Wyevale Garden Centre

[Aylestone Voice]

I popped up today but due to the exorbitant prices my wallet stayed shut.

But I did notice that inside the space has almost entirely been divided up into little stores - Brantano shoes - Mountain Warehouse - Books - Bedding - Woollen Mill - etc.

I know there has been a debate about the OLM and its impact and I know some of these stores are already in town but there would be less empty shops if these were in town and Wyevale remained as a garden centre and not a shopping centre.

What do you think? Should/can the Council do anything about it?

[Biomech]

I think "shared space" is starting to make an impact in retail. There have been franchises within stores for a long time - like Starbucks in book shops. But looking at what is apparently OUTFIT on the OLM is Dorothy Perkins, Wallis, Burton...  a lot of companies under one roof. I'm guessing that we're going to see an increase in this of the coming years

[Cambo]

There's nothing new about shared retail space if you take any shopping centre or retail park there all shared space but on a much bigger scale?

On a smaller scale you could use the butter market as an example although there all individually owned there still sharing the space under one roof & department stores such as Selfridges will have areas in there clothing sections set aside for individual brands & makes!

So personally I have nothing against wyevale doing this if it helps there business?

[Biomech]

Like I said, people have had franchises like coffee shops in book shops for years, but what we have here (on the OLM) is one unit/shop that houses 5-6 shops. That isn't something that has been common in the past but is noticebly coming into effect

[H.Wilson]

There has always been concessions within Wyevale as long as I can remember, yes I notice that now there are more but what can the council do about it? How they operate their business is down to them surely? Plus they employ quite a lot of people. They also have an insight restaurant (which is also very expensive) did you use that?

 

I was in a Tesco in Manchester recently and they had a Costa Coffee which was inside the store, so even the big players have them. 

 

Go into most garden centres nowadays and you will find all sorts of other products besides garden items.

[Biomech]

I imagine it's more cost effective - until the council start(?) charging rates based on occupants and not units.