Biomech Posted January 26, 2015 Report Posted January 26, 2015 Then there is Swarovski, River Island, Joules, l'Occitane, Paperchase and Tiger Don't forget we already had River Island as well. And when you take into account that "Outift" is actually one building full of different shops; Burton, DP, Topman, Topshop, Wallis - we had all of them before. The food section - while nice and enjoyable, is exactly the same as every other city, almost to the point that it's a blueprint copy. Before Ragwerts starts again - as I've said many many times before, the development is great and better than what was there, the objections I have is the way it has been done. The lies, deceit, the poaching of shops and the complete lack of variety. Nothing but clothes shops and food. Where are the computer shops? Toy shops? Where's the choice? I don't go to the OLM not out of protest, but simply because there is nothing there for me. (I have tried the odeon a few times, very expensive, but what can you do aye)
ragwert Posted February 14, 2015 Report Posted February 14, 2015 No 4 in Widemarsh Stree.,Both opening soon as Tailor Printers
ragwert Posted February 14, 2015 Report Posted February 14, 2015 No 11 let.........at long lastNo 14 letNo 26 (old fired earth shop) let
SON OF GRIDKNOCKER Posted February 16, 2015 Report Posted February 16, 2015 The empty shop (probably been empty for the longest time) in this depressing photo-survey is that of Chadds. Big two-storey unit in a prime location. Unless the freeholders are asking an absurdly high rent, I simply cannot understand why it remains unoccupied. Does anybody know whether the Chadd family still owns the freehold?
dippyhippy Posted February 16, 2015 Report Posted February 16, 2015 Morning Grid Knocker! Great to see you posting again! We had a discussion about this a while ago, on another thread.....I am sure Aylestone Voice made some enquiries and confirmed that they do still own the building. If I can find the thread, I'll point you in the direction of it!
ragwert Posted March 4, 2015 Report Posted March 4, 2015 No 43 14/15 high town extensive internal alterations and single story extension at rear begin this month,wonder what's going there
Aylestone Voice Posted March 5, 2015 Report Posted March 5, 2015 I think Ragwert you will find that 14/15 High Town is the new Costa which is open
ragwert Posted March 5, 2015 Report Posted March 5, 2015 I think Ragwert you will find that 14/15 High Town is the new Costa which is open Went for a look today :-)
dippyhippy Posted March 11, 2015 Report Posted March 11, 2015 Good news! The little pop up florist which was open in The OLM over Christmas, have opened a proper shop in East Street, opposite Mike Gell, the jewellers. It's a fab little shop, so if you need a bunch of flowers for your Mum on Sunday, may I suggest you call in? It's called The Great British Florist, and their motto is.... "Grown Not Flown." Wishing them every success. Could I also make a plea for folks to support Nutters, in Capuchin Yard, off Church Street? They have noticed a down turn in trade, and I think maybe people sometimes forget they are there. The food is top notch, and if you don't have time to sit down to eat, you can have it as a take away. It's always freshly prepared, uses local produce and the service is warm and friendly. Unfortunately, Studio 25, which had opened at the top of Church Street has closed. A real shame, I thought they would have done well there.
Harry Beynon Posted March 20, 2015 Report Posted March 20, 2015 Colin Please send this montage to Our Beloved Leader, Councillor Johnson. He has apparently made the recent assessment that the OLM has had no effect on the historic centre and that tales of empty shops are anecdotal and a fiction!
megilleland Posted March 20, 2015 Report Posted March 20, 2015 Colin Please send this montage to Our Beloved Leader, Councillor Johnson. He has apparently made the recent assessment that the OLM has had no effect on the historic centre and that tales of empty shops are anecdotal and a fiction! A bit like the Conservative Budget presentation by George Osborne - it sounded fantastic, but apparently they pursuing their policy of cut, cut and more cuts. Do we really need another five years of this treatment?
ragwert Posted March 20, 2015 Report Posted March 20, 2015 Colin Please send this montage to Our Beloved Leader, Councillor Johnson. He has apparently made the recent assessment that the OLM has had no effect on the historic centre and that tales of empty shops are anecdotal and a fiction! Did we not have empty shops before it opened? From my point of view visiting the City around three or four times a week the foot fall has increased by hell of a lot,Yes we still have empty shops and always will do unless we think of alternative uses for them. What I want to see is that fire damaged blot on our City removed and also the butter market revamped
ragwert Posted March 20, 2015 Report Posted March 20, 2015 Mothercare is to close on the 30th March,more trouble for Maylords
megilleland Posted March 20, 2015 Report Posted March 20, 2015 Interesting piece here on Radio 4 - You & Yours (Starts at 05:45) Before the economic crash a lot of high street retailers weren't concerned about how much they paid in business rates. The good times were rolling and retail profits were growing. But then shops began to close - vacancy rates in town centres increased and rents began to fall. But business rates, which are calculated on the rentable value of a shop, remained high. Many companies think they may have over paid on their business rates - some estimate by £1 billion. They've only have to the 31st March to try and get it back.
dippyhippy Posted March 20, 2015 Report Posted March 20, 2015 Hi Ragwert, do you know if Mothercare are closing to relocate, or closing all together? I ask because they also incorporate Early Learning Centre, since their High Town store closed a few years back. So in essence, we could be losing two high street names.
