Why do you like where you live?

[ebikeerwidnes]

I saw a programme many years ago about why town centres are declining

One of the points was an interview with a landlord of a shop where the occupant was moving out
it was a bigish national brand and they had decided to "rationalise"

They asked hm whaty he would be doing to get a new tenant and his answer was
"nothing - in fact less than nothing - I will be actively discouraging anyone from taking over the lease"

which seems a bit confusing - so why??

turns out that the national chain had a long term contract which it had to maintain
so they would keep paying their rent
but the rates to the local counsil would stop as the shop was unoccupied - which are paid by the landlord

so the landlord still got his rent
but no longer had to pay rates
so overall he was delighted
the town centre had a big blank space making it look down-at-heel and unattractive, the council were down the rates - but the landlord was dancing a happy dance

The point being - and the landlord di make this point - that the arrangement for how much people pay to have a shop in the town centre is totally screwed

there is this ludicrous rates thing
a lot of places get taken up by charity shops when the lease expires
but charity shops don;t pay rates because they are charity shops - but do take up a space
o overall the council is expected to keep the High Street nice but everything is set up to take funds away from them at a time when they have other priorities


hence the High Street in towns gets less and less attractive to the average shopper and the counsel has no means to make the shops more attractive and encourage people to start up


that was a while ago but I have seen nothing to say it has changed

 

[TLW1]

In a village near Shrewsbury.

Footpath into the woods from the drive and a decent pub a few houses away and a really social village, love it here.

Then into Shrewsbury for a nicer meal / bigger night out

 

[Moodyman]

Crikey are you psychic!

I worked nr the White Rose for many years and cycled to work, so got to know the area well. That, and your profile says you’re based in South West Leeds. 😁

 

[presta]

UK town centres going downhill and being populated only by national chains (tacky or not) seems to be a near-universal trend.

The reason I used to go to Colchester or Chelmsford rather than shopping here in Braintree is that most our shops are small independents, and I like the big stores where you can go in, look at stuff, and then walk out again, all unnoticed.

Buying bike stuff is a good example of why, because most bike shops are small independents, and I used to be a regular in all the shops:

When I was buying anything for the bike, I used to do the rounds of all the bike shops, look at what they have, then go back and buy whatever I preferred. That meant that each shopkeeper would typically see my face about six times more often than they saw my wallet. In due course I got a snipe from the guy in Colchester Cycles once, because he thought I was buying everything online after looking at it in his shop first, so I went home and totted up all the cycling kit I'd bought in the several years since I bought the bike.

What I found was that I'd spent more on the High St. than I had online, and more in his shop than I had in any other, even after excluding the cost of the bike itself, which was also bought on the High St.

This is why I hate small shops so much. The deafening silence as you browse the shelves with the shopkeeper's eyes drilling a hole in your back as he thinks "go on, buy something". Batting away the "Can I help" and "Is there anything in particular you're looking for" etc. Feeling obliged to buy because he's just spent ten minutes rummaging through the stockroom for something. Being unhelpful after they've decided you're a timewaster who never buys anything...

 

[BoldonLad]

I saw a programme many years ago about why town centres are declining

One of the points was an interview with a landlord of a shop where the occupant was moving out
it was a bigish national brand and they had decided to "rationalise"

They asked hm whaty he would be doing to get a new tenant and his answer was
"nothing - in fact less than nothing - I will be actively discouraging anyone from taking over the lease"

which seems a bit confusing - so why??

turns out that the national chain had a long term contract which it had to maintain
so they would keep paying their rent
but the rates to the local counsil would stop as the shop was unoccupied - which are paid by the landlord

so the landlord still got his rent
but no longer had to pay rates
so overall he was delighted
the town centre had a big blank space making it look down-at-heel and unattractive, the council were down the rates - but the landlord was dancing a happy dance

The point being - and the landlord di make this point - that the arrangement for how much people pay to have a shop in the town centre is totally screwed

there is this ludicrous rates thing
a lot of places get taken up by charity shops when the lease expires
but charity shops don;t pay rates because they are charity shops - but do take up a space
o overall the council is expected to keep the High Street nice but everything is set up to take funds away from them at a time when they have other priorities


hence the High Street in towns gets less and less attractive to the average shopper and the counsel has no means to make the shops more attractive and encourage people to start up


that was a while ago but I have seen nothing to say it has changed

I always thought that Commercial Premises (such as shops) pay Business Rates. Business Rates go to Central Government, rather than Local Government, and, are then redistributed by Central Government to Local Government. Business Rates are payable on vacant properties, although, there are allowances and exemptions. If a property is empty, but, still under lease, the lease holder is liable for the business rates.

