To think the High St is doomed

[MissLucyEyelesbarrow]

Just back from Christmas shopping in a medium-sized town. I know small retailers have taken a huge hit this year, so I'm trying to buy everything from a physical store, and not make Jeff Bezos (Amazon) any richer.

Seems like there are lots of other people doing the same, because the streets were already busy at 9, but..none of the small, independent shops were open. It's two Saturdays before Christmas, people haven't been able to shop because of lockdown, the number of customers in a shop at one time is restricted, so shopping is slower, shops only have a few weeks to make some profits after a disastrous year - but apparently not a single small retailer had thought of opening earlier than their usual 10 or 10.30. I'm sure some couldn't because of child care issues or similar, but every single one? Most of these are small stores, staffed by the owners so they can't all have staffing issues.

Of course, all the chains were open at 9 on the dot, so guess where everyone did their shopping? And Jeff Bezos is open for business 24/7.

I worked in retail and catering for 10 years while studying. It's a bloody hard job and I feel for every small business owner this year. But they are pushing customers into the arms of the big retailers. AIBU?

The cost of parking doesn’t feature in my decision making, but clearly it is a big deal for some people

It’s a big deal we live because our local council is greedy and gives us very little for the £2.5k Council tax we pay. It’s not a question of not being able to afford it, we resent paying it.

The reasons I used to go to the high street were

1. To have a day out, browse the shops and have a nice lunch.
2. To buy loads of stuff at the same time (I’d have to pay about 10 different delivery charges if I shopped online).

1 is no longer a factor because it’s not possible to browse or try on at your leisure, cafes are closed and queuing is a pain in the arse. 2 is still a factor but not worth risking catching Covid for, I’d rather spend the extra cash on delivery and stay safe.

The lack of footfall due to these two issues has led a lot of businesses to open late and close early, simply because there isn’t enough business to merit staying open. I do think that when the pandemic is over, both reasons for visiting the high street will be valid again and people will return. Of course it’s a different matter whether the small shops will still be in business at that point.

I live in a small town full of independent shops. The only chains we have here are a Tesco, a Co-Op and a tiny Spar as part of the petrol station.

Lots of shops still close at 1pm on a Wednesday and Saturday. Many don't open at all on a Sunday. It's like you've stepped back in time thirty years.

Where I live (West Oxfordshire) the car parks are still free...and I think it's one of the reasons the highstreet is just about still going. However after building a nice new shopping precinct a few years back and cinema.. the rents appeared to be too high and one by one the nice shops there disappeared. Then the restaurant, and DP,s and now Debenhams.. if they can't keep going there is no chance for the little shops.
In my own small town the shops have gradually been overtaken with Costa and bloody nail bars. You can get a hair cut, or fake nails or a tan.. but not a decent pair of shoes. The best independent shop is the butchers..which adapted instantly during covid to delivering to customers. The owners work pretty much around the clock but the business is still thriving which is great to see.
I haven't physically shopped (other than food) for months.. mostly because of Covid but also because I can shop online quickly, easily.. and I can support small businesses via Etsy and similar. I am not a 'social shopper' and can't see ever going back to wandering round the shops again.

I’m dying to find out more about the ‘greedy council’. What are they doing with the money they have greedily taken from you, whilst having the temerity to ask you to pay to park, in car parks that presumably need to be maintained?

Is it possible that your ‘greedy’ local council are in fact spending your council tax on stuff like, you know, services, schools, care of older people etc.? Rather than stockpiling cash to be greedy with?

@Iamthewombat

I’m dying to find out more about the ‘greedy council’. What are they doing with the money they have greedily taken from you, whilst having the temerity to ask you to pay to park, in car parks that presumably need to be maintained?

Is it possible that your ‘greedy’ local council are in fact spending your council tax on stuff like, you know, services, schools, care of older people etc.? Rather than stockpiling cash to be greedy with?

My greedy - not “greedy” - local council doesn’t provide schools or social care, it’s a district council. It used the £65 million it got from selling off its housing stock to build palatial new council offices. It now charges for a visit to the tip.

How nice it would be if you could post something - anything - without sneering.

@Iamthewombat

I’m dying to find out more about the ‘greedy council’. What are they doing with the money they have greedily taken from you, whilst having the temerity to ask you to pay to park, in car parks that presumably need to be maintained?

Is it possible that your ‘greedy’ local council are in fact spending your council tax on stuff like, you know, services, schools, care of older people etc.? Rather than stockpiling cash to be greedy with?

Councils have had their budgets slashed for a decade, and they need to raise funds to provide services. So, in that respect, I have sympathy. But they are idiots to over-charge for parking, if it deters customers. There's not much point having a steep margin on parking spaces if no one's using them, and if you're not getting any business rates because the shops have closed after you put off their customers.

We're between two towns, one of which has high charges and super-aggressive wardens, and the other of which has kept charges lower. Guess where most people shop?

So many of the lovely independent shops and cafes near me seem to be run on a hobby basis. They just aren't hungry for customers, so I presume they are being underwritten somehow.

How nice it would be if you could post something - anything - without sneering.

Oh dear. Offended you on another thread, have I? Let it go.