Are they any outwards signs of the recession in your local town?

tomstickland

I noticed quite a few "To Let" signs in a local town a few weeks ago. One or two factory units are boarded up, plus a few pubs here and there, but no really obvious sign of a recession.

What about in your area?

tomterm8

Lots and lots of empty shops. Massive woolworths in centre of town. Absolutly no job adverts in shop windows. Less people speaking foreign languages.

lostinrates

My local towns are teeny tiny with mainly independant retailers. A junk/antique shop closed last year and nothing has replaced it, and a catalgue returns shop has recently closed too. A few new independants have turned up....one told me she's struggling, one told me she's doing well.

The other nearest little town has a new restaurant which is booming, but one of the older excellent ones has gone out of business, a real shame, I felt they were destined for a Michelin star they were so good. One of the independant gift/clothes shops has folded. Oh, and they've got a new chippy in that town.

EA..one is gone...I have a feeling another office might be struggling.

Slightly larger town I drive to there was a woolworths, things seem to be slipping into the black hole, as they close around it. I have to say this has surprised me.

As things closed they are not being replaced. In an area where lots of lifestyle-y places, arty shops and loads of independants are we get a little bit of turnover, but things sitting empty is not great.

Pobby

City here. Lots of pub closures, a number of empty city centre shops but not to many. Nothing too drastic. Have a number of my customers closing though and my turn over is very down but getting by OK at the moment.

olly300

On my road none of the small businesses have gone under.

The small office building that was to rent 2 years ago is still to let, and one of the 2 empty shops has actually got a business moving in. (Can't work out what it is yet.)

In the shopping centres near me the lots of shops have gone or moved location - there are no Baratts, Woolworths or Officers clubs. Three of the opticians have moved locations to better ones on the high street and a few little cafe/food places have closed down. Yet some cheaper junkier food places have opened up nearer the bus and train stations to replace them.

Really2

tomterm8 wrote: »

Less people speaking foreign languages.

I never started speaking a foreign language in the boom

Deep_In_Debt

Lots of boarded up shops and empty Estate Agent offices in my town. Really depressing.

Deep_In_Debt

We actually have a new Subway open up in one of the old shops - it attracts a lot of local Hoodies but that's about it!

jackieb

Woolies has closed - that was the main shop. There are a few other empty shops off the High Street, but the place has always been a bit of a dive and they've been empty for a long while. Nothing different really, apart from Woolies.

Thrugelmir

tomstickland wrote: »

I noticed quite a few "To Let" signs in a local town a few weeks ago. One or two factory units are boarded up, plus a few pubs here and there, but no really obvious sign of a recession.

What about in your area?

Woolworths closed.
Largest Woolworths distribution centre in England closed (250 jobs).
Zavvi and other high street chains closed.
House of Fraser turned into a end of range discount store.
Honda - closed 4 weeks at Xmas. Plus whole of Feb, Mar, Apr and May. Now asking for voltuntary redundancy or will impose pay cut on all staff.
Honda component suppliers making staff redundant.
BMW Mini - closed for extended Xmas break. Now down to 3 day working week.
Tyco Electronics moving production to Poland. ( 300 jobs plus more possibly).

Swindon was supposed to be one of the most recession proof towns in the country with very low unemployment. All changing now.

MrFonzerelli

In my town the banks have became charity shops. :rolleyes::D