Rundown town centres

[lazerblue]

Oldham town centre is dying on its feet. Even the nightlife which was once thriving has all but disappeared

The new metrolink extension was supposed to breath life into the town but doesn't appear to have made any difference. In fact its probably made it worse as its now easier to get out of there

They've just opened a new cinema and restaurants right in the town centre. Bit early to see if this helps, but I was in the Nando's last night and at 9pm there were 3 tables occupied including mine

M&S were supposed to be opening a new big store but a few weeks ago it was announced they pulled out of negotiations. Could be the final nail in the coffin for the place

oh well at least you can get a halal slaughtered goat

 

[Manc in London]

Yep, and the council put up the car parking charges and are now considering on street parking meters. Town centre is dying.

Councils cannot afford to provide basic social care. Parking is hardly a priority for subsidies.

Paying around 60p an hour is hardly going to put people off shopping if the shops sell what they want.

Town centres are on their arses for several reasons. Councils are not mostly to blame. Government (who actually control the purse strings), internet shopping, large out of town shopping centres and supermarkets are most likely the main reasons.

 

[stony]

It has declined. I started work in Rochdale in '68 and moved to Littleborough in '77. We still have a core of decent shops, and if a good chain moves into the old Co-op it will show the signs of improvement. Getting involved with Middleton and Heywood ne'er did Rochdale any favours, though. The disappearance of the cream and blue buses were the first signs. I'm waiting for a latter-day Hitler to sell the Town Hall.

It did even less for Heywood and Midd. Worst thing that ever happened to the town was the day Rochdale took over. You find many people in Heywood who are old enough to remember when we had our own council with any love for Rochdale.

 

[Manc in London]

The issue is
High rents by shop landlords fleecing shop owners
High business rates by the council because they can't manage a budget
Draconian parking charges in the name of 'going green' turning off customers.

Hence people would rather go to an outside of town hell hole like the Trafford Centre for the convenience

Do councils set business rates? I know they collect them but I thought rateable value was set by government via the Valuation Office Agency (HMRC). I believe the rateable value is set centrally to avoid local authorities under cutting each other.

Its all the local councils fault they are too greedy, instead of lowering rents and rates to atract shops and cafe/restaurants they put them up, until they wake up and figure it out it will stay they same.

I would make an educated guess that, on the whole, councils do not "own" town centres. A lot of town centre shopping precincts and retail developments are owned by investments/savings trusts, property companies and individual landlords.

 

[Barcon]

How the fuck did paying to park at the shops ever get approved?

 

[stony]

How the fuck did paying to park at the shops ever get approved?

Fuck knows, but I'm part of the decline of the high street because apart from food and drink I get most everything else online. No parking Nazis to contend with, no kids screaming the place down and no pensioners in their spacker chariots doing their best Ben Hur impression.

 

[plongo]

There's been this new fangled thing called the "internet" too

 

[Barcon]

Fuck knows, but I'm part of the decline of the high street because apart from food and drink I get most everything else online. No parking Nazis to contend with, no kids screaming the place down and no pensioners in their spacker chariots doing their best Ben Hur impression.

It's mental. I'll pay if I'm going downtown to a gig or a restaurant but no way would I pay if I was going out for grocery's.
Thankfully we haven't got that cheap over here yet. Although the cock end in charge now wants us to pay to use the highway into town.

 

[stony]

It's mental. I'll pay if I'm going downtown to a gig or a restaurant but no way would I pay if I was going out for grocery's.
Thankfully we haven't got that cheap over here yet. Although the cock end in charge now wants us to pay to use the highway into town.

I use Amazon for everything I can't get at Moggies or Tesco express. I fucking detest shopping. Hospital parking is a fucking nightmare, it costs us about £6 every visit.

 

[idahoblues]

It's mental. I'll pay if I'm going downtown to a gig or a restaurant but no way would I pay if I was going out for grocery's.
Thankfully we haven't got that cheap over here yet. Although the cock end in charge now wants us to pay to use the highway into town.

It'll keep the riff raff out......ie you