The Empty Shops Of Regent Street
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I find a lot of people blame the out-of-town retail parks for the death of the High Street … and in some towns, I can see how that can be the case.
However, in Wrexham, I think the positioning of the retail parks, in relation to the bus station, the Eagles Meadow development and the other large supermarkets, means that people who are out for an afternoon shopping HAVE to walk through town to get from one to the other.
In my experience, Regent Street, Church Street and Lord Street always seem busy and relatively crowded as people walk from the bus station to Eagles Meadow, or from Island Green to Tesco … apart from where Sainsburys and B&Q are, the other retail parks are not really “out of town”, they’re right in town, arranged in a ring, so that to visit them you are forced to pass through the centre of town. I actually think that, for once, that is a good bit of planning … it means there is heavy footfall on all the streets of the town centre.
So why are so many shops closing? The simple answer is, I don’t know! But I think it’s defeatist to just blame it on the retail parks as if there’s nothing we can do about it. The streets are busy! The people are there! The retail parks haven’t taken everybody away from town, they’ve kept them in town!
So what we need to be asking is what the real reasons for the other shops closing is? Are the rates too high? Are the retail parks offering incentives that the high street units aren’t? Is there something the council can do to match the appeal of the other big operators?
it seems to me though, the retail parks are the destination, the middle of town is the journey.
the major chains move to the retail parks because of floor space and storage and air conditioning etc.
as those businesses move out of the high street, the shops are left vacant and the people who used to visit are now aiming for the retail park.
going into shops on the way there, is an unnecessary stop on the way to the destination. the more stops that are made, the more shopping they miss out on.
in order to make the high streets a destination again, they need to have a draw.
that used to be major chains but now it has to be something else. any shop that opens on regent street or hope street that does what a major chain does in eagles meadow, is going to struggle. shops opening on these streets need a target demographic that is completely different to what it used to be.
considering that targeting a totally different demographic could be risky, the rates need to be looked at. that’s just for starters.New Look are to close 100 shops nationwide, I hope the Wrexham shop is not one of them, their shop is one of the biggest in town , in the old Littlewoods store. Fingers crossed!
I took some photos of what I believe to be the backbone of hope street.
I realise this topic is about empty shops on regents street but i can’t think of any empty shops on regent street but i can think of lots of empty shops on hope street…..these shops, I believe to be the strongest shops that could be used as a starting point to think about what new businesses could open on this street.
Has anyone been to chirk car boot recently and seen how busy it is and how much money is changing hands. There is a definite need for stalls and the like and maybe a side section for car boot items. Call me silly but it could be worth a shot.it would bring the footfall as proven in every car boot crammed carpark. As for a location well there is probably no better place than the field right outside the council buildings. Access all round, large area. They hold a few things on there so why not. Would also bridge both parts of town
As a previous blogger wrote we need to remove pound shops to improve our image. They still pay tax and tax on millions of one pound coins is better than no tax on a non existent image. We have to face facts. We are not like Chester nor can compete with them. We just have to give the customers a different reason to come to Wrexham and there are a lot of people willing to come to Wrexham if its Cheaper. Its all money.
Julian Graves another national chain have been placed into administration today. So another shop in the town with a question mark over its future.
@alexio1982 1410 wrote:
As for a location well there is probably no better place than the field right outside the council buildings.
Chief exec would not allow it as it would be unsightly for them! They banned ball games and are hoping to move the bandstand!
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