btw ive just read back a few pages and i agree about out of town retail parks - they arent going to help the town centre. i would always go to costa on retail park rather than town to meet a mate, as its free parking and the parking is right outside the place. tbh if i could afford it id move out of town as that retail park is a lot busier on a saturday than stafford town centre. judging by whats happening in usa tho, the town will get worse and worse until landlords drop the rent dead low, and hopefully then we'll see more independantly owned shops popping up, and leave the out of town units to the big boys. theres no way i could afford a high street shop with the rents the way they are. i dont want to sound like my dad, but i think it would help if the bus station dropped people off in the square, and i would love to see more housing in town above the shops rather than derelict offices.
when i went to switzerland recently to look at bakeries there, they refused to have offices above the shops in this one town i went to, and it was lovely in the morning seeing people walking their dogs and hanging up washing. they walk over to the bakery for fresh bread every morning, so picturesque. might move to switzerland thinking about it!! almost did once but then met mr soden so stayed about