What is happening to our towns .empty shops

[Pringlemonster]

Even before Covid ,we had so many empty shops ,there is now nowhere to buy shoes ,one clothes shop ,there was 4 ,,no children’s clothes shop .
So many are left empty ,and have been for a long time .
We lost a jewellers before Covid and a card shop.
So obviously the rent is too high ,so why are the landlords not lowering the rent ? What are they waiting for ?.they are loosing money while the shop lies empty .this is an expensive place to live as well ,they are building all around the town ,but so many empty shops in the town.
Plenty of cafes ,barbers,and charity shops though

I went into Debenhams today. Most of the things in that shop are expensive. I walked past Phase 8. Had a look in the sale section. A top that didn’t look like anything special... on sale it was £80. That was in the sale. Most stuff in that shop is expensive. I’m not surprised they are closing them down. Did it not occur to anyone who runs that place to maybe add in some cheaper stuff?
Yes I don’t have to shop there but it is one of the only shops left in my town centre as most of them have closed and that is no exaggeration.
So I went online, didn’t pay for parking. Bought a top that didn’t cost a stupid amount of money.

It’s not rocket science as to why places like primark etc are making money.

Look at M&S. so many people have told them what is wrong with the clothes. They have not listened and are still failing.

This is the last time I will go into my town centre. It just isn’t worth it anymore. No shops and I have to pay nearly £5 an hour to park ( no exaggeration either ) I also have to struggle to get through all the stupid one way System and the hundreds of traffic lights which are in some places 100 metres away from each other to even get there.

I’m not at all baffled as to why they are failing to be honest. The one place I will miss is Patissere Valerie. Our one is full of wonderful staff and the food there is always gorgeous. My husband I used to go in for lunch at the weekends.

I will only miss going to shoe shops IRL as I need to try them on and it’s a faff ordering different sizes online and then having to return them .
If all high street shops eventually close, I wonder what they will be replaced with ( more houses probably).

Not enough people using the high street either most people shop online

Our town centre is doing quite well, it’s a mix of big names, independent shops and a thriving market. So far most companies that are closing shops haven’t shut any here, high streets need to adapt and shops need to offer things that you can’t get online, the personal touch.

Out of town retail parks are a huge part of this issue and also online websites to buy the same items cheaper (less overheads, able to offer cheaper prices)

Car parking is free at retail parks, not in town centres around here

The only things worth going to a city/town for are cheap items eg buy two and get one free in Boots, Xmas wrapping paper, children’s shoes/fitting, better hair salons than the chains found in every shopping centre, make up (in normal times).

Personally I also prefer to try shoes on before buying too. I also prefer to visit DIY shops, garden centres, fabric shops but many of these are not in centres anyway. I also prefer visiting Ikea in person but again that is outside my city.

I do 95% of my clothes and furniture shopping online and have done for years.
One of the exceptions to this are bras, it is easier to try on in the store instead of buying ten only to return nine of them.

I remember going into the city to ‘do’ my Xmas shopping (years and years ago),. It was exciting, there was an atmosphere. I really enjoy craft and food markets.

I think the rot set in for the high street when all the out of town shopping was built in the 1990s and 2000s. Out of town offered free parking and larger stores. Then internet shopping began to increase in the 2000s.
Most people have reached peak stuff. Some things such as DVDs and CDs are now obsolete as we all use downloads.
Once the range of things available online is greater than in the actual store there is more incentive to buy online, the more online purchases the less stocked in stores. Its a positive feedback loop.
Lockdown has just accelerated changes that were coming anyway, in many areas of life.

Lots of open drug use and beggars in our town centre. I feel very unsafe and definitely wouldn’t take my children there!

I have to pay for the bus or pay to park.

A lot of the shops don’t have what I need in stock and I can check online from the comfort of my own home.

I think the rot set in for the high street when all the out of town shopping was built in the 1990s and 2000s. Out of town offered free parking and larger stores.

I live near one of the above large shopping centres. It is an utterly depressing place. Claire’s Accessories, a couple of Starbucks, fifteen fast food McDonald type places, Primark, H&M, Debenhams. phone shops, among the other usual culprits. It is truly awful. I don’t go there either tbh.

I think a lot of shops and shopping centres are just dated and need a refresh.

Clothes shops used to be a mixture of cheap fast fashion and decent, good quality clothes. Now it all seems to be cheap fast fashion and I think people have had enough of that. It used to be a novelty to buy some cheap trendy things to supplement your wardrobe, now cheap fast fashion is the default. Scratchy acrylic knitwear, see-through tops, etc. It is just so predictable. Clothing shops have no identity anymore, just mass-produced samey clothes.

There are also rarely any in-store offers. When I shop online for toiletries, makeup, clothing I can usually find a 10-20% discount code to use and there is often free delivery. So usually if I see an item in a shop I like I will order it online as it's cheaper.

A town near me has had a revamp and ever since has been pretty busy and doing well. I think what they got right is having the town centre filled with restaurants, a cinema and lots of coffee shops that bring people in and then whilst they are there they decide to pop into shops. I don't think going shopping is a leisure activity anymore; I think people primarily go for the coffee and cake with friends or the lunch out.

Shopping experiences I still enjoy (pre-covid):

• Ikea and department stores. Lots of different things to look at, set out nicely, quite interactive (Ikea - rooms to walk through which give inspiration; department stores - testers for beauty products), food and drinks available (cafes)

• High streets with small independent shops to browse in as you never know what you can find.

• Retail parks

I had just about given up visiting pre pandemic for all the reasons given above.

I never liked shopping as such but it's got worse and worse.

Our town is getting bigger with new housing developments ,yet more shops are closing down
5 are standing empty now .
I only go in for a coffee to meet a friend now.
Sad ,but they need to think of other ideas now to use the shops for

What would be good would be a doctors surgery in one of the shops ,and a mini police station ,for when they all get pissed of a Saturday night and start throwing punches.

Local authorities have contributed massively to the problem by making it as difficult, inconvenient and expensive as possible to drive into town centres and park.

And then they wonder why their town centres are dying...

My local high street is as busy as it's always been, haven't been to any big shops though.
I absolutely hate shopping online and will carry on using shops as long as possible.

In Devon where I live we have towns I will use as an example. Plymouth. Boring chain stores full of the same carp you can buy the length and breth of the country. Boots Primark Etc. About as inspirational as staring at the wall. And greedy local council charge a fortune for parking as does Drakes Circus. Greedy local council have extortionate business rates so smaller independent shops mostly gone. Atavistic instance full of independent shops and the wonderful planner market. It's a joy to wander around and Xmas shopping can be done in one visit. Same goes for Totnes. Quirky and interesting. Most things like clothes I buy online. It's present shopping that takes me to Totnes and Tavi. To get me to Town centres they need to ditch the big chains and get the independent shops in

Tavistock not Atavistic. Moron who invented auto correct should hung from a lamppost

I like it. People have stopped making frivolous purchases and wasting money on things they don't need.
All those empty shops could easily be converted into housing, which is something we desperately need. It's a win-win.

I went to our nearest city last week with a list of things - got about 50% of my list and then rest l had to order online as they weren't in stock. Half the time then delivery charge, if there is one, is cheaper than driving and paying to park.