Guildhall closure?

[Gramaisc]

I blame the husbands for not exercising proper control of their property.

 

[Cue]

Was it two parents working because they needed the two incomes or was it feminism which told women they needed a career and staying at home was for women who were no good? In fact, many feminists still frown upon women who raise their kids and stay at home and say they're lacking ambition, lazy etc..

I worked with one mother who would have preferred to be stay at home mum and the world has changed to the point that two incomes are pretty much assumed now for buying a house, getting a mortgage etc.

No.

It’s quite literally that if you want a mortgage on a house, let’s say a 3 bed, you need to be earning 50-60k to do so as even in Stafford they now cost 200k.

Median salary is around 25k. It doesn’t take a degree in mathematics to put 2 and 2 together.

True. Most people are at work 9-5pm Mon-Friday with some also doing some weekend work too. The days of sending the wife into town with the "housekeeping" money to do the shopping for the kids ended decades ago. I've always said that if the high street wants to succeed again then the shops should open at 12 midday and open until 8pm at night. Free parking after 5pm.

I agree with you here though. The fact that most shops close at 6-7pm is infuriating, the only stores I can go to after work are a handful in the retail parks that close at 8, and even then some of them close at 7 so those are off the list.

I really do not know how shops justify being open during the weekdays with such dwindling custom. Though it’s not as bizarre to me as how stores like the Fragrance place are still open in the Guildhall given the fact that there’s basically never anyone in there.

 

[tek-monkey]

Yup, people say use it or lose it but if you work 'normal' hours then you only have Saturday where you can for a lot of places. That's why supermarkets have displaced everything, they're open.

 

[Gramaisc]

Yup, people say use it or lose it but if you work 'normal' hours then you only have Saturday where you can for a lot of places. That's why supermarkets have displaced everything, they're open.

The converse of that is that Saturdays turned into the worst day to go shopping.

When I started 'working when I liked', I would work the weekends for two reasons - it was easier to catch people in, if I needed them to be*, and I could then have 'my own weekend' in the week, when the town was rather more civilised than it was on Saturdays. In fact, I stopped shopping on Saturdays almost completely, and then only for logistical emergencies.

A similar policy applied to pubs, etc., too.


In some respects, the same effect then occurred on Sundays, amplified by the restricted opening hours.


* Mmm, it was also more likely that they would be out, if I wanted peace and quiet...

 

[tek-monkey]

The converse of that is that Saturdays turned into the worst day to go shopping.

When I started 'working when I liked', I would work the weekends for two reasons - it was easier to catch people in, if I needed them to be, and I could then have 'my own weekend' in the week, when the town was rather more civilised than it was on Saturdays. In fact, I stopped shopping on Saturdays almost completely, and then only for logistical emergencies.

A similar policy applied to pubs, etc., too.


In some respects, the same effect then occurred on Sundays, amplified by the restricted opening hours.

If I have to shop on a Saturday it won't be in Stafford!

 

[littleme]

I really do not know how shops justify being open during the weekdays with such dwindling custom. Though it’s not as bizarre to me as how stores like the Fragrance place are still open in the Guildhall given the fact that there’s basically never anyone in there.

...ah...well... I know I work in a shop, but it means I'm often at work when normal people would be shopping, or would be at home to accept postal deliverys.. the fragrance shop allows you to order online, usually at a discount better than in store, and have the item delivered to the store free of charge for you to collect at your own leisure ... It's way better for me, over the rd' from work & I can collect in my lunchtime, rather than me go into the the shop to browse & find out it's not in stock...

 

[littleme]

Yup, people say use it or lose it but if you work 'normal' hours then you only have Saturday where you can for a lot of places. That's why supermarkets have displaced everything, they're open.

Errr..... It was B & Q that did that . They got weekend trading hours changed years ago!

 

[littleme]

The converse of that is that Saturdays turned into the worst day to go shopping.

When I started 'working when I liked', I would work the weekends for two reasons - it was easier to catch people in, if I needed them to be*, and I could then have 'my own weekend' in the week, when the town was rather more civilised than it was on Saturdays. In fact, I stopped shopping on Saturdays almost completely, and then only for logistical emergencies.

A similar policy applied to pubs, etc., too.


In some respects, the same effect then occurred on Sundays, amplified by the restricted opening hours.


* Mmm, it was also more likely that they would be out, if I wanted peace and quiet...