Harry Beynon Posted March 20, 2015 Report Posted March 20, 2015 Don't want to make this a duologue, Ragwert, but there were several shops empty in the city before the OLM opened for a very simple reason - the historic core was blighted for years by the certain knowledge that a new centre would be opening on the other side of the ring road. No national retailer would seriously contemplate taking a lease in the central retail area knowing that brand-new premises would be available RENT-FREE in the OLM in the near future. Considering that most leases are fully-repairing, it is a no-brainer to consider an ancient city centre premises when new maintenance-free premises are coming available at zero rents. If anyone wishes to disagree with my synopsis, I challenge anyone to prove that any occupant of major premises in the OLM has paid rent in the first year. If I am proved wrong, I will happily donate £500 to my ultimate home - Hereford Hospice! On the other hand, Ragwert, I agree entirely that the revival of the historic core requires action on the Buttermarket and the burnt-out River Island site. On the latter, the owners are now in administration (after having taken the insurance monies) and this presents an opportunity for the Council to take control of the building and create a valuable community-based asset.
ragwert Posted March 20, 2015 Report Posted March 20, 2015 Hi Ragwert, do you know if Mothercare are closing to relocate, or closing all together? I ask because they also incorporate Early Learning Centre, since their High Town store closed a few years back. So in essence, we could be losing two high street names. They are closing down.I have a relative who works there.
greenknight Posted March 20, 2015 Report Posted March 20, 2015 I think we might be adding Posies the florists as well. They have closing down signs all over the shop window!
twowheelsgood Posted March 20, 2015 Report Posted March 20, 2015 Rents traditionally fall due on quarter days ie at the end of March, June, September and December. Combined with the post Christmas lull, the end of March will see a number of shops closing before they have to commit to a further 3 months rent. Of course, shops not paying rent have no such worries.
megilleland Posted March 21, 2015 Report Posted March 21, 2015 I was listening to Radio 4 - You & Yours (starts at 05:50) and this piece on the business rates came up. Worth a few minutes of a retailer's time, but they only have till the end of this month to lodge an appeal whch could get them a rebate over the last 5 years. Before the economic crash a lot of high street retailers weren't concerned about how much they paid in business rates. The good times were rolling and retail profits were growing. But then shops began to close - vacancy rates in town centres increased and rents began to fall. But business rates, which are calculated on the rentable value of a shop, remained high. Many companies think they may have over paid on their business rates - some estimate by £1 billion. They've only have to the 31st March to try and get it back.
Ubique Posted March 23, 2015 Report Posted March 23, 2015 Saw the below on BBC Coventry and Warwickshire , appears to be a general trend The research also showed that West Midlands as a whole had fewer stores opening than closing during 2014, with 524 outlets closed compared to 371 openings. This equates to a net reduction of 153 shops across the region.
megilleland Posted March 27, 2015 Report Posted March 27, 2015 Another survey and surprised to see Hereford in at No 5 on the Healthiest High Streets league. A league table of the "unhealthiest High Streets" has named Preston as the UK's worst offender. The Royal Society for Public Health assessed 70 areas in the UK according to the types of businesses found there. Bookmakers, loan shops, tanning salons and fast-food outlets were viewed as having a "negative impact" on public health, while leisure centres and health services were deemed positive. Shrewsbury, in Shropshire, was named as having the "healthiest" High Street. The society has called for a limit of 5% of each "unhealthy" type of business on a High Street to avoid saturation. Businesses were scored by more than 2,000 members of the public, and by public health and local government experts, on the extent to which they encouraged healthy choices, promoted social interaction, provided access to health advice and promoted positive mental wellbeing. The league table was drawn up based on scores and the prevalence of each type of businesses in each High Street. The research found that towns and cities in the north of England and the Midlands were more likely to have higher concentrations of businesses which were deemed potentially harmful to the public's health. Britain's "healthiest High Streets" ranked 1. Shrewsbury 2. Ayr 3. Salisbury 4. Perth 5. Hereford 6. Carlisle 7. Cambridge 8. Cheltenham 9. York 10. Bristol
Denise Lloyd Posted March 28, 2015 Report Posted March 28, 2015 Simply Stunning is vacating to make way for a restaurant (chain) yawn. But far sadder than this Treasure Island/Styles for Life and Hooked on Books have now shut up shop. They have placed a half page announcement in this weeks HT - such a shame.
Mick Posted March 28, 2015 Report Posted March 28, 2015 I know the owner of Simply Stunning and he bought the building as an investment, he was made an offer for the premises that he could not refuse, the store in Hereford was never going to be long term, still better than an empty building.
H.Wilson Posted March 31, 2015 Report Posted March 31, 2015 With the closures of Mothercare, Topshop and Sirius a few more empty units to add the this miserable looking list.
atm63 Posted April 11, 2015 Report Posted April 11, 2015 After visiting the new part ( still with empty units) we went to Maylord Orchards, I was shocked at how many were empty. I doubt they will be taken any time soon.
Mick Posted April 12, 2015 Report Posted April 12, 2015 I think if the re-vampted the Butter Market it would help.
Paul Neades Posted April 14, 2015 Report Posted April 14, 2015 Mick I agree, the Butter market is in the heart of the city and should be thriving, it's a shame that Conmercial Street is going down hill fast, it's obvious that the shopping citcuit has changed with people parking in Merton meadow and OLM then heading into town via Widemarsh St, then into the centre and turn around when they see all the empty shops. There was an idea that the landlords should put up displays in the shops to make them appealing and not looks like empty ruins.
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