Stafford shops closing - Turning into a ghost town?

littleme

250,000th poster!
I think it's got the potential to end up being for retirement living i.e. McCarthy Stone.

Great city centre location, right next to amenities and transport. Next door at the Guildhall about to be developed into residential too over the next few years.

Potential to even include all of Broad Street/Balk Passage etc., and the asking price which was once close to £1m has been reduced to £500k.

It may even be tempting for the owners of the Guildhall development to extend their development into this plot, but I'd suggest their risk exposure in Stafford would probably be a bit too high for that.
The Wilko building is still owned by Sainsbury's.
 

Thehooperman

Well-Known Forumite
I think it's got the potential to end up being for retirement living i.e. McCarthy Stone.

Great city centre location, right next to amenities and transport. Next door at the Guildhall about to be developed into residential too over the next few years.

Potential to even include all of Broad Street/Balk Passage etc., and the asking price which was once close to £1m has been reduced to £500k.

It may even be tempting for the owners of the Guildhall development to extend their development into this plot, but I'd suggest their risk exposure in Stafford would probably be a bit too high for that.
When you say right next to amenities I take it you mean the public loos cos there's sod all else around there now 😂
 

highguyuk

Well-Known Forumite
When you say right next to amenities I take it you mean the public loos cos there's sod all else around there now 😂
In developer speak - it has bus station, supermarkets, town centre shops, pharmacy, pub, fish & chip shop etc...

The Wilko building is still owned by Sainsbury's.
I'm sure they'd love to sell it - what are they going to do with it?!

They could move Argos into there and bring back the pharmacy...
Bring back Sketchleys too! Whilst Timpson's are lauded as "one of the good ones", their decision to buy Mister Minit and close/sell Sketchleys to Johnsons, only to then have to buy them back years later, was very short sighted.
 

Cue

Well-Known Forumite
I think it's got the potential to end up being for retirement living i.e. McCarthy Stone.

Great city centre location, right next to amenities and transport. Next door at the Guildhall about to be developed into residential too over the next few years.

Potential to even include all of Broad Street/Balk Passage etc., and the asking price which was once close to £1m has been reduced to £500k.

It may even be tempting for the owners of the Guildhall development to extend their development into this plot, but I'd suggest their risk exposure in Stafford would probably be a bit too high for that.

We have plenty of that already surely? They just built a massive one on Weston Road and we’ve another couple up the north end of Stafford too.
 

littleme

250,000th poster!
In developer speak - it has bus station, supermarkets, town centre shops, pharmacy, pub, fish & chip shop etc...


I'm sure they'd love to sell it - what are they going to do with it?!


Bring back Sketchleys too! Whilst Timpson's are lauded as "one of the good ones", their decision to buy Mister Minit and close/sell Sketchleys to Johnsons, only to then have to buy them back years later, was very short sighted.
No idea, I've heard nothing..
 

Cue

Well-Known Forumite
Another gym.... It would have to offer something special seen as Elements is a few minute walk away.

According to Google, Stafford already has at least 9 gyms.
Pure, Freedom, Gym & Tonic, Elements, ThisIsFitness (that one is a bit different though), the one by TK, the one by the Co-op…

Yeah I can believe 9 with some tucked away
 

Mudgie

Well-Known Forumite
It's weird, you'd expect things like gyms to be the first to fail when money is tight, yet gyms/tattooists/nail salons are everywhere.
I think that money is tight for half the population while the other half are doing very nicely.
Eating out used to be something of a luxury but I was recently surprised by how many people were dining in the Salt and Weston pubs on a Wednesday lunchtime.
 

gilesjuk

Well-Known Forumite
It's weird, you'd expect things like gyms to be the first to fail when money is tight, yet gyms/tattooists/nail salons are everywhere.

It's not weird, they are services which you can't order online from Amazon etc. In the case of gyms they open late, just imagine if the shops opened until 9pm or so at night like gyms do.

The high street will transform into services and experiences. Retail shops simply cannot compete with the selection online. Certain shops like clothing, food will remain. Music is an odd one because record shops have had a bit of a comeback, but as a niche shop for people who are into collecting vinyl.

Shops which build up a relationship with their customers stand more of a chance of existing than those big chain stores. This is the way things should have been, small local independents who can offer something unique which people will travel to visit instead of the same chain stores you can find in every other identikit town.
 

airbusA346

Well-Known Forumite
It's not weird, they are services which you can't order online from Amazon etc. In the case of gyms they open late, just imagine if the shops opened until 9pm or so at night like gyms do.

The high street will transform into services and experiences. Retail shops simply cannot compete with the selection online. Certain shops like clothing, food will remain. Music is an odd one because record shops have had a bit of a comeback, but as a niche shop for people who are into collecting vinyl.

Shops which build up a relationship with their customers stand more of a chance of existing than those big chain stores. This is the way things should have been, small local independents who can offer something unique which people will travel to visit instead of the same chain stores you can find in every other identikit town.
I must have read tek-monkey's post differently, because I interpreted it as saying they are more of a luxury so when money is tight people wouldn't use them. 🤷‍♂️
 
Top