Charity shops

birkee

Is there a high street left in the land, where every alternate shop is not a charity shop?
There is no point in going to the high street any more, because, between charity shops / banks / estate agents / travel agents etc etc, there is hardly anything 'normal' to buy anymore.

Our high streets have been destroyed.

If you are wondering (WE...my Wife and I ) are two semi disabled pensioners, so whilst we get people trying to get contributions from US, (door to door) for THEIR causes, there are probably people out there, trying to raise money for the elderly.

I've fixed my chosen charities, the rest of them can leave me alone....please!
I'll just pop down the high street to buy a ????? oh I can't can I!.... I'll have to get the car out and go to Solihull, and hope I can get a disabled bay (fat chance!)
Charity shops are 'costing' me money. The tax they don't pay on their shops, goes on MY council tax.

NO !!! You can't 'direct debit' my bank account for contributions!!
It's paying no interest anyway, and my reserves are dwindling, without YOU helping yourself!

(Another post covers the 'up to three charity bags a day through the letter box. Grrr)

peacellily

I agree with you the face of the high street has sadly changed for ever. I part blame goverment for allowing tplanning on these huge shopping centers & part blaming consumer for driving these things forward.

Sad times for the indepandant person trying to make a few pounds.

Tippytoes

Once upon a time, I could buy just about anything I wanted in my local High Street. Butchers, fishmongers, veggie, furniture, bakers etc. Nowadays, there is a wonderful choice of charity/betting shops and countless Polish delis. Oh, nearly forgot Poundland and Brighthouse. Says a lot about changing demographics.:(

Feel sorry for the older folk who remember "the good old days". The younger ones, know no different.

Sagz_2

The out-of-town shopping complexes are the cause of the closure of independant high street shops, the Charity shops have just filled the void. If the charity shops were not there the high street would be full of boarded-up shops.

Mids_Costcutter

I agree, it's not fair to blame the charity shops. They are performing a useful function, often recycling items that people might otherwise dump in the bin. To try and take a positive view, if people are visiting a charity shop on their local high street then they might be more likely to visit other shops too?

birkee

Sagz wrote: »

The out-of-town shopping complexes are the cause of the closure of independant high street shops, the Charity shops have just filled the void. If the charity shops were not there the high street would be full of boarded-up shops.

That's conjecture.
If the charity shops didn't get tax free concessions, then the shops would be empty, the rents would come down, and more small business's could afford them.

Try going down the Asian quarters in places like B'ham, and EVERY shop is fully occupied. In one section of half a mile of road that I'm thinking of, there is just ONE charity shop.
I've no idea what their secret is. Catering for the market in their area perhaps. Cheaper rents? Willingness to work for their business success?

Personally, I rarely use 'out of town' shopping complexes.

Owain_Moneysaver

birkee wrote: »

Try going down the Asian quarters in places like B'ham, and EVERY shop is fully occupied. In one section of half a mile of road that I'm thinking of, there is just ONE charity shop.
I've no idea what their secret is. Catering for the market in their area perhaps. Cheaper rents? Willingness to work for their business success?

Family members exempt from Minimum Wage?

birkee

Owain_Moneysaver wrote: »

Family members exempt from Minimum Wage?

And getting social security too, possibly.
But there's a family income via business.
Wouldn't YOU help out a family member if you were unemployed?

Owain_Moneysaver

birkee wrote: »

And getting social security too, possibly.
But there's a family income via business.
Wouldn't YOU help out a family member if you were unemployed?

Yes, but I wouldn't work 16 hours a day 7 days a week.

lincroft1710

birkee wrote: »

That's conjecture.
If the charity shops didn't get tax free concessions, then the shops would be empty, the rents would come down, and more small business's could afford them.

There are plenty of empty shops in most town centres, and have been for a year or two. However I don't see landlords rushing to reduce their asking rents.

Opening a shop is an extremely expensive and risky venture. Most potential businesses are deterred by the existing competition, especially from major players who can source more cheaply and consequently sell more cheaply.

Without charity shops, town centres, secondary and tertiary shopping areas as well as many neighbourhood shopping areas would be even more desolate. As another poster has said, charity shops recycle and can be a boon to a local community.

Finally don't forget the good old internet is changing the way we shop also.

Old_Git

i like charity shops that sell furniture ,as for the clothes primark is cheaper