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Matt40
Senior Member
546 Posts |
 Posted - 02 Jul 2012 : 16:36:09
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| Well said skippy. I would say Ware High Street is pretty 'recession resilient'. You should go to proper towns in real England to see a recession where shops are boarded up to the point of depression, not a cosy middle class town in East Herts! |
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skippy
Advanced Member
1019 Posts |
Posted - 02 Jul 2012 : 19:22:51
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What I do find frustrating is that I have to travel out of Ware to purchase a basic pair of jeans, even when we had Peacocks, it catered more for female customers than male.
Why can we not have a shop that sells clothing for boys/men that is not a high level fashion outlet and has suitable basic level clothing.
I know that that there was a "No ASDA in Ware" outcry, but at least it would have provided clothing in the price range/style for the general public.
Ready for my holiday, I have needed to purchase via online (because there was not a suitable range for men even in their 'superstore'), shirts and trousers from Tesco, though I am going to collect them from the local WARE store and do my shopping in the town at the same time. |
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ian.ball
WoLFer & Moderator
United Kingdom
2784 Posts |
Posted - 02 Jul 2012 : 22:17:40
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While I do agree with you to a large extent skippy, I think Ware is very fortunate to have a lot of people who *do* support local businesses and that is why so many of them still thrive, for example Ware has not one but two butchers shops, most towns have none. They survive because people use them and we use them because they are excellent - give them a try, you won't regret it.
Another example, look at the many successful events that are held in Ware thanks to the efforts of a small number of dedicated folk who get out and work hard for the town to make things happen and in turn get the support of the many residents who attend the events so to tar everyone with the same brush I think is unfair.
I don't think you can be successful these days in business by just doing the same old thing, I'm afraid you have just got to accept that things change and you need to change your business plan to suit the climate, you can't just carry on in the old fashioned way. If you continue to blame your customers I'd surmise they won't remain customers for long with that attitude. If you don't want to keep prices low then attract new customers who look for quality, not quantity.
There are actually a large number of successful businesses on the High Street that thankfully are surviving and I for one am more than happy to spend my hard-earned cash in them partly because I want to support local businesses but mostly because they offer a good service and good quality products. I'm sure I'm not alone in this view. |
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friant
Average Member
198 Posts |
Posted - 03 Jul 2012 : 08:58:43
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| Totally agree SKIPPY - you put exactly what I was trying to say but so much better |
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Johnty
Junior Member
United Kingdom
33 Posts |
Posted - 03 Jul 2012 : 09:10:33
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Carnival is not closing down despite warewolf's comment the buisness is up for sale as I want to retire .
I wish people would check there facts before going into print
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Warewolf
Advanced Member
United Kingdom
1452 Posts |
Posted - 03 Jul 2012 : 09:11:59
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quote:
Originally posted by Johnty
Carnival is not closing down despite warewolf's comment the buisness is up for sale as I want to retire .
I wish people would check there facts before going into print
Apologies Johnty, passing on what I heard and trying to confirm details, very pleased to be wrong on this one! |
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Johnty
Junior Member
United Kingdom
33 Posts |
Posted - 03 Jul 2012 : 09:36:47
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quote:
Originally posted by Warewolf
Carnival, Not Just Cards, Clintons, Edwards, L Collections & Art shop. Have I missed any?
The high street will look a bit sad and does anyone know what is going in the old tanning salon in Amwell End?
Carnival is not closing down the owner wants to retire I wish people would check there facts before going into print as this harms the buisness concerned |
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skippy
Advanced Member
1019 Posts |
Posted - 03 Jul 2012 : 10:10:07
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quote:
Originally posted by ian.ball
I don't think you can be successful these days in business by just doing the same old thing, I'm afraid you have just got to accept that things change and you need to change your business plan to suit the climate, you can't just carry on in the old fashioned way. If you continue to blame your customers I'd surmise they won't remain customers for long with that attitude. If you don't want to keep prices low then attract new customers who look for quality, not quantity.
Small independent shops CANNOT keep their prices low, as they do not have the buying (and bullying power) of the larger companies.
Just look at the local Spar, Cost Cutter and Star Street convience stores.
Their prices are higher than Tescos, but, as you 'quality' is the key, not in the actual stock, as brands are brands no matter where you get them, but the quality is in the service you provide.
