High street gloom as Britain shuts up shop

[d000hg]

the gaps left by disappearing video rental stores, fashion boutiques and pawnbrokers.

Losing video rental stores and pawnbrokers is hardly a loss.

Online shopping, large shopping malls, out of town supermarkets. That's progress. They should start using high streets for something else, like housing.

I partly agree but I hate the idea of them just being used for housing. A central hub in a town still makes sense, but for entertainment rather than shopping. Cafes, restaurants, etc and maybe the odd art gallery.

[darmstadt]

It can't be all that bad as this article... How the rise of tattoo parlours shows changing face of Britain ...paints a different picture, in particular:

New figures on the makeup of Britain’s town centres paint a picture of high streets that are increasingly social, as well as retail. Many have seen a big rise in the number of evening attractions such as restaurants, bars and clubs as the presence of traditional specialists selling clothes, flowers or even newspapers has waned.


“In recent years we’ve seen a significant shift in the makeup of the high street, which has clearly become a more social environment, with more restaurants and leisure facilities emerging up and down the country,” said Richard Jenkings, senior consultant at data firm Experian.


“At the same time, we have seen a clear expansion in the number of retailers where the customer actually needs to be there in person to enjoy the experience, such as cafés, health clubs and even tattooists.”

[lilelvis2000]

How can one go shopping when the high street tends to close at 5pm. While out of town centres stay open til 8. Perhaps if they stayed open just one hour more.

My client is starting a project which will count people in the evening hours to see if shops stayed open they'd get any business.

Though where I am..its all just cafes, charity shops and £1 shops. And the charity shops are struggling. The one beside my wife's office closed down as could no longer pay their rent.

[scooterscot]

For all those 'try it and buy it online' brigade; there's one major difference I see between here in Germany and the high-streets back home. 'Made in Germany' is to be found in abundance and near not as likely to be found on amazon or the likes. Why is that?

[Pondlife]

For all those 'try it and buy it online' brigade; there's one major difference I see between here in Germany and the high-streets back home. 'Made in Germany' is to be found in abundance and near not as likely to be found on amazon or the likes. Why is that?

There isn't really an international market for lederhosen?

[scooterscot]

There isn't really an international market for lederhosen?

No wonder Granddad goes to Morocco...

[original PM]

we have quite a thriving high street where I live but it is a small ish market town with a relatively affluent populous.

however some shops which have gone down the pan were just ridiculously expensive.

For example there was a sandwich shop which would charge approx £5 for a ham sandwich - so to feed a family of 4 costs about £20 - just to expensive and has now gone down the pan.

[d000hg]

For all those 'try it and buy it online' brigade; there's one major difference I see between here in Germany and the high-streets back home. 'Made in Germany' is to be found in abundance and near not as likely to be found on amazon or the likes. Why is that?

Germans are strongly protectionist and nationalistic?

[scooterscot]

Germans are strongly protectionist and nationalistic?

I think the defend their workers with a lot more oomph. The care about looking out for each other.

"keine Werbung" I stuck on my letter box the other day, written on some paper. The house mister was knocking on the door the next 'that's my job', and I had to take it down. Nice n all. Later he etched a special plastic tag with the same written message.

Honestly these people.

[CloudWalker]

I buy everything on line now since my local town center opened up a 99p store next to pound land
Nock it down and buld afordible homes I say.