Comments on: Kill the High Street then nationalise it http://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2009/04/14/kill-the-high-street-then-nationalise-it/ Incisive and topical campaigns and commentary on today's issues and tomorrow's problems Thu, 09 Feb 2012 20:05:58 +0000 hourly 1 By: Liz http://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2009/04/14/kill-the-high-street-then-nationalise-it/#comment-14241 Liz Fri, 17 Apr 2009 10:48:50 +0000 http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/?p=3389#comment-14241 John, "Over the Easter period I have visited a couple of our Cathedral cities. I was unhappy but not surprised to see just how much decay there now is in middle England. Empty shop properties are gnawing away at the heart of the commercial centres like death watch beetle in the timbers of society.Litter and graffitti were testimony to the lack of pride and discipline. Public space has become no man’s land. Concerned adults are too frigthened to complain if someone litters or abuses it." =============== I am surprised you haven't mentioned Wokingham, your own constituency. The town centre is becoming a joke as shop after shop now stands empty. It is a sad and disgraceful state of affairs, for Wokingham is renowned as one of the wealthiest and nicest places to love in the country. I should know, as I pay enough for the privilege of doing so! Even in the car and moving, you see a whole parades of shops empty now. My family run a small retail shop in a nearby village - rents/rates in Wokingham were ridiculously and prohibitively high. Only the identikit chain stores, coffee bars and charities remain, with maybe 1-2 small retailers hanging on by their fingernails. There has long been talk of a town centre regeneration, but it seems our council have managed to design the deal such that the developers hold the cards and the council can do nothing about delays but fob off citizens when we protest. This is before the low level nuisances of graffiti and litter - butthese are cmparitively easy to rectify. Look to your own back yard John, before worrying about the other towns. I'd be happy to take a walk through town with you. Focus on making Wokingham the place it should be first. ATB Liz Reply: Would that I could. I have often held meetings with the Council and the developer to try to get them to reach an agreement and do something. The Council have decided to seek a new developer, and I am impatiently awaiting progress from them in their quest.An MP has no budget and no planning powers to sort these things out. I would love to be able to. John,

“Over the Easter period I have visited a couple of our Cathedral cities. I was unhappy but not surprised to see just how much decay there now is in middle England. Empty shop properties are gnawing away at the heart of the commercial centres like death watch beetle in the timbers of society.Litter and graffitti were testimony to the lack of pride and discipline. Public space has become no man’s land. Concerned adults are too frigthened to complain if someone litters or abuses it.”
===============

I am surprised you haven’t mentioned Wokingham, your own constituency. The town centre is becoming a joke as shop after shop now stands empty. It is a sad and disgraceful state of affairs, for Wokingham is renowned as one of the wealthiest and nicest places to love in the country. I should know, as I pay enough for the privilege of doing so!

Even in the car and moving, you see a whole parades of shops empty now. My family run a small retail shop in a nearby village – rents/rates in Wokingham were ridiculously and prohibitively high. Only the identikit chain stores, coffee bars and charities remain, with maybe 1-2 small retailers hanging on by their fingernails.

There has long been talk of a town centre regeneration, but it seems our council have managed to design the deal such that the developers hold the cards and the council can do nothing about delays but fob off citizens when we protest. This is before the low level nuisances of graffiti and litter – butthese are cmparitively easy to rectify.

Look to your own back yard John, before worrying about the other towns. I’d be happy to take a walk through town with you. Focus on making Wokingham the place it should be first.

ATB
Liz

Reply: Would that I could. I have often held meetings with the Council and the developer to try to get them to reach an agreement and do something. The Council have decided to seek a new developer, and I am impatiently awaiting progress from them in their quest.An MP has no budget and no planning powers to sort these things out. I would love to be able to.

]]> By: Steve Tierney http://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2009/04/14/kill-the-high-street-then-nationalise-it/#comment-14240 Steve Tierney Wed, 15 Apr 2009 16:48:56 +0000 http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/?p=3389#comment-14240 I dont disagree that the town center has problems. Many town centres do. I've been active myself in bringing issues to the fore about action that needs to be taken at Town, District and County levels (and still am.) The only reason I commented was that John Redwood was saying quite a lot of things and your response that "Wisbech was exactly like that at 9PM" was a little more extreme than just saying the town center had some issues. If I misunderstood your comment, then I'm sorry. But I felt a little protective of Wisbech, which is a place I've come to love. I dont disagree that the town center has problems.

Many town centres do.

I’ve been active myself in bringing issues to the fore about action that needs to be taken at Town, District and County levels (and still am.)

