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What a depressing experience that was.
... chicken fried eateries, cafes with sticky tables, boarded up shop fronts and plenty of To Let signs.
Brexit bonus with a side order of coronanomics.
Brexit bonus with a side order of coronanomics.
You can blame brexit for a lot of things, but the high street has been dying for 20 years, the internet has been the biggest hit, same as bricks and mortar bike shops and so on.
… chicken fried eateries, cafes with sticky tables, boarded up shop fronts and plenty of To Let signs.
No vape shops, pound shops and yet more coffee shops?
The high street needs to offer what people want, i.e. stuff they can't get online, which is why it is all barbers, coffee shops etc,.
Still, Sunak is focusing on it so must have some appeal to those old tory members.
No vape shops, pound shops and yet more coffee shops?
Estate agents, betting shops and charity shops.
didn't see any vape shops, although i wasn't looking for them.
Plenty of betting and Pound shops.
last time i was here was Dec 2019 and although the place wasn't exactly Oxford Street, it wasn't as run down and despotic looking as it is now.
Innernets killed it,
pre-covid I was all in favour of knocking half the town centre down and converting it to flats, the number of individual shops just isn’t required anymore, but they’re really trying to kick something off in my local town (Pontypridd) which is not exactly affluent, a book shop appeared over Covid, at the time I gave it 6 months but 18 months later it seems to be going from strength to strength,
The local business group had turned a couple of empty shops in to low rent physical shop fronts for Depop sellers, another ebay/internet seller has took on a physical shop.
Another (good) café has opened, and a small music bar has got going, I think there is a demand there but it’s not what it was, people going into that type of business need to have adapted and seen this need, rather than opening something that’s competing on cost from the internet or B&M etc.
That’s me being positive anyway, the local street rent will govern overall.
Still, Sunak is focusing on it so must have some appeal to those old tory members.
Ah, the high street... where you could wander carefree from shop to shop, idly looking at the goods on show in the window, maybe perchance to dally awhile and purchase a few. Perhaps even on for a pint of bitter and a read of the afternoon newspaper in a quiet corner of the local pub on the way home.
Through the lenses of those rosy tinted glasses, are the votes of pensioners coaxed.
which high street?
I agree with much of what is said above but there's a definite levelling up need. Down here in the affluent south the high street is thriving; I'm just about to walk into town to grab a sandwich and i can't think of a boarded up shop at all - as well as the expected chain stores like Boots, Holland and Barrett, Tesco local there's several cafes / eateries, a deli, an indie health food shop, an art materials supplier, hair salons, etc.
The kind of shop that you potter about in and so do the staff. "Can I help you?" they ask and you say "No thank you, I'm just looking," and they say "Well if you need anything just ask", and go back to picking things up behind the counter and giving them an absent-minded polish before putting them down carefully while you continue picking things up and giving them an absent-minded glance before putting them down carefully.
And they have nothing better to do and you have nowhere better to be on this quiet Monday afternoon in a quiet West Country town where the high street is comfortably filled with jewellery shops and charity shops and a book shop and a pet shop and a motor factors and a hardware store and two estate agents and all of them pottery shops.
Towards five o'clock you find yourself in the small family owned garden centre idly considering a small water feature for the corner of the garden that never gets any sun and you lose yourself for a while in the roll and splash of a miniature stream until you realise there are no other customers and the dog is looking at you meaningfully and you potter off home with your bag and mind as empty as they had been when you left the house that morning.
but the high street has been dying for 20 years, the internet has been the biggest hit
It's been dying for longer than that and you can probably lay a lot of that blame on the rise of in-town supermarkets. I remember doing the "weekly shop" as a kid with my granddad. Traipsing around town to the bakers, the greengrocer, the (gods help us) tripe stall, etc etc. It took half a day, we'd be out at sparrowfart and get back home at lunchtime just in time for me to catch Star Fleet. Why bother when you can slam through ASDA in 20 minutes?
The rot had set in Oop North a way before though. Swathes of East Lancashire were cotton towns, the mills were a massive source of employment and revenue. When they closed they were replaced with... nothing, we were heading towards being on our arse by the late 80s. The same is true of mining towns and most other working-class areas built on industry. We were already seeing urban decay on a large scale, the supermarkets were the hammer blow for the Northern high street.
