Stafford shops closing - Turning into a ghost town?

[Steve_b]

So is the newspaper article wrong then?

The picture is Misleading, as the article includes ‘And the eastern part of Shire Hall, which once served as Stafford’s main library, is set to be converted into business incubation units.’

The Magistrates court on South Walls closed some time ago, always on the cards to open up Eastgate Street area.

Hasn’t our MP secured some funding for the Shire Hall?

 

[Mudgie]

I do remember the one by the Market for (cough) some minor speeding offences on the bike. Judgement was swift and 'Witchfinder General' like. The gavel went BANG and you'd hear 'Ten years hard labour on Devil's Island,' at which point the clerk would stand up and whisper some law into the magistrate's ear and he would bang the gavel again and say: 'Bugger: fined £10 and licence endorsed.'

Unusual then in being the only English court to use a gavel ?

 

[markpa12003]

I'm sorry, but how is the demolition of the old magistrates, and creation of a temporary car park progress?, Temporary car parks in this town tend to last year's, hardly a worthwhile addition.

It will be a temporary car park whilst the redevelopment scheme is being progressed. The Magistrates Court is currently vacant and, therefore, serves no purpose and is an ugly building.

I have seen draft proposals for that area of town which will significantly enhance it. Demolishing the Magistrates Court is the 1st step in that process.

 

[Martin]

Is it right the guildhall is closing down?

 

[littleme]

Is it right the guildhall is closing down?

I've read today that Clarks shoes are closing, they've been given 2 days notice, and The Works are also closing very soon.

 

[littleme]

I've read today that Clarks shoes are closing, they've been given 2 days notice, and The Works are also closing very soon.

I've just seen that 'Claires' is closing next week too.... Seems all shops in the guildhall may have been given notice to quit...

 

[Cue]

Colour me shocked.

Theory is they want to turn it into a food hall right? I assume if they want to do that they need to turf people out but generally you can’t just tell someone to hop it… tenancy agreements are a thing? Evictions aren’t enforceable till the end of June as it stands as part of the protections on businesses, so that means there must be another reason that isn’t an eviction that they’ve been able to give for removing them (or the businesses are happy to have an out from their lease)

It’s also possible that they’ve all been renegotiated to tenancy-at-will which doesn’t have the same protections as normal tenancies right now

However, I’ve been saying this for a while: high streets are going to become leisure destinations. Most high street units aren’t terribly enticing due to rent, rates and age meaning they’re a pain in the rear to work with. Retail areas such as Queens, Kingsmead and Riverside are much more appealing with better parking, more easily modified units, and usually better business rates.

 

[pinky]

I would love for these shops to reopen on the hugh Street and take over some of the empty units, I regularly use the card factory and poundland if they are having to move too.

 

[proactive]

I would love for these shops to reopen on the hugh Street

Might get a bit blowy.

 

[Tumble weed]

Hmm , not sure where this guildhall closing thing has come from, their official Facebook site was still advertising the works, and Clarks as late as 9 hours ago, and even redrum.

 

[Tumble weed]

Also, why would they bother moving Specsavers in if the centre was being mothballed before completion...

Are we sure the likes of Clarks aren't just moving to a bigger plot in the centre if they are going ?

 

[Cue]

Also, why would they bother moving Specsavers in if the centre was being mothballed before completion...

Are we sure the likes of Clarks aren't just moving to a bigger plot in the centre if they are going ?

It seems as though people are hearing from The Works and Clarke so there should perhaps be some pinches of salt involved

 

[littleme]

It seems as though people are hearing from The Works and Clarke so there should perhaps be some pinches of salt involved

Maybe, But Clarkes shoes, Claires & The Works....all in the space of a week....? Hopefully they will move somewhere else, but I've heard nothing, no plans for any of them to relocate..... I may be wrong, but I do work in retail... So who knows, time will tell.

Also, only my opinion, the food court in the guildhall will never happen in a million years.

 

[littleme]

Also, why would they bother moving Specsavers in if the centre was being mothballed before completion...

Are we sure the likes of Clarks aren't just moving to a bigger plot in the centre if they are going ?

Clarkes have no plans to relocate in stafford.

 

[Trumpet]

Evictions aren’t enforceable till the end of June as it stands as part of the protections on businesses.

Under the current government moratorium, a business tenant cannot be kicked out for non payment of rent until the end of June.
But if a landlord can find any other breach in the terms of the lease, locks could be changed without notice.
This can be appealed after the action has taken place but costs of such would fall to the tenant even if the action were successful.

 

[littleme]

On Facebook this morning.

 

[BobClay]

Wow that's a bit of bombshell, certainly in terms of 'living accommodation.'

 

[Cue]

Under the current government moratorium, a business tenant cannot be kicked out for non payment of rent until the end of June.
But if a landlord can find any other breach in the terms of the lease, locks could be changed without notice.
This can be appealed after the action has taken place but costs of such would fall to the tenant even if the action were successful.

They’d have to find a break for every single business though, however it’s entirely likely that there’s a clause for them wanting to repurpose the building.

If the FB post @littleme screenshotted is entirely true then it would certainly be a full repurpose (not sure a food court would fly as a repurpose for terminating tenancies as it’s still commercial letting).

Not entirely sure how they’re going to lay out accommodation in there though, it’d be quite an interesting arrangement. Would there be a planning application for it we can have a gander at I wonder?

It’s gonna have to be quite a refit to make any decent accommodation, and the speed at which the new owners are doing so makes me think that it won’t be terribly well done as it feels like there’s a little too much haste in getting it done. Dunno where they’re going to find anywhere to put windows though, don’t residential units need at least a few external windows…?

Overall it’ll likely be good for the town, as you do really need people living on the high street to drive more foot traffic to local businesses. Not so great for the businesses kicked out though.

I wonder if they’re keeping the gym there? From what I hear Elements spent a fortune in the last year or so.

 

[Mudgie]

The Guildhall was first opened in 1988 and expanded in two more phases. The car park and market hall was launched the following year while the main shopping mall was opened by Princess Anne in 1991.
Maybe the Princess Royal will return three decades later to officially open the new housing development and also nip up the Sandon Road to lay the foundation stone of the new housing to replace the bulldozed pub named after her substantive title

 

[tek-monkey]

They’d have to find a break for every single business though, however it’s entirely likely that there’s a clause for them wanting to repurpose the building.

If the FB post @littleme screenshotted is entirely true then it would certainly be a full repurpose (not sure a food court would fly as a repurpose for terminating tenancies as it’s still commercial letting).

Not entirely sure how they’re going to lay out accommodation in there though, it’d be quite an interesting arrangement. Would there be a planning application for it we can have a gander at I wonder?

It’s gonna have to be quite a refit to make any decent accommodation, and the speed at which the new owners are doing so makes me think that it won’t be terribly well done as it feels like there’s a little too much haste in getting it done. Dunno where they’re going to find anywhere to put windows though, don’t residential units need at least a few external windows…?

Overall it’ll likely be good for the town, as you do really need people living on the high street to drive more foot traffic to local businesses. Not so great for the businesses kicked out though.

I wonder if they’re keeping the gym there? From what I hear Elements spent a fortune in the last year or so.

Was thinking similar, there's virtually no light available apart from the top floor, unless they make it a fake indoor street with flats each side? And even then each place would only get light on one side.