The only reason I commented was that John Redwood was saying quite a lot of things and your response that “Wisbech was exactly like that at 9PM” was a little more extreme than just saying the town center had some issues. If I misunderstood your comment, then I’m sorry. But I felt a little protective of Wisbech, which is a place I’ve come to love.

]]> By: mikestallard http://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2009/04/14/kill-the-high-street-then-nationalise-it/#comment-14239 mikestallard Wed, 15 Apr 2009 14:51:45 +0000 http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/?p=3389#comment-14239 I was brought up here! My Aunt Joy nearly married the curate of St Augustine's except that he was gay......My grandfather was the Vicar. My father retired here. I love the place. Yes, as a port, it has always been rough, but nice rough. This is not the place, really, to discuss just one town. But do read our local paper today and see that I am not the only voice who thinks the town centre is in decay. I was brought up here! My Aunt Joy nearly married the curate of St Augustine’s except that he was gay……My grandfather was the Vicar. My father retired here. I love the place. Yes, as a port, it has always been rough, but nice rough.
This is not the place, really, to discuss just one town. But do read our local paper today and see that I am not the only voice who thinks the town centre is in decay.

]]> By: Donitz http://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2009/04/14/kill-the-high-street-then-nationalise-it/#comment-14238 Donitz Wed, 15 Apr 2009 09:56:03 +0000 http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/?p=3389#comment-14238 Lobby the local Council to attack this mean spirited chap with the infamous s106 agreement, otherwise known as the Local Authority Bribe. Lobby the local Council to attack this mean spirited chap with the infamous s106 agreement, otherwise known as the Local Authority Bribe.

]]> By: Stuart Fairney http://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2009/04/14/kill-the-high-street-then-nationalise-it/#comment-14237 Stuart Fairney Wed, 15 Apr 2009 08:14:08 +0000 http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/?p=3389#comment-14237 What is it with you and sovereign rings? My bete noir is the baseball cap or perhaps the tatoo that is so rebellious (in a conformist sort of way) What is it with you and sovereign rings?

My bete noir is the baseball cap or perhaps the tatoo that is so rebellious (in a conformist sort of way)

]]> By: DBC Reed http://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2009/04/14/kill-the-high-street-then-nationalise-it/#comment-14236 DBC Reed Wed, 15 Apr 2009 07:07:13 +0000 http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/?p=3389#comment-14236 More haste less speed. I mistyped Resale Price Maintenance above and also messed up "relegalised" RPM in the States. If you read the online commentary from the States about the Leegin vs PSKS case which rehabilitated RPM ,you will see that a lot of people seem to think that it will help to bolster small specialist shops ( as the Net Book Agreement did for bookshops in the UK) and also rein in Internet discounting. The two biggest bits of social engineering in the UK,with the most destructive effects on everyday life , were both carried out by Conservative governments : the abolition of schedule A taxation on home ownership and the abolition of RPM. More haste less speed. I mistyped Resale Price Maintenance above and also messed up “relegalised” RPM in the States.
If you read the online commentary from the States about the Leegin vs PSKS case which rehabilitated RPM ,you will see that a lot of people seem to think that it will help to bolster small specialist shops ( as the Net Book
Agreement did for bookshops in the UK) and also rein in Internet discounting.
The two biggest bits of social engineering in the UK,with the most destructive effects on everyday life , were both carried out by Conservative governments : the abolition of schedule A taxation on home ownership and the abolition of RPM.

]]> By: Derek http://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2009/04/14/kill-the-high-street-then-nationalise-it/#comment-14235 Derek Wed, 15 Apr 2009 01:34:44 +0000 http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/?p=3389#comment-14235 The internet, poor business model etc. are factors, but largely a distraction. The major problem is the leases and landlords (business rates, though onerous, are a loose function of rent). I still feel many people here have let the government off the hook too easily. How did the landlords have so much money to spend on chasing retail property prices higher and higher and then expecting to push up rental income to pay for it? The answer is the money wasn't the landlord's it was borrowed and whose fault was it the economy was awash with money to borrow at unsustainably low rates? The person who made the BoE independent. Napoleon queried the country's readiness for war by dismissing us as a 'Nation of Shopkeepers'. Well thanks to this government we won't even be that anymore. The internet, poor business model etc. are factors, but largely a distraction.

The major problem is the leases and landlords (business rates, though onerous, are a loose function of rent). I still feel many people here have let the government off the hook too easily.

How did the landlords have so much money to spend on chasing retail property prices higher and higher and then expecting to push up rental income to pay for it?

The answer is the money wasn’t the landlord’s it was borrowed and whose fault was it the economy was awash with money to borrow at unsustainably low rates?

