New shops / businesses opening in Stafford

[Gareth]

I thought there was a thread for new shops etc, sorry to admin but I could not find out.

Thought I'd seperate this as it seems to be on the closed shops thread alot.

New shops coming-

-British Heart Foundation, Electrical/ Furniture Store at 12 and 13 Princess Street (old card and Farmfoods Shops)
-Stafford Photo Shop- Salter Street (Direct Specs)
-Walter Mill- is reopening as something again I hear.
- as is another premises at the top of Mill Street a bit down from GMB, women's clothes shop I hear?
-Furniture Place next to Sun Inn which has closed to alleged severe rent arrears will be taken over by a care team company.
-Esprei on Martin Street has been sold ??
-old Ethel Austin is being decked out as we speak into a very stylish looking furniture and rug store.
-old Pelo is going to open up, do not know as what but it is not Costa Coffee.
-most of the ground floor shops at the new council buildings will open in the new year.

Rumor:
-Revolution at Chicago Rock??
-GAP at building next to Toni and Guy, although work seems to have stopped on that??
-Chambers/ Victoria Chambers??

 

[joshua]

Well spotted, it's good to hear some positive news about shops in town, here's hoping they all prosper.

 

[Gareth]

To add it is not all doom and gloom in the town compared to other tonws and cities locally and beyond, Stafford Borough Council:

Stafford town tops the lot


A partnership between businesses and Stafford Borough Council has seen off competition from around the West Midlands to win an award from a national organisation.
The Federation of Small Businesses awarded its ‘Best All Round Small Business Friendliness’ prize to the borough council for its work with the successful Stafford Town Centre Partnership.
And it singled out the very low shop vacancies which are ‘half the national average’ as an indication of the partnership’s success.
The Federation represents more than 7,500 businesses in Staffordshire and the West Midlands and launched the awards to celebrate the work done by councils on behalf of their members.
The inaugural awards identified the best small business friendly initiatives undertaken by the region’s local authorities and also highlighted the benefits for small businesses across the region.
The Stafford Town Centre Partnership was formed in 2008 with more than 100 businesses joining forces with the council to hit back against the economic gloom. A loyalty card and website was launched and the partnership has introduced an annual arts festival as well as an extensive Christmas campaign to promote the area.
The Federation said many towns and cities across the country had adopted a town centre Partnerships but that the Stafford model ‘stood out.’
In its citation, the Federation said: “The success of the Partnership can be seen by the fact that Stafford’s shop vacancy rates remain low, at around half the national average.”
Councillor Mike Heenan, leader of the borough council, said: "The Stafford Town Centre Partnership is a retailer and business community of doers. People who have made things happen rather than wait for others to do it for them.
“This amazing achievement given to us by the respected Federation of Small Businesses is justification for all the hard work and ideas that have been put in to make this Partnership work so well. I am extremely proud that the borough council has been instrumental in the success of this Partnership.”
Karen Woolley, FSB Development Manager, said: “Judging this competition was an incredibly difficult task due to the high calibre of entries. The biggest winners of all will be the small businesses which will benefit from the excellent work demonstrated throughout this process.
“The FSB has worked very hard to create and maintain a good working relationship with local authorities and these awards are a further initiative to recognise, in public, the efforts made to encourage and improve local economic regeneration within the small business sector.”

 

[andy w]

Glad to the old Ethel Austin shop is going to reopen as it's a fairly big shop. As for the Revolution rumour that would be good news as The Chicago Rock is a big building standing empty although i would think there would need to spend serious money for a proper refurb and whilst the town has picked up at the weekends over the last few months, I do wonder if there is enough trade to support another large bar.

 

[Dabbler]

That is excellent news! Stafford has a lot to offer, and it's great to see that as well as the new developments coming on stream, that there are companies who want the existing units too.

What we need to do is to encourage people to shop in the town, rather than going to Stoke / Telford / Merry Hill etc. More variety should do that. No point in complaining about empty units if you're not prepared to support retailers who do commit to town!

