What is your high street looking like?

[Waxonwaxoff0]

Just popped out to Aldi and it's so depressing seeing how many shops are closing. New Look is closing, Bon Marche is closing, Peacocks is closing, Burtons is closing. The only places that had any people in it were Greggs and Costa.

The only shops that will be left here at this rate are food shops, phone shops and charity shops. And WHSmiths as they have been grimly hanging on for years!

I have noticed some charity shops have also closed.

Banks are closing down too, my local branch closed last May.

Oxford Street looks grim. Looks like John Lewis will close, Too shop is going, Debenhams has gone, not sure about House of Fraser. Many American candy stores have taken the place of shut down shops and seen a Polish deli too. Feels very odd.

I haven't been into our city centre since last March, I guess it will be looking very sad.

It’s really depressing in my town.

We’ve lost Paperchase, Kiko, Hotter, Edinburgh Woollen Mill, Lakeland, Carphone Warehouse, Whitards and a couple more I’ve forgotten.

Only shops that are open are pound shops / home bargains type stores and the post office.

We have lost Lots of clothing stores even before lockdown.

High street is basically vape stores , barbers ( about 10 in our one small town ) , few charity shops and chemists.

It's looking quite sad to be honest.

I was in Tonbridge yesterday which is already primarily coffee shops and charity shops. Monsoon has gone, and Peacocks and Bon Marche both had closing down signs. At the top end of town there are a few independents so hopefully they may filter down the high street. We drove back through Sevenoaks which still looks relatively healthy thankfully. It will be interesting to see what Maidstone looks like when shops reopen.

Our high street has been a very sad place for a while now. I’m heartbroken that the Cambridge John Lewis looks set to close. It was my mum’s and my happy place for years and I think of her every time I go there.

Stupid question, how can you tell? Nothing's open yet, is it? a except food stockists?

My nearest high street pre covid was coffee and charity shops. M&S went followed by New look, Bon marche?, Argos. Last time I went bakery and coffee shop had closed.

I never used coffee shops and always amazed just how many there was in such small town

Cambridge John Lewis is going?
Damn. That is huge and the main part of the shopping centre.
Surely they have a big customer base there.

@picklemewalnuts

Stupid question, how can you tell? Nothing's open yet, is it? a except food stockists?

Because the ones that are not reopening have been emptied already.

Still really busy with queues down the street - for things like fishmonger and butcher

A couple of empty / closed down shops - pharmacist and bakery

@StanfordPines

Cambridge John Lewis is going? Damn. That is huge and the main part of the shopping centre. Surely they have a big customer base there.

I know 😢 I don’t think they’ve finally decided its fate but it’s definitely on the list of possible closure. I used to love being taken there as a child when it was still Robert Sayles and it still gives me a hug when I go in.

If John Lewis in Oxford St closes, I think that will be the wrong business decision. They recently refurbished. I often go there and there are usually queues at every till. Plus, people go there to check out homeware, decor and furniture and order it online to save carrying it. With their only department store competition on the street now gone (Debenhams and House of Fraser as it was) they would have picked up more business.

Robert Sayles was a rambling mess though. I didn’t go there often but I remember trying to find the computer department, as it was the only place you could buy Apple products and going round in circles.

They also had a off shoot out in one of the park and ride places. You could do your shopping and then collect it from there when you went back to the car.

Our Office Shoes has gone too.

But we have had a number of independent shops opening!

There are a couple of shops I do not expect to return, and charity shops currently shut. Two new coffee shops (independents). What I expect is that standard bank hours will not return and one or two close at some point in the near future.

@StanfordPines

Robert Sayles was a rambling mess though. I didn’t go there often but I remember trying to find the computer department, as it was the only place you could buy Apple products and going round in circles.

They also had a off shoot out in one of the park and ride places. You could do your shopping and then collect it from there when you went back to the car.

It was an old shop full of character, I loved it. I can still see the curved staircase that went up to women’s wear. The park and ride collection place is still at Trumpington. I must stop thinking about it, it’s making me sad.