The person who made the BoE independent.

Napoleon queried the country’s readiness for war by dismissing us as a ‘Nation of Shopkeepers’. Well thanks to this government we won’t even be that anymore.

]]> By: From the Rule of Law to New Labour « Manicbeancounter’s Weblog http://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2009/04/14/kill-the-high-street-then-nationalise-it/#comment-14234 From the Rule of Law to New Labour « Manicbeancounter’s Weblog Tue, 14 Apr 2009 23:32:39 +0000 http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/?p=3389#comment-14234 [...] Rule of Law to New Labour 2009 April 14 by manicbeancounter John Redwood blogged today on “Killing the High Street”. I started to write a post, but went off topic onto wider issues. I therefore publish my post [...] [...] Rule of Law to New Labour 2009 April 14 by manicbeancounter John Redwood blogged today on “Killing the High Street”. I started to write a post, but went off topic onto wider issues. I therefore publish my post [...]

]]> By: alan jutson http://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2009/04/14/kill-the-high-street-then-nationalise-it/#comment-14233 alan jutson Tue, 14 Apr 2009 23:00:45 +0000 http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/?p=3389#comment-14233 Ruth I did say PARTLY DUE. It certainly is not the whole reason, but a growing one. Certainly rent and rates are a big factor as you say, but by your own admission you say you cannot afford a shop, and that does not surprise me. Most independent shop owners feel the same. I had a number of showrooms many years ago, but after doing the figures it no longer made sense to keep them going, so I work from home as well. But if we all did that, and more will, then the high streets would die of independents, and they (high streets) would all become look a likes, which is very much the case now. Like you my Company prides itself on service and value for a bespoke product, but after 29 years in business it is getting harder and harder to make sensible margins. Ruth
I did say PARTLY DUE.
It certainly is not the whole reason, but a growing one.
Certainly rent and rates are a big factor as you say, but by your own admission you say you cannot afford a shop, and that does not surprise me.
Most independent shop owners feel the same.
I had a number of showrooms many years ago, but after doing the figures it no longer made sense to keep them going, so I work from home as well.
But if we all did that, and more will, then the high streets would die of independents, and they (high streets) would all become look a likes, which is very much the case now.
Like you my Company prides itself on service and value for a bespoke product, but after 29 years in business it is getting harder and harder to make sensible margins.

]]> By: Steve Tierney http://johnredwoodsdiary.com/2009/04/14/kill-the-high-street-then-nationalise-it/#comment-14232 Steve Tierney Tue, 14 Apr 2009 21:59:04 +0000 http://www.johnredwoodsdiary.com/?p=3389#comment-14232 Mike, I have a great deal of respect for you, but that's a bit strong. Wisbech does indeed have empty shops, but no more so than other suffering market towns right now. But we don't have the "rip off parking" (most parking is free still, with a little at fairly low prices.) We don't have too many 'ugly building given recent planning permission'. Most of our buildings are old, but historic. We do have a 'rough element' around at night, but again, no more so than many towns of this type. Furthermore, I'm often out at night and haven't encountered any significant problem in the town center. I'm sure we have cameras, but they're (by all accounts) seldom turned on and not really 'pervasive' (you can't see them everywhere.) We do have a problem (as I said above) with there being too many betting and charity shops and not much else, but that is a different problem to the one being described here. Like many towns, we have problems. But I don't feel Wisbech is any worse (and in some cases is much better) than many towns which have suffered under Labour's reign. Wisbech is, in some respects, a rough place. This is because it has some areas of deprivation which need to be addressed. But it suffers from a reputation which, I feel, is not fully deserved. Mike, I have a great deal of respect for you, but that’s a bit strong.

Wisbech does indeed have empty shops, but no more so than other suffering market towns right now.

But we don’t have the “rip off parking” (most parking is free still, with a little at fairly low prices.)

We don’t have too many ‘ugly building given recent planning permission’. Most of our buildings are old, but historic.

We do have a ‘rough element’ around at night, but again, no more so than many towns of this type. Furthermore, I’m often out at night and haven’t encountered any significant problem in the town center.

I’m sure we have cameras, but they’re (by all accounts) seldom turned on and not really ‘pervasive’ (you can’t see them everywhere.)

We do have a problem (as I said above) with there being too many betting and charity shops and not much else, but that is a different problem to the one being described here.

Like many towns, we have problems. But I don’t feel Wisbech is any worse (and in some cases is much better) than many towns which have suffered under Labour’s reign.

Wisbech is, in some respects, a rough place. This is because it has some areas of deprivation which need to be addressed. But it suffers from a reputation which, I feel, is not fully deserved.

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