The end of shopping centres?

[sotiredofthislonelylife]

Apparently, the vast majority of people surveyed in Nottingham do not wish to have another (indoor) shopping centre in place of one recently demolished.
I can understand that some areas are in desperate need of regeneration, but I’m not convinced that a return to shopping ‘streets’ is the answer.
I can remember the misery of trying to shop with babies/small children/people in wheelchairs in wet and windy weather. Dealing with coats, umbrellas etc., when going in and out of stores was frustrating and often curtailed the outing.
Comparing that to the ability to park above the shops, and wander around in comfort without worrying about crossing roads and protecting everyone from sun, rain, wind and snow, it just seems a backward step.

AIBU = Most people prefer a return to High Street type shopping
AINBU = Shopping centres make life easier, especially for families

I never liked them, I'm sure there is a half way solution.

Nottingham already has a better shopping centre along with the one that was knocked down so it’s not like the only choice is to shop the streets. The one that was demolished was ugly and not worth shopping in.

I do like a shopping centre though, it’s convenient and I’m dry.

Shopping centres at least have toilets which many high streets don't have, which is convenient when you have just spend the best part of the last hour trying to get to the shops on public transport.

Broadmarsh was always a dreadful place (wrong place, no decent shops) even when it was brand new.

Horrible places. Mid-sixties child, they just remind me of the 70s/80s de Laurentis Zombies in a precinct movies horrid

Give me an high street with independent shops any day.

I think you will end up with boutique type shops that provide some kind of experience, internet shopping and the big supermarkets have finished off ugly shopping centres and shops.

With online and out of town shopping becoming a major element in retail, a huge amount of city centre land will need something to happen to it.

A lot of town planners seem to think that nightclubs, pubs, bars and restaurants are going to be doing the heavy lifting - but many food delivery services are replacing those.

Hotels are only useful if there's something to stay in the city for and there is only so much city apartment housing needed.

Unless there is something to attract people, they may as well turn most of it into parkland.

A huge portion of people work while most shops are open, with housewives/househusbands, the elderly and the unemployed their only customers.

Land turned over for education, activities and 'hands on' services (hairdressers, barbers, beauty salons etc) out of office hours may make a lot more sense than just shopping streets or centres.

I prefer retail outlets. The ones I’ve been to you don’t pay for parking.
Our town centre is dead, all the shops have gone including M&S and Debenhams.
I buy online a lot as I don’t have the time to mooch around shops. Especially when there’s free delivery.

I parked in Nott centre a few years back for a client meeting - cost a fortune. Town centres have been dying for years.

In my nearest town, a shopping centre was built in the 90s. Now it is half empty and most of the full units are charity shops. The big players who used to have the big units are now in the shopping parks on the edge of town - and that is where many go. It makes sense on so many levels but especially the "white goods" sellers moving there - ie so you can park up to get the item in your car. Mind, even that has moved on - I suspect a lot of big items are home delivery only now especially given small/odd shaped car boots (even in SUVs) and shops carrying low stock and it all being held at a big national warehouse

No point pining for the past. Yes, the councils helped kill town centres by milking them, but we all did our bit too because it suited

I accept the move to out of town retail centres can be better for some, but they usually rely on people having their own transport, and so shoppers who don’t have cars are disadvantaged. The general consensus is that we should try to walk, cycle or use public transport as much as possible, which I don’t think is compatible with these retail parks.
If you have ever tried ‘High Street’ shopping with a wheelchair user, you would certainly be longing for the safety and convenience of an indoor centre, with its’ level entry shops, lifts and disabled loos.
When consultations take place, I do wonder who they speak with.

I think physical shopping is dying out, full stop. I went to the retail park tonight simply to pick up an order I'd done online as it was free delivery to store rather than pay postage to my house. I think over time a lot of physical shops will close and free delivery will be provided to homes instead

It's a tricky one.

On one hand, I believe shopping as a leisure activity is going to be reduced. It won't stop (not least because not everyone wants to shop online and be doing with the waiting for delivery/trying on and realising the fabric is awful/shlepping back to the Post Office of it all) but I think a lot of people are moving away from pouring into the local mall of a Saturday, shopping in identikit shops and having a meal in an identikit chain afterwards.

Not sure what the alternative is though. Much as I like the idea of more independent high street shops, they don't tend to be keen on evening opening which is what people might rely on if they want to pop out after work. And where I am, a major landlord won't allow them as they only want big chains. It's the same with restaurants; a really nice indie got turfed out because they wanted a chain in there instead.