It's not all pigeon coops, flat caps and warm beer though, some areas though are picking up. Niche businesses (I don't want to say 'artisan') are finding traction where I am here. We have most of what you'd want from a high street along with random things like a cupcake shop, a stained-glass window shop, a furniture restoration place, that sort of thing. There is, perhaps, light at the end of the tunnel but it's been a long time coming.
Maybe with the rise of Internet Shopping this is where the high street is going? More bespoke services alongside recreational spaces like parks or cafés. You might be able to order a picnic table online but you can't download somewhere to set it up. We cling on to our "historic Victorian arcade" but maybe the best thing to do is take a photo of it then level the bugger and build a garden.
Down here in the affluent south the high street is thriving; I’m just about to walk into town to grab a sandwich and i can’t think of a boarded up shop at all
Well in Wimbledon, pretty affluent south, there’s plenty of them.
You mean, they're common?
Our local high street is very vibrant. Completely changed since I've lived here, 25 years ago it was all butchers, bakers and candlestick makers etc. Now it's all experience based - lots of cafes with seating outside - almost looks continental in places. Quite a studenty area, so lots of customers wanting smashed avocado on toast when they should be saving half a million for a deposit on a flat...
Well, that's the other thing isn't it. If you're paying £1,200/month to rent a bedsit then you can't afford to leave the bastard.
pre-covid I was all in favour of knocking half the town centre down and converting it to flats, the number of individual shops just isn’t required anymore,
In my local town, a major new shops development was completed a couple of years before Covid hit, (actually 2016 - how time flies!) I'm going to guess it's now about 25% occupied. Problem is all the old high street is still standing, and mainly filled with tenants who didn't see fit to move. It was a stupid development, if they'd done a mix of residential and shops, (with some small units too, they're all massive) then there would have been a captive audience to use some of these businesses.
Down here in the affluent south the high street is thriving;
I've spent quite a lot of the last few years (pre-Covid anyway!) travelling for work, and the number of well known towns and cities that are absolute dumps is astonishing, especially Midlands and north England. But, yes, you are right, lots of places in the south look absolutely glowing by comparison.
East Midlands here. Not loads of boarded up shops but quite a few vape and betting shops. TBF at least 3 pubs have opened up since COVID and an indy pizza place hasassively expanded, so things are looking up.
One thing our local council has done, is give residents a bit of card with their council tax letter, that allows them to park for free after 3pm. Nice idea to increase footfall.
But you see a lot of shops moaning about council rates and rent on various social media platforms.
But, yes, you are right, lots of places in the south look absolutely glowing by comparison.
Well with regional inequality widening post Brexit, it's only going to get worse (up North).
which high street?
Chelmsford, Essex..... supposedly one of the nicer bits of Essex. I grew up in Thurrock, but managed to escape aged 18 and never returned. Folks went up market and bought a place in Chelmsford, my mum's hometown.
It used to be quite pleasant and had a decent variety of shops. Now it's mostly chicken places, cafes with crap coffee and "bars". Lots of large retail units are empty. Loads of rough sleepers which I never used to see and tons of litter. Lots of fat mums pushing buggies whilst screeching at their kids.
Next time I'll walk the dog in the other direction across the fields and towards the pub.
yet more coffee shops?
I like going out for coffee, I hate shopping, so more of this please.
pre-covid I was all in favour of knocking half the town centre down and converting it to flats,
This still needs doing, if only to lower GHG emissions. There's loads of flats going up in Reading, the local opposition often hinges on the strange doublethink of "there's only 100 parking spaces for 500 fats" and "what about the traffic this will cause?".
No you crettins, they're aimed at people who will live and work within a sensible commute distance of either.
Loads of rough sleepers which I never used to see
Definitely seem to be more of them about in the last few years (Cambridge).
there’s only 100 parking spaces for 500 flats”
the British public do seem very car orientated and blinkered in their approach to using anything other than a car.
Taking my old man tot the hospital this morning and he's complaining about the new bus stops and cycle lanes. FFS. Your lungs are FUBAR'd thanks in part to working in London and driving everywhere.
and although the place wasn’t exactly Oxford Street
that's just full of sweet shops now...
You mean, they’re common?
well, maybe not common, but shops that make good use of the things they find are all over the place.
If you need a case for your mobile phone then come to Northampton. Every other shop seems to be selling them. I have no idea how they all stay in business, the market must be saturated.
thisisnotaspoon
Free Member
I like going out for coffee, I hate shopping, so more of this please.