Finally, I believe the level of Business Rates are set by National Government (ie it is devolved).

I could be wrong on some or all of the above, it has been known

 

[Dadam]

I worked nr the White Rose for many years and cycled to work, so got to know the area well. That, and your profile says you’re based in South West Leeds. 😁

Yes I was being slightly facetious. I've also posted that I live in Morley more than once.

 

[blackrat]

"In the UK, the trend has been to move out of town (to live), why would you then travel into town/city centre, to shop, when you can buy online and have it delivered to your door?"
Same here in the states. Bricks and mortar shops are closing because most people are too (lazy?) to go shopping in person and would rather buy-on-line. Then many complain the shopping streets are nothing but empty buildings.
In addition to that, most Amazon deliverers drive private cars and are totally transfixed on their routing devices and don't mind running into pedestrians and cyclists as they race through the streets.
The world has gone mad!

 

[PhotoNic69]

In a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Surrounded by hills, lots of hills and open countryside. Plenty of cycling opportunities if you like hills.

What's not to like? It would seem quite a lot as the old codgers on local FB pages constantly moan about the Council, services, state of the roads/pavements/rubbish/gulls/empty shops etc etc.
Apparently it was sooo much better in the 50s and 60s etc...

 

[BoldonLad]

In a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Surrounded by hills, lots of hills and open countryside. Plenty of cycling opportunities if you like hills.

What's not to like? It would seem quite a lot as the old codgers on local FB pages constantly moan about the Council, services, state of the roads/pavements/rubbish/gulls/empty shops etc etc.
Apparently it was sooo much better in the 50s and 60s etc...

Being of 1947 vintage, the only three things that I recall being better in the 1950s and 1960s are:
1. Parks were better kept
2. Music was better
3. I was young

😂

 

[Drago]

Being of 1947 vintage, the only three things that I recall being better in the 1950s and 1960s are:
1. Parks were better kept
2. Music was better
3. I was young

😂

4. V bombers.
5. The remains of the empire.
6. The Queen.
7. Pathe News.
8. Austin A30.
9. Britain got the bomb.

 

[Homers Double]

Bury is ok, my ride today takes me past The Rock. The new bit is very windy though, a strange phenomenon and somewhere in Leeds has something similar and engineers have designed baffles to counter it.

That said the sirloin steak from the big butchers in the market always tasted earthy to me so I’ve stopped buying from there.

 

[Dave7]

Being of 1947 vintage, the only three things that I recall being better in the 1950s and 1960s are:
1. Parks were better kept
2. Music was better
3. I was young

😂

Don't forget the mini skirts, particularly before tights took over from stockings. The world never recovered

 

[BoldonLad]

Don't forget the mini skirts, particularly before tights took over from stockings. The world never recovered

Don't want to think about them, not good for my BP

 

[Drago]

Don't forget the mini skirts, particularly before tights took over from stockings. The world never recovered

And now the men wear them too!

 

[figbat]

I live in a small South Oxfordshire village in the North Wessex Downs, in the shadow of the Ridgeway. As a mountain and gravel biker it is fantastic - access to a large network of bridleways, byways and ancient routes means I can cycle for hours without using a road. I also have access to the A34 meaning I can drive north/south easily, and access the M4 or the M40. One hour’s drive to Heathrow, or we have a reasonable bus service to the nearest town with a station on the Paddington main line.

Our local pub has just been refurbished and reopened, with several other decent ones nearby and a CAMRA national pub of the year in easy riding distance.

The village has a good community and I have several cycling mates here.