More than 1 in 10 shops now stand empty

grizzly1911

howee wrote: »

The high street maybe suffering but that does not cover the whole of retail.

For me there is a major difference to the demographic of people who shop in the high street and those who use shopping centers out of town or it is in my town.

If I ever have the misfortune to go there, I see groups of easten european men slumed around benches, tracki bottomed youths swearing at their girlfriend with 2 kids in tow, a majority of people who smoke and old folk. I suspect nearly 90% of the folk use public transport and a high percentage on benefits and or min wage.

The retail park up the road offers free parking, I don't see the above (no issues with old folk btw just trying to give you a picture of the demographic).

I agree with the guy who proposed turning empty retail into flats this gives the towns more folk to shop and folk more places to live.

The oldies probably get there with their bus pass. Does it run past the retail park? If it does there probably isn't anywhere to get a cuppa.

It is more a way of getting out.

I know my mum catches the busfor that reason even though the local bus zig zags through some of the worst parts of the city. She finds it difficult to walk to the more direct express bus.

kizkiz

SteveV2 wrote: »

Another 2/10 are bookies? Seems like it anyway.

RIP highstreet.

And chicken shops - home to your local robbers

sheffield_lad

grizzly1911 wrote: »

The oldies probably get there with their bus pass. Does it run past the retail park? If it does there probably isn't anywhere to get a cuppa.

It is more a way of getting out.

I know my mum catches the busfor that reason even though the local bus zig zags through some of the worst parts of the city. She finds it difficult to walk to the more direct express bus.

Yes your right my mrs even catches the bus to town, I was trying to point out that although there is some online going on the high st is more about the type of shopper who use high streets have far less spending power.

The only other way to rescue the high street is to integrate the high street with out of town.

Take my town again there is a market but no one but the mentioned above visit it. If the market opened on a Sunday and was located near a retail park with the offer of free parking some tea/coffee food facilities, fresh butcher, green grocers etc then I think the other more affluent shopper may be tempted especially as the produce could be high end home made etc.