My local high street is doing well for small chain and independent coffee shops. Now a bloody Costa has just opened in amongst them all. Its not often I want a shop to fail, but I really hope this one does (or at least just doesn't harm the wee shops)
My local high street is doing well for small chain and independent coffee shops. Now a bloody Costa has just opened in amongst them all. Its not often I want a shop to fail, but I really hope this one does (or at least just doesn’t harm the wee shops)
We had a Costa open our local High Street a few years ago (Mill Rd Cambridge). Didn't last that long and it closed. All the independents are still here and more since then.
Loads of rough sleepers which I never used to see and tons of litter.
I don't want this to end up being another one of "those" threads, but the labour administrations of Blair and Brown pretty much had homelessness licked. Can't think what might have changed since then?
Farnham is packed with shops and shoppers.
Personally I prefer the rundown centre of Aldershot (so many Asian food shops and restaurants) or Guldford for guitars and clothes (Primark!!!! and TK Maxx).
Your High Street doesn't have a Tiso, Ellis Brigham, Nevisport, Mountain Warehouse, Blacks, Trespass and a bike shop?
Weird...
Your High Street doesn’t have a Tiso, Ellis Brigham, Nevisport, Mountain Warehouse, Blacks, Trespass and a bike shop?Weird…
And absolutely nothing of any use to the locals like a small supermarket, hardware store, post office etc...
Post Office - Check.
Supermarket - Check
Hardware Store - Check
scotroutes
Full MemberYour High Street doesn’t have a Tiso, Ellis Brigham, Nevisport, Mountain Warehouse, Blacks, Trespass and a bike shop?
Weird…
Shame there's no Mountain Spirit in your list there
crazy-legs
Full Member
And absolutely nothing of any use to the locals like a small supermarket, hardware store, post office etc…
He's talking about Aviemore remember. So all those shops are there supporting tourists that have turned up without the right kit
Don’t think it’s going to get better before it gets worse - I trade at a weekly market and everyone reckons they’re doing half to a third of last year or pre-COVID. Lots of people looking but not spending. I have a couple of online stores, but we’re doing less than half what I’d expect, particularly after Brexit kindly killed all my EU sales which was about 10% of my business. Going to be interesting to see what happens over Christmas - it could be carnage for retailers.
Another looming issue is the ‘adjustment’ in commercial property values and rents post Covid - particularly as a lot of councils have made significant investments to bolster balance sheets in response to austerity cuts from Westminister. Falls in revenues could result in increased business rates and council tax.
Shame there’s no Mountain Spirit in your list there
What was the one on the RHS just as you enter Aviemore from the South - used to do ski touring kit in the 2000s?
He’s talking about Aviemore remember. So all those shops are there supporting tourists that have turned up without the right kit
Buying yet more outdoor kit is a key part of any holiday to an outdoor centric area! N+1 for jackets etc.
He’s talking about Aviemore remember. So all those shops are there supporting tourists that have turned up without the right kit
I guessed there or Fort William...
It's the same in Ambleside, Windermere, Keswick etc. Loads of tourist shops, cheap outdoor shops but very little in the way of community shops - the kind of basic day-to-day essentials for local residents. Everything is geared to expensive/chintzy cafes and middle of the road outdoor clothing...
What was the one on the RHS just as you enter Aviemore from the South – used to do ski touring kit in the 2000s?
That was Mountain Spirit. Closed a few years ago. Caused by a mixture of online shopping, climate change and, frankly, just being too niche/expensive.
I forgot Cairngorm Mountain Sport in my list.
it's not a North/South thing, there's nice & grotty High Streets all over.
Tourist money is the key IMO - something (beach/mountains/whatever - sucks for the places that haven't really got anything) to draw people in and then stuff to do whilst they're there - cafes/bars/restaurants/galleries/knick-knack shops etc. Certainly smaller towns with less reliance on chain stores seem to be holding up better, flourishing even.
The other important thing is a strong community spirit - massive difference locally in the towns that have community/trader groups who organise things themselves that maybe the council used to do or fund - street festivals, carnivals, events etc, and those places that don't bother any more, because it means it's not [I]just[/I] about the tourists.
Farnham is packed with shops and shoppers.
Personally I prefer the rundown centre of Aldershot (so many Asian food shops and restaurants) or Guldford for guitars and clothes (Primark!!!! and TK Maxx).