The company I was involved in specialised in Wholefoods/healthfoods.
We offered a phone line delivery service, via wholesale outlets we could purchase specific items for you that you could not get elsewhere and more importantly, we knew our customers, greated them by name, had put aside things that we knew would be of interest to them etc.
Is that not worth the premium of paying a bit more than the supermarket?
Unfortunately the business in the London/outskirts was always a struggle, with the social changes in the CUSTOMERS wanting a 0ne-place shopping experience (I do not call gathering provisions off a shelf 'shopping'), because they did not want to have to spend time walking from shop to shop and we moved the entire company to Norfolk, where there was still the community that, like our parents, actuall shopped as a social experience.
No my name is not Granvill
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_4AR9mVcFU
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Edited by - skippy on 03 Jul 2012 10:13:14 |
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Stephanie Lewsey
New Member
United Kingdom
9 Posts |
Posted - 03 Jul 2012 : 22:03:31
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| I feel a rambling coming on, or is it a rumbling from an old Wareite...When I was a wee lass, the high street was full of shops catering for all types. Now the shops seem to be for those with money to spare, eg coffee shops, hairdressers, etc. Their used to be cheapy shops in Ware but now it seems shop owners are blocking any attempt for them to come back. Some of us cannot afford luxuries like a cup of coffee or a hair-do! I list all the things I need to make sure the journey is cost effective and then go to places like Hoddesdon. Great mix of shops and a market you can call a market (what happened to Ware's market?) Who is killing Ware Town? Charging for car parking has not helped - I would not pay to shop in Ware (is that why Tesco car park gets jammed full?) when free parking is available else where or if you have to pay at least you have a large variety of shops. We need all types of shops to cater for everyone. Why not use the empty shops for flea markets, craft markets,etc - with our weather an undercover option is preferable to an outdoor car boot - surely some return on an empty shop is better than nothing (I believe Letchworth have a scheme like this). OK ramble/rumble over, sorry about that but I had to say something. |
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Mel
Advanced Member
United Kingdom
1296 Posts |
Posted - 10 Jul 2012 : 12:11:16
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| Not Just Cards is closing because the landlord put the rent up. There is a new shop in town. There is a new tanning shop opened in Amwell End, looks very smart so I wish it all the success. Should get a lot of business in this weather! |
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JudieT
Senior Member
United Kingdom
612 Posts |
Posted - 10 Jul 2012 : 14:10:15
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It is certainly sad to see our shops going, but I was very interested to hear that the CPRE has done some research in using local food producers to re-vitalise local high street shops. Their report is here http://www.cpre.org.uk/resources/farming-and-food/local-foods. They suggest that local growers selling their produce locally can re-kindle peoples interest in visiting the high street to find out more about food and how to prepare it.
Plus there's a great initiative going on in Yorkshire at Todmorden see http://www.incredible-edible-todmorden.co.uk/home where the local community are using any bit of land they can lay their hands on to grow their own food and using local manufacturers and shops to sell it on. They also involve all the local schools and other public bodies, such as Fire Stations, Housing Associations, etc.
Both excellent schemes for regenerating high street shops.
The big question though is how to translate this to Ware which while still technically a country market town is transitioning towards being a sleepy commuter town?
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kevin phillips bong
WoLFer
970 Posts |
Posted - 10 Jul 2012 : 15:20:17
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| Yes Julie, Sir Hugh F W has been pushing grow your own food on his River Cottage series for at least a couple of years now. I still find it very annoying/frustrating that we are not allowed at least 1 saturday market a month actually in Ware ware local produce can be sold and therefore bringing more people into the town centre. |
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JudieT
Senior Member
United Kingdom
612 Posts |
Posted - 10 Jul 2012 : 17:39:45
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Does it have to be a market though?
Surely with so many empty shops one could be used for a cooperative to sell local produce. Other councils have allowed such enterprises to have reduced rents and rates - better a shop open one or two days a week selling local produce than one empty all the time.
and btw - its Judie |
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spear
Advanced Member
1380 Posts |
Posted - 10 Jul 2012 : 18:07:37
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quote:
Originally posted by JudieT
- better a shop open one or two days a week selling local produce than one empty all the time.
Not for the owner - being unable to let makes it much easier to get permission to convert to other use. |
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Topic |
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Shops Closing?
