Reply to: DOOM: The High Street

[TheDude]

Lot of money laundering in Southend?

Why else do you think an Essex Boys related film is released roughly every two weeks?

[Guy At Charnock Richard]

Although my contract is with a bank in London I work from a shared working space in Southend.

The high street if full of Turkish barbers and mobile phone accessory/vape stores which are always empty. There are a few half decent independent places for lunch but the mainstream offerings are Mc Ds, Burger King, Greggs and KFC.

Lot of money laundering in Southend?

They'd better watch out considering who has their offices there

[ravenshaw]

Then a few nibbles and swigs in Frankie and Bennies

Then nibbles and swigs with the gals

Inneresting.

[Guy At Charnock Richard]

You must be a 50 year old dinosaur.

For inspiration, young people like me use social media.
To make sure an item of clothing fits, young people like me get the clothes delivered at home, try them on in the comfort of our homes, and then send back whatever we don't like.

Oh wait, you mentioned Frankie and Bennies. Then yeah you are at least a 60 year old fossil.

Well at least somebody's got something right about me

[PCTNN]

I enjoy shopping - I particularly like window shopping for inspiration. Also, if I don't now the product, I like to see it for real and, in the case of clothing, try it on to make sure it suits me and I like the feel of it. Then a few nibbles and swigs in Frankie and Bennies, or wherever, makes it the feel good experience that you're never going to get online.

You must be a 50 year old dinosaur.

For inspiration, young people like me use social media.
To make sure an item of clothing fits, young people like me get the clothes delivered at home, try them on in the comfort of our homes, and then send back whatever we don't like.

Oh wait, you mentioned Frankie and Bennies. Then yeah you are at least a 60 year old fossil.

[vetran]

Although my contract is with a bank in London I work from a shared working space in Southend.

The high street if full of Turkish barbers and mobile phone accessory/vape stores which are always empty. There are a few half decent independent places for lunch but the mainstream offerings are Mc Ds, Burger King, Greggs and KFC.

they all went bust when the chains attacked I used to love the Buttery for breakfast they closed 5 years ago.

Hopefully the position will reverse and small cafes will open, but I suspect we will start to see 'Micro Maccys' with a fry / burger chef and a kiosk by the door opening in a village near you.

[Guy At Charnock Richard]

To be honest, with most retailers offering free returns, why would anyone ever want to go to a busy shop to buy their clothes is beyond me. Whenever I need to, I just buy a bunch of stuff online and return like 90% of it.

It also doesn't help that the last time I went shopping in the high street there was nothing worth buying. I was looking for a formal shirt for a wedding: John Lewis was half empty, House of Frasers shut down, shops like Calvin Klein and Hugo Boss for some reasons now only sell track suits and puffer gilets.

When did fashion become so chavvy?

I enjoy shopping - I particularly like window shopping for inspiration. Also, if I don't now the product, I like to see it for real and, in the case of clothing, try it on to make sure it suits me and I like the feel of it. Then a few nibbles and swigs in Frankie and Bennies, or wherever, makes it the feel good experience that you're never going to get online.

[TheDude]

Although my contract is with a bank in London I work from a shared working space in Southend.

The high street if full of Turkish barbers and mobile phone accessory/vape stores which are always empty. There are a few half decent independent places for lunch but the mainstream offerings are Mc Ds, Burger King, Greggs and KFC.

[vetran]

To be honest, with most retailers offering free returns, why would anyone ever want to go to a busy shop to buy their clothes is beyond me. Whenever I need to, I just buy a bunch of stuff online and return like 90% of it.

It also doesn't help that the last time I went shopping in the high street there was nothing worth buying. I was looking for a formal shirt for a wedding: John Lewis was half empty, House of Frasers shut down, shops like Calvin Klein and Hugo Boss for some reasons now only sell track suits and puffer gilets.

When did fashion become so chavvy?

and if you aren't 'average size' they never have any stock in.

[d000hg]

To an extent it's only sped up the process. Pre-Covid the HS was becoming much more a place for entertainment and dining, with specialist shops/trades. If people aren't eating out then we might see the trend continue of HS being reclaimed as housing, which I suppose has already happened in all the villages.

[PCTNN]

To be honest, with most retailers offering free returns, why would anyone ever want to go to a busy shop to buy their clothes is beyond me. Whenever I need to, I just buy a bunch of stuff online and return like 90% of it.

It also doesn't help that the last time I went shopping in the high street there was nothing worth buying. I was looking for a formal shirt for a wedding: John Lewis was half empty, House of Frasers shut down, shops like Calvin Klein and Hugo Boss for some reasons now only sell track suits and puffer gilets.

When did fashion become so chavvy?

[vetran]

Definitely happened for me.

I went from having lunch out at least 3 times a week and buying office clothes frequently to eating at home all the time and only wearing t-shirts and shorts. It's great: I'm eating healthier and I've got more money to spend elsewhere.

Similar situation for me.

There will be an adjustment businesses need to change how & what customers they attract - its in flux . Local coffee shops & Cafes are popping up in villages again. Department and specialist stores were already closing because of Amazon & biz rates.

[PCTNN]

Definitely happened for me.

I went from having lunch out at least 3 times a week and buying office clothes frequently to eating at home all the time and only wearing t-shirts and shorts. It's great: I'm eating healthier and I've got more money to spend elsewhere.

[AtW]

Inneresting...

[Guy At Charnock Richard]

"Working from home revolution leaves 'permanently scarred' high streets

Footfall expected to remain 10pc lower than it was before the pandemic

The work from home revolution has caused “permanent scarring” to the UK’s high streets as staff continue to shun the office months after pandemic restrictions have ended, the boss of a data firm has warned.

Diane Wehrle, chief executive of Springboard, which tracks shop visitor numbers across the country, said footfall in towns and cities still remains well below pre-pandemic levels.

Even during the Jubilee weekend, when shoppers and revellers were out in force, visitor numbers only hit 80pc of the same week in 2019, she added.

Separate figures from Transport for London showed that in the run up to the celebrations, travel into the capital by commuters was only back to around 69pc of normal levels."

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business...-high-streets/

A benefit to local High Streets though?

Well there you go.

I was talking to a bloke earlier who flies for Easyjet out of Gatwick and he was telling me that a lot of the staff problems (not all, obviously) are not shortages as such but people just not turning up to work. Throwing impromptu sickies etc. The past 2 years has instilled that sort of mentality amongst some people.