Has Farnham picked up again then as it hadn't got through the great High Street shutdown completely unscathed when I have visited more recently. I know the big development is still ongoing where they knocked down those shops (shout out to Models of Distinction I used to visit as a young teenager) towards Swain and Jones end and next to the sports centre.
My local town keep on going on about sorting out the high street but you need some good ideas for a shop to get people in, luckily we have a few nice niche real ale places and the typical Birds bakery that cover the East Midlands. Not much else though, charity shops, a couple of coffee shops that aren't that great at all, as well as Costa that serve some pretty awful coffee compared to other Costas I have been to.
That was Mountain Spirit. Closed a few years ago. Caused by a mixture of online shopping, climate change and, frankly, just being too niche/expensive.
Spent a small fortune there in the 2000s!
Was a great shop - but we stopped coming when winters started getting too mild to climb.
I remember doing the “weekly shop” as a kid with my granddad. Traipsing around town to the bakers, the greengrocer, the (gods help us) tripe stall, etc etc. It took half a day,
Maybe he enjoyed a half day out. I used to shop on a Saturday morning for my Mum. On my bike, up to the shops, butcher, baker, greengrocer. Less than and hour. These days I can do my local shopping once a week in an hour. The "big shop" at the supermarket is a one in 3 or 4 week affair. Of course I'm lucky to have good local shops.
Maybe he enjoyed a half day out.
Was chatting to the manager of a local Charity shop who was saying they rotated the stock between shops in the region weekly as lots of retired people would come every week as part of their routine, so they tried to change the display weekly....
Maybe he enjoyed a half day out.
In honesty, that hadn't occurred to me. Maybe it was 'down time' rather than a chore.
Hell, maybe he enjoyed spending time alone with me. (Yeah yeah, I know...)
labour administrations of Blair and Brown pretty much had homelessness licked. Can’t think what might have changed since then?
to add some context I left the UK in 2008....
The problem towns face is that between online shopping and edge of town retail parks people can buy most of what they need / want very quickly and easily. What they've got left to spend when they get to a town centre isnt money - they've spent most of that - its time. They're looking for things to do, not things to buy.
A lot of towns have been left with too many shops and often shops that are now far too big on their high street - the demise Woolworths. BHS etc have left buildings too big for a coffee shop or a little indie bookshop to fill. A smart thing councils could do - given that they often own a lot of these retail buildings - is move a lot of their leisure services : galleries, libraries, dance and musics services into these bigger high street premises and thin the rest out - make some space rather than just swap shops for housing with no gardens or parking - my local council has been replacing under used retail space with parks - you can see the river now.
That contraction in towns and cities has already happened elsewhere of course - the nearest village to where I live - population 2000 - used to have more than 50 shops not that long ago.
yet more coffee shops?
I like going out for coffee, I hate shopping, so more of this please.
+1 more of this please! Hitchin is great for it. Letchworth, despite being so up market, only has one place that actually does good barista-level coffee, despite there being loads of cafes
Places to meet, get on with a bit of work, etc, are what people want these days. Everything else is available from a click of your phone. Just how it is. And frankly - as someone mentioned above - makes towns much more continental and welcoming, especially if they get pedestrianised
Government policy for council funding is a huge part of the problem. Because the central funding of councils is so crappy, few councils can afford to set fair business rates, which puts bricks and mortar businesses at a huge disadvantage in most towns.
What they’ve got left to spend when they get to a town centre isnt money – they’ve spent most of that – its time. They’re looking for things to do, not things to buy.
This.
Hell, it's what I used to do as a college student in the 80s. We'd mooch round Our Price et al, not to buy CDs but for something to do to kill half an hour on our lunch break.
Because the central funding of councils is so crappy, few councils can afford to set fair business rates,
Isn't the charge for business rates set in the budget?
... you can probably lay a lot of that blame on the rise of in-town supermarkets ...
Most in-town supermarkets are now edge of town with a massive car park, where a majority of the customers no longer set a foot in town, ever.
Actual in-town supermarkets can somewhat beneficial. They're quite particular about this kind of thing in the Netherlands where they tend to grant planning only for smaller supermarkets in town-centres and with limited parking. It means everybody has access regardless of transport, but it also encourages people out of their cars and into town centres as there simply aren't many other options.