Yes, working in retail, my weekend is on a Monday & Tuesday......much quieter/better

 

[tek-monkey]

Errr..... It was B & Q that did that . They got weekend trading hours changed years ago!

But didn't supermarkets get the go ahead at the same time? I thought so but could well be wrong, I know at least 95% of things I buy though are at shops that open past 6pm.

 

[littleme]

But didn't supermarkets get the go ahead at the same time? I thought so but could well be wrong, I know at least 95% of things I buy though are at shops that open past 6pm.

Yes, but it was all B & Q's fault, they led the way by instigating the Sunday trading laws ...

Goods

TFEU Article 34 : Quantitative restrictions on imports and all measures having equivalent effect shall be prohibited between Member States. Article 35 : Quantitative restrictions on exports, and...

lawatleeds.weebly.com

(Wow, I'm boring!)

 

[Noah]

Trying to remember way back when most trading on Sundays was banned. Garden centres and some food shops could open. Largely supermarkets pushing for change but there were some absurdities, one chap was selling bags of carrots for something like £200 and throwing in a free sofa. Some premises operated as a partnership with one Christian & one Jewish partner. The Christian could trade on Saturday and the Jewish partner was legally allowed to trade on Sunday. Current Sunday trading laws came into force largely as the result of supermarket pressure.

 

[Mudgie]

Walking along Crabbery Street yesterday and looking at the upper floors the neglect suggests that dereliction is intended towards planning permission for demolition.
But nice old buildings don't really fit in with the rest of the town centre !

 

[DoggedWalker]

Walking along Crabbery Street yesterday and looking at the upper floors the neglect suggests that dereliction is intended towards planning permission for demolition.
But nice old buildings don't really fit in with the rest of the town centre !

Those buildings look intact in the redevelopment proposal.

If you were planning a major development I’m not sure you’d go through the expenditure now when you’ll be undertaking large scale works in 12-18 months

 

[tek-monkey]

The wall at the back of redrum used to literally seep water because the guttering was screwed up above the pigeon netting and nobody cared to come and fix it. No idea if it ever got sorted but when we stripped the plaster back that wall was a nightmare.

 

[Mudgie]

Those buildings look intact in the redevelopment proposal.

If you were planning a major development I’m not sure you’d go through the expenditure now when you’ll be undertaking large scale works in 12-18 months

I've had another look and, yes, they do look to still be there, but just beyond a roof garden ?

 

[Noah]

Redrum is Grade II listed - as "The former Noah's Ark Inn" (no relation)

 

[Staffs1992]

Nice visualization, so the market is definitely going then, kinda thought that the clowncil would have told us first

The council have (or are in the process of obtaining a building for the market)

It was going to be the old marks and sparks. That didn't happen, it was too expensive.

My bet is still on using the front end of tye guildhall. It could 'spill out' into the town square.

 

[joshua]

The council have (or are in the process of obtaining a building for the market)
It was going to be the old marks and sparks. That didn't happen, it was too expensive.
My bet is still on using the front end of the guildhall. It could 'spill out' into the town square.

Given how few traders there are at present is it really worthwhile having a market ?

 

[Staffs1992]

Given how few traders there are at present is it really worthwhile having a market ?

I think so, but one that's fresh and new. That's not to say get rid of the traders now and start a fresh, but to nurture newer stalls that locals could support.

Stafford has some very large gaps in the high street that could be filled with a decent market stall.

 

[Cue]

I think so, but one that's fresh and new. That's not to say get rid of the traders now and start a fresh, but to nurture newer stalls that locals could support.

Stafford has some very large gaps in the high street that could be filled with a decent market stall.

Agreed.

Of the stalls there last time we went, about 2 or 3 had any real appeal for us. Mostly the store that sometimes has leather jackets, which the wife was quite intrigued by.

Off the top of my head I recall the market having few clothes shops, the cats protection stall (that would do amazingly if they had some cats there), a few tat stalls, and… some music stuff I think? I think there was a few craft stalls too maybe. It’s been a while…

Still, not as bad as the time there was a market on in town and one of the stalls was literally just selling Fruit of the Loom shit out of a box, which didn’t really feel all that in the spirit of things.

Don’t get me wrong there’s some good stuff there, but there’s also a few stalls that really don’t have much of a market any more. It’s absolutely important to have a good market though, especially with how ridiculous business rates and rents are these days you need an accessible route for small businesses.