As for parking, councils are damned either way - free or cheap parking means clogged roads, pissed off local residents and accusations of not giving a stuff about the environment, but full-whack prices drives people away.

My town seems to be going heavy on the 'experiences' with new cinemas and indoor crazy golf but there still needs to be some shops, they just need to manage the mix better and offer incentives to good quality indies (and not the endless cheapy phone repair shops/dodgy luggage purveyors which always seem to pop up in the voids). Essentially it needs effort and thought, which is probably going to be the sticking point!

We have a fairly big retail park, B&Q, Nexr, pets at home, the range etc on it.
We also have a town centre that is dead on its arse due to the price of parking and local government charging extortionate rates.
I go to Norwich or Cambridge and park and ride

I think though that what people will be going into town centres for will change.
It used to be that you would have a coffee or lunch while out to shop. Now more people will go out for coffee or lunch and perhaps shop. Who wants to do that in a shopping centre?

Internet shopping has changed the high street as we know it.

I don’t go shopping on the High street. I think the last time I regularly shopped on a high street was sometime in the early 80s.
It was dying then mainly due to parking costs and the fact you had to hike in the wet weather to get from car to shops.
My hometown high street was really busy. On a Saturday you had to fight for space to walk between cars looking for parking spaces and the amount of people on the pavement
Some council team went on a jolly to Southern France in the late 70s and came back with the vision of paving over the high street and having out doors cafes where people could sit sipping hot chocolate and nibbling a croissant.
It was met with high amusement from anyone who had a bit of realism. Trying to compare Southern France with a very damp, cold and wet Northern town made everyone laugh.
But they pressed ahead and paved over the high street and put in parking for about 20 cars a little further away which you now had to pay for (if you could get a space)
It coincided with the opening of an out of town shopping mall and very soon the high street dried up.
The small independent shops couldn’t afford the new rates. Put up to pay for the work done on the high street. They moved out and a few chain stores moved in. But gradually it did die a death. I was up in the town on a Saturday about 20 years ago and it was so quiet. There weren’t any of the stores I grew up with but a lot of cafes and wine bars.

For me personally places like the High street or Bicester Village type places hold no appeal. I just don’t like freezing to death or getting rained on whilst supposedly having a day out.
Our local town centre has a large shopping centre. Pre pandemic it was bustling. Now it looks sad as we have lost a lot of shops like Debenhams, Top Shop etc and it’s other large department store.
We have started to use another mall that’s a little further out where there isn’t the amount of shop closures.
Nothing will get me battling through wind and rain to go from shop to shop.
If I need anything I will order it on line.

I much prefer high street style shopping, big shopping centres always seem kind of soulless and identikit!
Also as another poster pointed out, they're usually useless for people who don't drive, they're not exactly easy to get to on public transport half the time.

@MistySkiesAfterRain

I never liked them, I'm sure there is a half way solution.

There is. Cabot Circus in Bristol is half shopping centre, half high street. I think it works pretty well. Air and daylight but toilets, lifts and protection from the elements.

I wish my local town centre was a shopping centre rather than high street, it’s nice to be able to go inside if raining or bad weather, somewhere to sit and at least they have toilets!

@CandyFIosss

I wish my local town centre was a shopping centre rather than high street, it’s nice to be able to go inside if raining or bad weather, somewhere to sit and at least they have toilets!

I agree!! If we had Mediterranean weather, shopping and eating outside would be lovely. Sadly, the sort of weather the UK is currently experiencing is not conducive to that. Our summer is often very short and unpredictable.

There is a lovely retail park by me with M&S, Boots, Primark with free parking! I mainly go as it’s free parking. I favour this over my local shopping centre as it’s so depressing. I second Cribbs Causeway! Love that place.

Yes that’s how I feel, days like today it’s been awful and it’s horrible having to walk round the streets shopping in the rain, then you can’t even sit down, I’m surprised most people would prefer a high street over a shopping centre!

There is something depressing about the big malls like Westfield. Very convenient and pretty but just so soulless.

I hate them. There's no fresh air and they make me feel ill. Half an hour and I've got a headache. Where I live now, there aren't any and all the shops are in little streets. it's brilliant.

There is. Cabot Circus in Bristol is half shopping centre, half high street. I think it works pretty well. Air and daylight but toilets, lifts and protection from the elements.

Victoria Square in Belfast has a similar half and half thing going on. It doesn’t feel like you’re fully in a shopping centre when you’re there which I like as I hate shopping centres but they have the lift and escalators, toilets, a roof overhead etc while still being a step away from outside.

Hate shopping malls.