I know where I live it's the other way round. Edge of town supermarkets have grown into hypermarkets and huge retail parks. Most people here haven't set foot in the town centre for years, if not decades. They've no need, it's just an inconvenience. And it's by design.
Maybe if some of those small high street shops opened in the early evening rather than Tuesday morning at 9.30 some people would actually be around to buy something. Shops aren't open so people go and buy it online. It bemuses me when shopkeepers tell you nobodies been in all day. Of course not, they're mostly working whether it's at home or in an office or factory.
Regarding parking spaces for new flats. If someone is paying £650K for a new flat (rough going rate for a 2 bed in West London) then they can probably afford £2K for something to sit outside for the odd occasion when they do want to go somewhere that very good London transport doesn't get them to. It might not make perfect financial sense but it's lot easier than picking up a rental car on a bank holiday weekend. FWIW, I just checked and I've used a tank of petrol since early May but I'll still keep my car and I'll probably replace it if I need to.
With the internet, small towns really have to find a niche that can only be had by visiting. There's a fantastic weekly street market in Machynlleth because the application to open a Tesco was vigorously opposed (they've given up -yay). Short-term, it hit the local economy, but over time (10+yrs) it has developed impressively.
It only seems to work with small places, though. Anywhere 5,000+ population and it's just impossible to make anyone listen to reason.
I know driving shouldn't be encouraged, but many people still use cars and need somewhere to park. Most towns and cities charge for parking, while it's free at out of town superstore. My local town/city is Ely, and parking has been free for years. There are still lots of small independent shops, plus all the others like phone and charity shops.
If you only need one or two things, and the choice is free parking or having to pay, most people will go to the out of town super store, so I don't think all the blame can be put on the internet.
Most towns and cities charge for parking, while it’s free at out of town superstore.
The big problem with town parking is if its free then shop staff and office workers get there first and park there all day. When their customers and clients arrive - rather than it costing money to park - theres nowhere to park at all... other than at supermarkets. Charging for parking is a way of making parking available.
One issue is the supermarket car parks that are only for supermarket customers. It'd be great if they made it clear that you could drive into town to get something from the supermarket and then also wander round town a bit.
We have free parking. It's an absolute shit show, a good proportion of spaces are used by business owners (god forbid a customer may want to park) and the rest is a chaotic mix of streets too narrow to drive in, double yellows (just for show), illegal parking (see previous) and just downright bad driving. I hate trying to park in town, luckily it's only a 10 minute walk, shame the rest of the population don't see it that way, they're too busy asking for the moon on a stick and for retail parks in the middle of the ****ing scheme.
I hate where I live, I know it doesn't really show, but I do. Intensely.
Oh and x2 for opening hours that actually suit the working population.
In most supermarket car parks you get 3 hours free stay and many aren't enforced, no cameras, unlikely to be enforced. Its only the ones that get abused by commuters near stations or people who work in town parking all day that have enforcement. The supermarkets that charge you to park are forced to do so by the local council.
The biggest issue facing the High Street after the internet is rents, landlords can't get their head around the fact that retail property is not worth what is was 20 years ago. They'd rather have and empty unit than keep a struggling business afloat by dropping the rent.
We have free parking. It’s an absolute shit show, a good proportion of spaces are used by business owners (god forbid a customer may want to park) and the rest is a chaotic mix of streets too narrow to drive in, double yellows (just for show), illegal parking (see previous) and just downright bad driving.
Same here. There's a small local supermarket with about 5 spaces next to it, a small - maybe 10 space - car park literally over the single-lane, 1-way road and then a council run car park 30 seconds walk away which is free for the first hour. The only one people care about is the 5 spaces next to the door. If they're not available, they'll park on the pavement, they'll drive round and round and round the small one-way system half a dozen times until a space comes free, they'll park in front of the supermarket loading dock (hazards on of course...)
It's absolute chaos. But this is a local supermarket serving an area within a 5 minute walk.
There's no cycle parking, obviously. That might deprive the needy of a parking spot...
Free parking works, but clearly you need some control. No all day parking, and only free between times which stop commuters parking there instead of the train station car park.
Has Farnham picked up again then as it hadn’t got through the great High Street shutdown completely unscathed when I have visited more recently. I know the big development is still ongoing where they knocked down those shops (shout out to Models of Distinction I used to visit as a young teenager) towards Swain and Jones end and next to the sports centre.
