tek-monkey
wanna see my snake?
If it was financially beneficial to locate there the area would thrive, but it is far from.
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Stafford shops closing - Turning into a ghost town?
- Thread starter Goldstyle Limousines
- Start date
If it was financially beneficial to locate there the area would thrive, but it is far from.
Withnail
Well-Known Forumite
Would anyone mourn its passing?
With the lamentations of the 'death' of that particular area of town ringing in our ears, a radical 'repurposing', if you will forgive me such an ugly word, of that whole part of town must be grasped, however nettle-like the grasping be.
Carole
Well-Known Forumite
Oh here we go again with the doom and gloom.
Regeneration takes time, it doesn't happen overnight but some people aren't happy unless they can have a good old moan.
It says quite a lot about people who focus on the negative instead of looking to the positive.
Stafford is continually improving. It might not be Bath or Canterbury but it has so much to offer if you take the time to go out and actually enjoy it.
The new Riverside hasn't impacted negatively at all on the other end of town.
I personally go to Eastgate street once a week for my hair appointment, pop into Boots, WHS, the lovely new dress shops.
Might nip into Wilko or meet friends in The Swan.
We go to the Theatre and perhaps pop into Pizza Express.
Stafford actually has a wealth of retail, restaurants, bars, shops, parks, and so much more to come.
I do however agree with bulldozing the shops behind the old co op, Princes St.
Knock it down and start again.
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kyoto49
Well-Known Forumite
What a crock of shite! Grannies Attic in the market is closing exactly because Marks & Spencer moved to the new Riverside. The lady that owns it told me herself. Since M&S moved trade has fallen off a cliff so they are closing.
kyoto49
Well-Known Forumite
Sadly, @kyoto49, it seems to be closing...
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10215397058783187&set=gm.733672796831684&type=3&theater
Bad times, Absolute Beginners and Grannies attic were the only places to shop worth visiting for me in Stafford. Diamonds in a sea of other shops that sell samey samey mass produced rubbish
Really?
Well-Known Forumite
As much as I appreciate your constant claims Gavin, I was not talking about the rest of the town. New shops in the Guildhall may well be good, depending on what they are. I was saying that the new precinct has done almost zero good. The fact that other units in the area are not being let, even with zero rates points to the fact that people use the car park, visit the precinct and sod off. The units around the new precinct that have remained empty even after it's opening and are now being let for greatly reduced rent would support that.
You can rant about "negative thinking" all you like. You can claim the problem of the North is not there and keep chanting that the town is great, but that does not make it so. I want the town to thrive, my business is in it but I listen to my customers not people spouting marketing nonsense. The Council have their new shiny building - which, in my view was the main reason for the new precinct as the Developer was bent over a barrel - but at the expense of the North end of Town .
and I am sorry Carol, but how can you possibly say that he new precinct has not impacted negatively on the other end of town at all? That is pure madness, talking to Retailers up there, the footfall has dropped like a stone in the last eighteen months.
You can rant about "negative thinking" all you like. You can claim the problem of the North is not there and keep chanting that the town is great, but that does not make it so. I want the town to thrive, my business is in it but I listen to my customers not people spouting marketing nonsense. The Council have their new shiny building - which, in my view was the main reason for the new precinct as the Developer was bent over a barrel - but at the expense of the North end of Town .
and I am sorry Carol, but how can you possibly say that he new precinct has not impacted negatively on the other end of town at all? That is pure madness, talking to Retailers up there, the footfall has dropped like a stone in the last eighteen months.
Carole
Well-Known Forumite
I can say it because the Riverside development doesn't cater for every need so most people still venture into the other part for various things.
For example, hair, opticians, books, post office, theatre, sports shops, stationery items and much more that can't be found at Riverside.
tek-monkey
wanna see my snake?
I thought they had an optician and a sports shop? Not the rest admittedly but sure I saw those.
Mikinton
Well-Known Forumite
I'm not sure I'd call JD Sports* a sports shop.
* - "Retailer of trainers & casual sportswear"
Cue
Well-Known Forumite
There's a Vision Express too.
I'm honestly of the opinion that there's only so much the council can do. Brick & Mortar shops struggle with the internet in the mix now, and we are a small town so we can't expect the likes of John Lewis to grace us with their presence. If businesses don't want to move in they won't.
Realistically, modern builds are far more appealing for business owners too. There's no annoying restrictions like with historical buildings, and there's usually far better facilities in place, better connectivity, more sensible wiring and heating, etc.
Most of the time when a business moves in it's some little independent that lasts 12 months, or a popup shop with all the atmosphere of a cemetery. That sweet shop that popped up in one of the Guildhall units felt more like a morgue than a sweet shop - and the guy just sat there at the till with headphones in the entire time.