I often wondered how the furniture shop by The Sun survived, the furniture looked very good, but I can't recall ever seeing anyone in there!

 

[Andreas Rex]

-Esprei on Martin Street has been sold ??

Crêpes

 

[rbellamy]

What we need to do is to encourage people to shop in the town, rather than going to Stoke / Telford / Merry Hill etc.

The god awful traffic situation in Stafford needs to be tackled then. People I know from outside Stafford always talk about the nightmare of getting into and out of this town - it seems to be their only memory of visiting to shop in Stafford. I myself find it more convenient to shop in Telford - and I live in Stafford...!

 

[cj1]

The god awful traffic situation in Stafford needs to be tackled then. People I know from outside Stafford always talk about the nightmare of getting into and out of this town - it seems to be their only memory of visiting to shop in Stafford. I myself find it more convenient to shop in Telford - and I live in Stafford...!

Do you seriously drive 30-40 minutes to Telford instead of a 10 minute drive in to the town centre just to avoid the possibility of a 2 minute traffic delay?

 

[TheWifey]

i noticed today that the furniture shop next to The Sun is closing! its moving out of town to Slaters retail village

 

[Toble]

The god awful traffic situation in Stafford needs to be tackled then.

Hmm, sounds like a bypass (that isn't the M6) might be in order.

I'll get my coat.

 

[Jade-clothing]

Just noticed on the way home the weirdest combination in one shop - ~Aztec cycles on greyfriars is now selling sexy undies from the right hand side of the shop!
How very odd - can just imagine popping in for a puncture repair kit and a new pump and oh that reminds me I need a corset and suspenders as well!

 

[gilbert grape]

Just noticed on the way home the weirdest combination in one shop - ~Aztec cycles on greyfriars is now selling sexy undies from the right hand side of the shop!
How very odd - can just imagine popping in for a puncture repair kit and a new pump and oh that reminds me I need a corset and suspenders as well!

We'll have that conversation next time we meet in the boozer, shall we?

 

[Jade-clothing]

We'll have that conversation next time we meet in the boozer, shall we?

Err ok then, as long as you don't bring your axe next time!

 

[Admin]

I thought there was a thread for new shops etc, sorry to admin but I could not find out.

Thought I'd seperate this as it seems to be on the closed shops thread alot.

An excellent idea! We're all aware of the nationwide "Death of the High Street," type headlines, so it's nice to have somewhere to report on positive news about Stafford's shops and amenities.

 

[Wormella]

I'm sure there was a thread, because I'm sure I started it - called something like 'Good News for Stafford' - but I can't find it now...

 

[Admin]

I'm sure there was a thread, because I'm sure I started it - called something like 'Good News for Stafford' - but I can't find it now...

Ah, you're right! There's a thread entitled New Openings & Developments, which I believe may have been merged with one you started at some point.

I shall leave this one as it is, as it has been some time since the above one was updated, and it can't hurt to have a new thread now that that old one is over 10 pages.

 

[Wormella]

Maybe a way to sticky the 3 most popular thread topics - good news, bad news, moving to the area?

 

[Gareth]

Trendeez fashions also to open up at the old Panasonic Store in Stafford Street.

Went into the the Co-op SDepartment St ore at lunch and the Denenhams Collections Section at the front main entrances (didn't know Debenhams were there) has been replaced mens fahsions yet to be advertised. Top range Mens and brand name clothing was pleasing to see, for me anyway. To be honest there are a number of brands name throughout the floors, quite often forget about the co-op.

 

[andy w]

Yes the Co-op has been stocking the Debenhams lines(Maine etc) for a while now and makes a good tie in with the rest of the store. Alot of nice stuff throughout the store but you don't see much advertisement.

 

[rbellamy]

Do you seriously drive 30-40 minutes to Telford instead of a 10 minute drive in to the town centre just to avoid the possibility of a 2 minute traffic delay?

Errmm...your experience is clearly different to mine, and you are therefore very fortunate. Do you visit the town at midnight or something..?