Stafford shops closing - Turning into a ghost town?

PeterD

ST16 Represent.
Unsure if it has been mentioned Anslows, the butchers on Sandon Rd has closed due to retirement I believe.
 

Mikinton

Well-Known Forumite

c0tt0nt0p

Well-Known Forumite
Hold on. On the one hand we're moaning about there being too many multinationals and not enough independents. And then the balance edges towards the independents and it's all doom and gloom. Make your minds up, peeps.

Sad to see Starbucks closing (it had already been confirmed previously)... Pity the local r
ag didn't mention the new one that Starbucks have permission for at the Hough....

MyBelles closing is not a surprise, but I'm genuinely looking forward to Zizzi opening
 
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andy w

Well-Known Forumite
Hold on. On the one hand we're moaning about there being too many multinationals and not enough independents. And then the balance edges towards the independents and it's all doom and gloom. Make your minds up, peeps.
Whilst I agree with you, the problem is that at £58,000 p/a rent and all the rates etc. I suspect that this out prices independents and if no other chain comes to take on the lease we will be left with another empty unit.
 

Gareth

Well-Known Forumite
Hold on. On the one hand we're moaning about there being too many multinationals and not enough independents. And then the balance edges towards the independents and it's all doom and gloom. Make your minds up, peeps.

Couldn't agree more. You do not want anyone closing or leaving town, but even with big multinationals it happens up and down the country and has been for years, it is not a new thing.

At the end of the day even the big brands will not want to be ripped off by far away and greedy landlords
 

matteus

A few posts under my belt
At the end of the day if the multinationals can't afford to run a shop on the high street what hope do independents have! Glad to see our MP is still doing his absolute best for the town *rolls eyes*
 

Gramaisc

Forum O. G.
At the end of the day if the multinationals can't afford to run a shop on the high street what hope do independents have! Glad to see our MP is still doing his absolute best for the town *rolls eyes*
His 'best' has seen him get an increasing share of the vote at each election, however...
 

Gareth

Well-Known Forumite
Being a county town has nothing to do with it. Towns up and down the country are struggling because of high rents and rates, lack of council support and most damningly through our shopping habits preferring large supermarkets instead of independent butchers, fruit and veg and fish monger shops.

Us preferring the all under one roof shopping centres, or retail parks and let us not forget internet shopping.

All of the latter are OUR doing and our choices hence why there are diminishing returns in town centres, because before all of the shopping centres, retail parks and internet town centres thrived.

But the biggest moaners are likely the ones who do not venture into town but moan and say to themelves. ` well I don't want to go to town, that is up to everyone else, but why less shops`

If people did not realise it our town centres need people looking around and spending to thrive. Whether it is a county town or not neither our excluded from the current difficulties faced which will only get WORSE.

You look at the counties largest metropolis by some distance and who many believe should be the county town.....Stoke on Trent, yet they are the biggest sufferer in the country.
 

Noah

Well-Known Forumite
Being a county town has nothing to do with it. Towns up and down the country are struggling because of high rents and rates, lack of council support and most damningly through our shopping habits preferring large supermarkets instead of independent butchers, fruit and veg and fish monger shops.

Yet other towns in the area seem to be doing better than Stafford. Rugeley, Cannock, Burton, Newport & Litchfield (ok city not town) all seem to have a smaller proportion of closed shops and a more flourishing atmosphere.
 

Really?

Well-Known Forumite
I lose count of the number of people who come in and say "what a lovely shop, I could spend a fortune in here" and then say "Stafford is terrible, there are no shops left" - then they leave WITHOUT BUYING
 

Stafford publishers

Active Member
I
Being a county town has nothing to do with it. Towns up and down the country are struggling because of high rents and rates, lack of council support and most damningly through our shopping habits preferring large supermarkets instead of independent butchers, fruit and veg and fish monger shops.

Us preferring the all under one roof shopping centres, or retail parks and let us not forget internet shopping.

All of the latter are OUR doing and our choices hence why there are diminishing returns in town centres, because before all of the shopping centres, retail parks and internet town centres thrived.

But the biggest moaners are likely the ones who do not venture into town but moan and say to themelves. ` well I don't want to go to town, that is up to everyone else, but why less shops`

If people did not realise it our town centres need people looking around and spending to thrive. Whether it is a county town or not neither our excluded from the current difficulties faced which will only get WORSE.

You look at the counties largest metropolis by some distance and who many believe should be the county town.....Stoke on Trent, yet they are the biggest sufferer in the country.


It is so easy to become a lazy shopper, I have to work hard at not to become this. There are so many people nowadays that are in a rush, juggling jobs and families, that they do opt for the places where everything is under one roof, or order it online. I try my best to do my bit and will park at the opposite end of town that I need to be in and walk through the town centre and see if there is anything new. But also I try to buy on need rather than want, which doesn't always make me the best customer for shops, but I do try and spread the word to others, when I see something new.
I popped into town first thing today as I needed a cover for my phone, I did intend to go to the phone shop by savers, as I had not been in before and I wanted to compare prices with the chap in the guildhall, but unfortunatly the doorway was obstructed by people ( 2 women and a man) sitting on the floor, who were looking quite intimidating with their loud voices, I didn’t feel I could have walked around them without some sort of altercation, so I avoided the place. I do feel for the owner, if he has to endure that everyday, I don’t know what the legal solution would be for that.
Anyway, I have made a promise to myself that I will always look local first before shopping elsewhere, but its not always easy when you are in a hurry for something. Maybe there is a lesson to us all in what you say, to stop and take more time and thought into what we do.
 

proactive

Enjoying a drop of red.
Yet other towns in the area seem to be doing better than Stafford. Rugeley, Cannock, Burton, Newport & Litchfield (ok city not town) all seem to have a smaller proportion of closed shops and a more flourishing atmosphere.
Rugeley most certainly is not doing better, it's dreadful. Cannock is stagnating in the town centre, sadly and Burton, I never go to because, well, it's Burton.

Newport and Lichfield are doing considerably better. The average domestic income will be a lot higher as well, I'd imagine. There also seems to be some imagination from those with influence on display with regard to bringing the punters in.
 
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