Stafford shops closing - Turning into a ghost town?

kyoto49

Well-Known Forumite
I don't disagree, however, almost every town is the same. Shops want different configuration that older buildings just don't give them. Lots of living and restaurants is the way town centres need to go I believe.

To be honest the whole north end from Crabbery Street north should have been raised and the new shops built there instead of where it was put. Stafford would have been really very good then with a vibrant town centre right next to the market square.
 

Lucy

Well-Known Forumite
You can't raze everything, there's some historic buildings there. Princess Arcade could have been an option.
 

kyoto49

Well-Known Forumite
You can't raze everything, there's some historic buildings there. Princess Arcade could have been an option.

I see no reason why that whole block where the Co Op was could'tt have been flattened, keep the historic facade's. Plenty of building have this done to them, keep the character, make them fit for modern usage. If the old Co op had been razed, and the shit bit behind it where Timpsons is, that's a pretty large area of land sandwiched between the market square, the market and the genuine heart of the town.
 

Cue

Well-Known Forumite
I don't disagree, however, almost every town is the same. Shops want different configuration that older buildings just don't give them. Lots of living and restaurants is the way town centres need to go I believe.

Bingo. This is something people never seem to realise - old buildings are incredibly inconvenient for businesses and make life difficult at the best of times.
 

markpa12003

Well-Known Forumite
I'm not surprised. I think the name change and choice of name was an own goal. I also didn't like the cocktail bar upstairs. Plus the bar staff weren't great.

I once complained about a real ale being 'off' and was told by the bar maid that all real ale is flat and tasteless, it was like she was trying to educate me!
 

Cue

Well-Known Forumite
I’m just going to share my opinion on the subject from back in May.

My one experience of Post House is second hand, and during the day. But I suspect it echoes your experience. Friend and their family went in there about lunch time, stood around a while until someone came up to them beer in hand a bit confused as I guess they're not used to lunch goers (but yet, were open for it?). So they sat them down, and just to juxtapose the beer in hand staff member my friend was asked to remove their hat (a beanie)?

Seemed a bit trying to be posh but not doing terribly well at it I suspect.

Not sure they actually stayed for lunch or went somewhere else in the end.
 

EasMid

Well-Known Forumite
Had an "afternoon tea" in Apothecary" in the summer. Admittedly it was a "wowcher" offer but it really was sh1t. The food was sh1t, the service was sh1t & the reaction to our complaints was sh1t. The best thing for the place that it closed. Their idea of gluten free sandwiches seemed to be salami. Clueless or what.
 

Martin

Well-Known Forumite
We had our wedding reception there. The wedding coordinator changed 3 times and they never told us.The wedding breakfast was fab, but the evening was a shame. The dj we booked through them failed to turn up, we found out later that he never turned up due to them falling out of payments and whose equipment was whose. Our first dance was a sham also, we nearly had it to the Jackson 5 instead of our own.

To compensate us they gave us a free bar as a good will gesture of their own back, but when we made contact with them on the Monday they failed to accept any liability. In the end they said we could have a free of charge meal for 4 looks like this won't be happening now
 

Cue

Well-Known Forumite
We had our wedding reception there. The wedding coordinator changed 3 times and they never told us.The wedding breakfast was fab, but the evening was a shame. The dj we booked through them failed to turn up, we found out later that he never turned up due to them falling out of payments and whose equipment was whose. Our first dance was a sham also, we nearly had it to the Jackson 5 instead of our own.

To compensate us they gave us a free bar as a good will gesture of their own back, but when we made contact with them on the Monday they failed to accept any liability. In the end they said we could have a free of charge meal for 4 looks like this won't be happening now

It wouldn’t surprise me if a lot of people asking for their money back from such events is half the reason for them closing.

Good riddance.
 

WHarris

Well-Known Forumite
I went into Apothecary with my wife on or around Halloween for lunch, it was empty and the staff were mostly just milling about, must have been expensive to keep it open for such a quiet lunch.
 

Tilly

Well-Known Forumite
Have The Lewis Partnership signed a lease on the Post Office?

Have Wetherspoons signed a lease on The Shire Hall?

Have The Chinese aquired the former King Edward VI Grammar School building?
 

Tilly

Well-Known Forumite
Apothecary - Travelodge
Shire Hall - Prince's Trust
Chetwynd - Great British Kitchen

https://imgur.com/RHzVXer

RHzVXer.jpg
 
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