of you to keep your preferred way of doing things afloat. But I’m afraid there’s very little that tempts me to the High Street - it would have to be either very niche or very cheap.
 
Short term, I think there is going to be a lot of pent up spending frustration once things open up. The high streets will be ok but only for a short time.

Medium to longer term, the rates charged to high streets by the valuation offices just isnt affordable when people are shopping online. Larger chains cannot last with the current rent and rates.

I think, as others have said the shops will go down the smaller boutique/quirky route and the large chains will be forced online unless the playing fields are levelled.
 
I'm actually contrariant to this. I think local town centres will rebuild and thrive. It's the leveraged dreary shite in out of town commercial centres that will take the hit. Rubbish, leveraged chains like pets at home and Laura Ashley. Smaller retailers will fill the gap especially if people wfh more. Nip to the local cafe and pop into the butcher or pet shop. The main barrier is high rents and parking charges. Online retail clearly an issue so the composition of towns/villages will change. White goods retailers for example will die.

Stuff like hairdressers, funeral directors, nail bars, coffee shops, grocers, Butcher's, florists, restaurants etc ought to do very well

I agree with this.

Shopping is moving more towards becoming an "experience" as opposed to the necessity of old. Going to a generic, rinse and repeat retail park is soul destroying at the best of times so people are more likely to replace this with an online shop.

Town and city centres will become places people want to go, a mix of unique shops, chain shops with a focus on a better experience, museums, cultural attractions, cafe's, restaurants, bars, etc. It will be an afternoon/day out, rather than something you need to do to get underwear.

As said, parking or better transport links into towns is the absolute key to accelerating the change. People tend to be, lazy, cheap and resistant to change, so making things cheap and easy will help bring change.
 
I agree with this.

Shopping is moving more towards becoming an "experience" as opposed to the necessity of old. Going to a generic, rinse and repeat retail park is soul destroying at the best of times so people are more likely to replace this with an online shop.

Town and city centres will become places people want to go, a mix of unique shops, chain shops with a focus on a better experience, museums, cultural attractions, cafe's, restaurants, bars, etc. It will be an afternoon/day out, rather than something you need to do to get underwear.

As said, parking or better transport links into towns is the absolute key to accelerating the change. People tend to be, lazy, cheap and resistant to change, so making things cheap and easy will help bring change.

That's how envisage them too, cultural centres rather than commercial.
 

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