What is the future for Shoebury shopping parade? (From Echo)
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What is the future for Shoebury shopping parade?
1:40pm Thursday 17th November 2011 in Southend By George Thorpe
What is the future for Shoebury shopping parade?
TRADERS have demanded help to save a parade of shops from closing.
Several stores stand empty in West Road, one of two main shopping parades in Shoebury, including the old post office.
Kevin Mylroie, 60, whose father bought Mylroie butchers in 1959, has gone from five employees to just himself and a part-time assistant.
He said: “You only have to look out on the street and you notice the only time there are a lot of people around is when the school kids are out for lunch, or the end of the day.”
There are few independent traders left and Mr Mylroie believes the answer lies with the Government easing business rates and the council helping out.
He explained: “I own my shop, so I do not have to panic about rent, but others are not so fortunate, so maybe more thought needs to be put into cutting rates.
“Also there are a load of restaurants and takeaways down this road, so many in fact that someone living around here could spend a whole week eating something different every day.
“However, these places do not bring trade in during the day so perhaps the council needs to think harder about what type of business could get trade moving here.”
Derek Jarvis, Tory councillor for West Shoebury, said the council was limited in what it could do, but said surrounding developments may halt the decline of the parade.
He said: “We do want to try to improve the look of the street. We are talking to people to get more shops there and little by little I think it is improving.
“When you consider the Garrison development is being done nearby, I think there are some good signs for traders there.”
Angela Edwards, who runs Taylor Edwards Locksmiths, added: “We do feel like a forgotten street.
“Business rates for properties keep rising, so that is having a negative effect on trade, yet the Government and the council seem to do little to help the problem.
“Some of us would also like more to be done to make the street look attractive over Christmas.”
Comments(6)
OneManOneVoice
says...
4:15pm Thu 17 Nov 11
sav25 wrote:Very good point on the second bit - when I go home needing bits and pieces I would rather go to a butcher to get a few bits of chicken, beef etc - but its never open.
You have to ask yourself "Do I offer anything different or better than Asda?" If you offer something different, then you may have a chance...but it needs to be cheap as people have less and less money now. If you offer something better, i'll assume it comes at a price, which again isn't likely to be attractive any time soon. Face facts - people like shopping at supermarkets. It's time to evolve your businesses. If you stand still whilst the world changes without you - you're going to need a lot of luck to stay profitable. I just moved to Shoebury. Never heard of this butcher - I haven't seen one bit of advertising. I occasionally go to West Road (?) for a takeaway...and they have put stuff through my door so I knew where to find them. Second MASSIVE debate here - it's commuter land, all along the c2c line. You need to offer late night opening or evening delivery...then I might come to you. I picked up a load of meat from a market in London near my work today - would rather support the local traders - but you're not open when I get home. See what I mean? Change is needed.
.
So, I am restricted to only going there on a saturday.
.
I sympathise you will never be able to compete with the supermarkets, and I would pay a bit more for a superb piece of meat, rather than one pumped full of water in Tesco...but you could try advertising - I only knew a new one opened in Basildon because of the free plug in the Echo
sav25
says...
4:27pm Thu 17 Nov 11
OneManOneVoice wrote:A lot of my commuting buddies have the same problem, no small shops are open past 5pm.
sav25 wrote: You have to ask yourself "Do I offer anything different or better than Asda?" If you offer something different, then you may have a chance...but it needs to be cheap as people have less and less money now. If you offer something better, i'll assume it comes at a price, which again isn't likely to be attractive any time soon. Face facts - people like shopping at supermarkets. It's time to evolve your businesses. If you stand still whilst the world changes without you - you're going to need a lot of luck to stay profitable. I just moved to Shoebury. Never heard of this butcher - I haven't seen one bit of advertising. I occasionally go to West Road (?) for a takeaway...and they have put stuff through my door so I knew where to find them. Second MASSIVE debate here - it's commuter land, all along the c2c line. You need to offer late night opening or evening delivery...then I might come to you. I picked up a load of meat from a market in London near my work today - would rather support the local traders - but you're not open when I get home. See what I mean? Change is needed.Very good point on the second bit - when I go home needing bits and pieces I would rather go to a butcher to get a few bits of chicken, beef etc - but its never open. . So, I am restricted to only going there on a saturday. . I sympathise you will never be able to compete with the supermarkets, and I would pay a bit more for a superb piece of meat, rather than one pumped full of water in Tesco...but you could try advertising - I only knew a new one opened in Basildon because of the free plug in the Echo
I am with you - i'd make the effort to support local shops if I could, and personally I'd pay over the odds for it. Noone wants to see their local high street full of boarded up shops and lacking character.
Maybe they're reading this, if they are, I hope they take comments on board...
firedog
says...
5:10pm Thu 17 Nov 11
was no better than Asda,so I shop there now,get your act together and I might come back.
siddymint
says...
7:18am Fri 18 Nov 11
he has tried to do everything he could do . we have full shops and customers at every parade . Perhaps the councillors at shoebury should stop eating thier huntley and palmers and talk to my councillor to help these shops cause once there gone they are gone.
gardenman
says...
7:44am Fri 18 Nov 11
t shopping,value for money as we are having to be more careful how we spend.
sav25 says...
2:57pm Thu 17 Nov 11
If you offer something different, then you may have a chance...but it needs to be cheap as people have less and less money now.
If you offer something better, i'll assume it comes at a price, which again isn't likely to be attractive any time soon.
Face facts - people like shopping at supermarkets. It's time to evolve your businesses. If you stand still whilst the world changes without you - you're going to need a lot of luck to stay profitable.
I just moved to Shoebury. Never heard of this butcher - I haven't seen one bit of advertising. I occasionally go to West Road (?) for a takeaway...and they have put stuff through my door so I knew where to find them.
Second MASSIVE debate here - it's commuter land, all along the c2c line. You need to offer late night opening or evening delivery...then I might come to you. I picked up a load of meat from a market in London near my work today - would rather support the local traders - but you're not open when I get home.
See what I mean? Change is needed.