I'm honestly of the opinion that there's only so much the council can do. Brick & Mortar shops struggle with the internet in the mix now, and we are a small town so we can't expect the likes of John Lewis to grace us with their presence. If businesses don't want to move in they won't.
Realistically, modern builds are far more appealing for business owners too. There's no annoying restrictions like with historical buildings, and there's usually far better facilities in place, better connectivity, more sensible wiring and heating, etc.
Most of the time when a business moves in it's some little independent that lasts 12 months, or a popup shop with all the atmosphere of a cemetery. That sweet shop that popped up in one of the Guildhall units felt more like a morgue than a sweet shop - and the guy just sat there at the till with headphones in the entire time.
tek-monkey
wanna see my snake?
Out of interest what do rates pay for? Is it just another tax?
I am sorry Really are you are back tracking? Now it is only a certain section of town that riverside has impacted on and has the issue- so which is it??
You claimed riverside had done nothing for the town in replying to a post and mentioning the council didn't listen to mere mortals.
The council did listen to the views of so called mere mortals that the town was dying, the south end was even in worse shape.
It is not just about a precinct the other side of town, it is about regeneration and the bigger in general, wherever that may be
I will repeat again the aracadia groups and burtons/ DP were leaving anyway, with or without riverside.
Maybe it is because the princess st precinct is ugly and people don't want to shop there, maybe there is not much on offer there as lets face it it has been half empty well before riverside and some bigger names started the move to riverside, but let us not have that fact get in the way nor the impact of the closure of the main car park at that end of town which has now been remedied and we are seeing increased footfall and businesses with more interest as well.
Riverside will not solve all the towns issues and not every single business will see the benefit, as I clearly noted whilst highlighting the said area as an issue and may be it is case that side has more or less in part served it use, particularly when it comes to those eyesore builds in princess street etc. Plus businesses can move if they wanted, there are options.
But for one to say that riverside ( and throw in northwalls) is not having a more positive in town as a whole than the negative, then those people cannot be helped in their blinded views, especially as the former has not completed its construction on to the south high street.
As Carole rightly points out, the total impact is never immediate anyway and we have to be patient to see the full fruits- or even going the other way. The same shops on Birmingham new street that were empty a year ago were still empty at the weekend, even with the john Lewis store.
Stafford is doing fine, worse than some but far better than other areas with nothing happening and no investment, which today must be no easy task to attract.
You claimed riverside had done nothing for the town in replying to a post and mentioning the council didn't listen to mere mortals.
The council did listen to the views of so called mere mortals that the town was dying, the south end was even in worse shape.
It is not just about a precinct the other side of town, it is about regeneration and the bigger in general, wherever that may be
I will repeat again the aracadia groups and burtons/ DP were leaving anyway, with or without riverside.
Maybe it is because the princess st precinct is ugly and people don't want to shop there, maybe there is not much on offer there as lets face it it has been half empty well before riverside and some bigger names started the move to riverside, but let us not have that fact get in the way nor the impact of the closure of the main car park at that end of town which has now been remedied and we are seeing increased footfall and businesses with more interest as well.
Riverside will not solve all the towns issues and not every single business will see the benefit, as I clearly noted whilst highlighting the said area as an issue and may be it is case that side has more or less in part served it use, particularly when it comes to those eyesore builds in princess street etc. Plus businesses can move if they wanted, there are options.
But for one to say that riverside ( and throw in northwalls) is not having a more positive in town as a whole than the negative, then those people cannot be helped in their blinded views, especially as the former has not completed its construction on to the south high street.
As Carole rightly points out, the total impact is never immediate anyway and we have to be patient to see the full fruits- or even going the other way. The same shops on Birmingham new street that were empty a year ago were still empty at the weekend, even with the john Lewis store.
Stafford is doing fine, worse than some but far better than other areas with nothing happening and no investment, which today must be no easy task to attract.
Cue
Well-Known Forumite
It's council tax for businesses.
tek-monkey
wanna see my snake?
Feed The Goat
Well-Known Forumite
The new Riverside hasn't impacted negatively at all on the other end of town.
The staff in Monsoon don't say that this is the case.
The staff in Monsoon don't say that this is the case.
Pooryorick
Well-Known Forumite
there's only so much the council can do, someone said. Not true. They should all resign.
Pooryorick
Well-Known Forumite
No doubt I'll get told off for being negative, but after a year the new shops still look short of customers. Can M&S be making a profit, and what would happen if they decided to close?
tek-monkey
wanna see my snake?
M&S moving impacted on it, if you can blame that on the new place is up to you. They may have been planning to ditch that shop regardless, I don't know. I'm hoping that Aldi will help fix this but we need some other shops down there that aren't just bargain basement places. Don't get me wrong, I love cheap tat shops, but they don't really encourage mainstream businesses to invest when the locals want something for almost nothing.