The middle where the cinema was is finally starting to see preparation for the build underway, change of developer seems to have happened.
Flats next to the sports centre are due to finish next year after Covid delays.
Rest of it is busy.
'Welcome to Farnham, here's your sense of entitlement and your Rab jacket...'
Free parking works, but clearly you need some control. No all day parking, and only free between times which stop commuters parking there instead of the train station car park.
Ours is on the statute books so regardless of parking restrictions the police just ignore it and everyone keeps on keeping on. I'm going to be pissing myself when it finally gets decriminalised and half the town gets ticketed in the first week, it'll be glorious. (been coming next year for the past 5 years I think)
Why bother when you can slam through ASDA in 20 minutes?
Because Asda's fresh food is crap.
Parking really doesn't make much difference. My local town has loads, it's £1 short stay or £4 all day. So the parking argument says £1 will stop them coming into town? Yea right.
No-one shops in town, 'cos the shops are cack. The shops are cack 'cos they have no customers. There's no customers 'cos they to out-of-town places instead. No-one has any money 'cos the out-of-town supermarkets and big business have sucked all the profit out. It's a viscous circle.
It’s a viscous circle.
It's a sticky one, for sure.
Parking in Boroughbridge here is free, well, street parking is on a free disc that quite a few shops give out & the main car park is free.
Shops here don't stay closed for long. they usually re-open as yet another beauty shop, a hairdressers or another cafe.
It’s a viscous circle.
& on a slippery slope.
haha yea, just un-sticking people from the driving seat of a car!
Supermarkets have killed the independent shops in my local town. There just isn't room for both.
There really should be a community tax that you have to pay for all profit leaving a 10 mile radius.
The locals do need help though from Councils (favourable planning) and other successful areas/people who have done it before.
Again, each town needs a niche/USP, where you have to visit to benefit from it.
I also live in Ely and agree that the free parking works here. The reason it does is Ely is small and most people can easily walk in to town so the spaces are used by those visiting from neighbouring villages, there is no decent public transport alternative. Ely is also a nice place to visit with the cathedral right in the centre behind the high street and the river a short walk away. There is also a great farmers market.
I worked in retail design for 20 years, nothing the government or local council can do is going to change it back to what it was. And was it actually that great? Many of the stores that have gone are chains which have been replaced by independents that can offer something the Internet can't. Town centres need to be a leisure destination with shops offering services that compiment that. Shops are no longer a destination themselves.
The wide ridge of the summit itself is a bit boring, and downright unpleasant when the clag comes in, but there are fantastic ridges in every direction, stop complaining.
Newcastle, and certainly Sunderland has the life sucked out of them by the massive Metrocentre development - free parking, the usual 'benefits'. Ironically, after a 'forced' trip there today with the family it looks like online is sucking the life out of that too, never seen so many boarded up shops (albeit, prettified to make them have attractive boards, but an empty retail space none the less).
Saying that, knowing a shop manager in the Newcastle, the amount of shoplifting is at a phenominal level and they are basically untouchable (and know it), the police do nothing and becaase its public land they can't ban them (like they can do on out of town spaces).
Chuck in this current inflation/energy price hikes and they'll be less purchaisng too adding to the problem.
For reference my local high street is just charity shops, coffee shops and hairdressers. Even the local post office is now in a petrol station half a mile away. I don't know what you can do to it to make it worth going to.
I think it is in the process of evolving...
Not sure into what, guess what the local population want/need - pound shops or hipster coffee defo not goods you can get delivered and returned at a time that suits.
i wonder if during covid people got out of the habit of going round the shops on a saturday for entertainment.
on the back of internet retail that must have been a final kicking for the high street.
i’m speculating. i avoid the high street.
Loving the puns. The Wimbledon Common one deserved some recognition.
I live in a historic small town that has some great shops, some great independents and some bigger ones like Tesco and Boots. We still have a few empty though.
My kids love a walk down the high Street. Especially if it involves a visit to the book shop, toy shop, bakers or ice cream place.
The high Streets in other towns not too far away can be depressing to visit.
@thenorthwind very good and there are no pound shops or coffee shops on it either
after saying my local to work High Street is thriving...... one major storefront is in their last week, everything must go plastered on the windows.
Mixed feelings - it's a branch of Sweatshop, their original in fact and they have done a lot of good for the running scene. OTOH they are now majorly owned by Sports Direct.... and well, Mike Ashley.