Disappearing shopsops

The high street was dying well before Coronavirus. In the future, it seems, there will be coffee shops, local small traders - and a scattering of remaining chains. They just can't compete with online retailers.

The high street will be full of what you can’t get on line. Hair salons, nail bars, charity shops, coffee shops and bars. Places to eat. Gyms. We won’t recognise them in a few years.

We won’t recognise them in a few years.
It's already happened here.

Don't forget estate agents!

That's about all we've got here - not forgetting the tanning shop and tattooist!

I hope that as Covid recedes local councils will try to see beyond getting retailers into town centres.

This way of doing things has been on the way out for a decade or more, and it is pointless trying to turn back time. Far better to be ahead of the game now and think about different ways to use High Streets to give residents social centres and places to meet.

Hetty58

That's about all we've got here - not forgetting the tanning shop and tattooist!

We could all look gorgeous but not have any new clothes to wear!

Unfortunately we have now got the high streets we created ourselves. As soon as we let supermarkets start selling absolutely everything, with their buying power, they could undercut any small retailer. And at first we thought it was wonderful. All goods so cheap, and under one roof.

Now, we are reaping the "rewards" of our previous shopping habits, and the last year has only served to exacerbate the situation. So many have reaped the benefits of online shopping and ease of returns if it's not quite what they want.

I am saddened to see the demise of so many small retailers, as well as the bigger chains that have fallen, but accept that the high street that we knew and loved has gone forever.

It seem we now want the high street to be there for us when we want it, maybe for browsing or researching products, but not to buy from.

I have a friend who works for our council.
She said that all COVID has done is bring the demise of our high street forward.
I’m looking forward to the changes.

Mrsmopp
Start using some online companies then you will get to know who you can trust for quality.

mrsmopp
Just stay away from the dodgy adds listed on the right hand side of GN pages.

merylstreep there is no joy in shopping for clothes online if you think back to when you used to buy an item of clothing on the High Street you would probably try 20 items on and although they looked lovely on the rail, looked awful on you or just didn’t fit well.
By the time you chose an item online pay the postage, it arrives and you decide you don’t like it then you ve got to send it back, paying more postage, and start all over again

But everyone’s right the High streets have gone for now ours is dire but after we are long gone probably a few generations on someone will come up with the idea of having shops in the high street and everyone will laud this brilliant new and totally unique old fashioned idea

I do like your shopsops in the title mrsmopp ?

It’s actually pretty good where I am, a small market town which still has hardware, gardening, butchers, independent clothes shops etc. - and of course coffee shops, charity shops etc as well. I think those towns that never had a lot of chains (ours are mainly outdoor gear shops) are probably doing better than major towns and out of town shopping centres at the moment because through the lockdowns they were used more for click and collect and people are more confident to use them because they don’t have to travel to bigger towns. Maybe more high streets will go back to being run by small shopkeepers for locals, rather than be dominated by chains?

High Streets have always changed. Today's High Streets do not look like the they did in the 1950s, let alone any earlier.

I find buying clothes online, except in limited circumstances, far too much like hard work.

However for other items that are quite specific and I have, no idea where to find it locally, it is invaluable. I recently wanted a 23cm wide circle of clear acrylic, a 30m roll of garden hose that did not come on a reel and a wheelie bin storage shed (big and heavy and delivered to my door). I tried my local DIY stores and they didn't have them, so I ordered them online and I had them all within 2 days.

I am having a wing armchair re-covered. I could have ordered the fabric online, but preferred to wait until our local sewing and craft shop could re-open, as I really wanted to see and feel the fabric before buying. Couldn’t send that back if it wasn’t right after ordering online.

Also bought a pair of electronic salt and pepper mills from my local hardware shop. Same price as Lakeland, and no postage.

‘Shop Local’ if you can, although not always easy I know.

The cost and difficulty of parking in our nearest town must affect business. The most convenient carpark is nearly £10 if you go over 2 hours and £6 for under 2. No, it's not central London. It's not particularly pleasant when you get there anyway. I wouldn't dream of going to a hairdresser in town for instance. The cost of lunch out rises dramatically too.

We can’t have it both ways . Extolling the virtues of online shopping and at the same time moaning about and mourning the demise of the high street .

So many people saying they are never going out again blah blah ....Will only do click and collect etc ....Why are they surprised that the shops are shutting ? Probably the same people who complained about Woolies downfall but never shopped there.

Long before Covid there was an online revolution taking place which has simply escalated .

I like to see , feel , smell my purchases and enjoy the experience of going out and being part of the human race rather than be waited on by warehouse workers and delivery men and women.

I’ve shopped online predominately online for at least three years, from a totally new kitchen, new carpets, furniture to clothing and shoes, in that time I’ve only returned one jacket. I use our village butcher, newsagent and local people for any house or garden projects. I’m hoping some empty retail units in town centres will be converted to housing, minimising the sprawl across green belt land.

Our local town was pretty boring but now it is full of pavement cafes and restaurants and it is really buzzing all week and weekends,too. The clothes shops have more or less gone to the big indoor shopping malls and the supermarket has moved away up the road out of sight. It is actually an improvement and there is no graffiti now,either.

Plans for regeneration of town centres, or at least the councils that I am aware of, arent really putting much focus on retail in the traditional sense. As people have said this has been happening for years.

There will still be actual shops. However the larger ones will be done up as places of entertainment where a cafe , luxurious rest room, and very comfortable and helpful changing room with skilled attendants are part of how the owner earns his living. Clothing shops will have mannequin parades, and comfortable seating areas scattered around. The clothing sales are almost incidental to the hospitality facilities.

There will of course be instore a skilled and creative specialist who can advise on styles for different needs and requirements.

Not only clothes shops but also furniture shops and even B and Q ,will flourish as places of hospitality and entertainment.

I have a wedding and a christening to attend this summer. A visit into my local large to shop for outfits proved just how desperate things have become. My local town was the epicentre of shopping for people as far away as Northern Ireland once, now, other than M&S and M&Co and 2 very very expensive ladies stores there is nowhere to buy any clothes. What a sad state of affairs.

Why do not people use the discount shopping outlets that are all over the Country, where (if you must) you can handle the clothes before you buy? Bicester; Cheshire Oaks are the big ones but consider Boundary Mill Outlets and we recently came across a good little outlet in Cornwall (near Looe). My husband likes clothes but needs to see to be inspired. Buying clothes is my "only vice" and I invest hours in online shopping and love it. The High Street; Crowds; Changing rooms - no thanks.

In our little market town, some old agricultural premises that housed tractors, workshops, showrooms etc has been re- vamped as a quirky furniture, pictures, clocks and such like retail outfit, with a vibrant cafe/coffee shop.

Brilliant.

Online shopping is convenient up to a point but nothing compares with going into a clothes shop and trying things on. The decision about whether or not to buy is taken there with none of the faff of returning things.

Having said that M and S changing rooms were closed a couple of weeks ago when I wanted to try something on, so they lost a potential sale.
I’m sure I read that shops were allowed to reopen them so I was surprised.