What will happen to our towns if we all shop online?

Our council gives us 2 hours free parking, an adjacent one gives you an hour.

I still prefer to clothes and food shopping in person, so that, for food, I can replan my menu plan on the spot, if a crucial ingredient is missing and can make other changes on the spot as well. The same with clothes, I can try them on and a 2 hour trip to the shops means you get your clothes and can wear them far faster than ordering them online, and then returning them.

I think Charity shops are now a draw for a town centre, rather than a sign of closed shops. This afternoon a friend and I were discussing which of two local towns was best for charity shops.

Generally I dislike out of town shopping centres, too impersonally, too big and with a limited range of outlets. I use a town centre supermarket and while I am there I will also visit other town centre shops, get my hair done, see the dentist, wander round the Charity shops, all within a couple of hundred yards of the supermarket and none requiring any extra driving.

It was happening way before Covid.
Many people shop online but many do still love shopping in stores.
Shopping online has its disadvantages as you can't see the size, the quality or feel the fabric of clothes but convenient for those who dislike going to shops.

Out of town shopping centres are not subject to such high rates, they have free parking and concentrate on retail with food outlets.

Bristol is a case in point - first Debenhams went, then last Saturday M&S closed in the city centre. John Lewis has relocated as did a M&S flagship store to where there is easy access and free parking.

Think it has already pretty much happened in many towns and cities. Covid has just hastened the demise methinks. Hope I'm wrong.

janeainsworth ''Town centres will evolve. They always have. If they become destinations for people to go to restaurants, visit historic sites, museums & galleries, & patronising small businesses rather than buying their meat, bread & fruit & veg there, does it really matter?''

I think that yes, it does matter. I'd really miss our bustling markets, be it in our small market town, and the large main town nearby. The mix, the banter- the odd and strange and more.

But even so, small towns do not have an array of historical sites, Museums and galleries to sustain them. they can be part of a lively town centre, but not sufficient on their own.

Since Covid, 4 shops have closed in our small town centre- one replaced by yet another coffee shop, another by yet another office stuff/cards retailer- there are now 3 in a row!

Several of the amazing independent shops have very ageing owners who will not be replaced when they are gone.

CanadianGran, our council have been told and told about the parking but continue to ignore the views of the local population. I have several friends who no longer shop here but go elsewhere. Locals are expecting that the main party will lose lots of seats in the May local elections. They can ignore us only for so long.

i have not been into glasgow city centre for 3 years, my dil and son take me to a large shopping centre every few weeks and other things i need i either get locally or online, my area in a busy shopping place but we have no card,shoe or clothing stores, only recently got a fruit shop and my local poundland closes this week as the rent has gone up to high for them to stay, if a large company like poundland can't afford it then what chance have small independent shops got, all our shops have houses above them so most if not all the building are owned by a HA. we don't have many empty shops as another charity or take away opens for a year then closes again. some people depending on the area don't have much choice but to shop online.

Saltnshake, why don't you write to your local council? Some towns have implemented certain time zones or areas for free parking, or have certain areas for 30 minutes or less.

We try to shop locally if possible, but like MissAdventure says, they need to keep up their stock and anticipate needs.

I find a lot of the chains with local stores don't bother to keep up their inventory, and just tell you to order it on line. Frustrating. In our town the hardware store is notorious for this.

What I really dislike about ordering online is the waste of packaging. I ordered 2 items from one shop, and they have shipped separately, wasting packaging and fuel for deliveries.

We have a lot of empty shop windows in our downtown. It's gloomy.

I try to shop locally but local councils are making it harder and more expensive to park. My local council has just put up parking charges yet again. Not all of us are young and fit enough to walk long distances to the shops or carry heavy bags. I gave up trying to park yesterday, came home and spent over £120 online. No delivery fee. My local sewing shop missed out on the money which I would have preferred to spend there. Plenty of free parking for an hour or two would get people back to the shops.

Online shopping is probably a very minor cause of the changes in town centres. Most businesses have an online presence as well as physical premises.
The decline began years ago with the advent of out of town shopping centres, and supermarkets like Tesco expanding from their core business of groceries & into hardware, clothing, housewares etc.
Business rates are another factor. Councils don’t want to put up their council tax to residents so milk businesses instead.

Town centres will evolve. They always have. If they become destinations for people to go to restaurants, visit historic sites, museums & galleries, & patronising small businesses rather than buying their meat, bread & fruit & veg there, does it really matter?

They become service towns from my experience. Hairdressers, nails, beauticians, barbers, cafes, pubs, restaurants. All the other shops close down and Independents struggle to pay the business rates

Shops need to cater to the customers' needs.
I spent weeks trying to find bags for my henry vacuum.
Went online and found exactly what was needed, which was delivered within 2 days, and cost pennies.

My small town has had a bit of a resurgence since Covid, with more shops opening. We’ve only one chain, WHS, the rest are all independents.

The nearest city isn’t so good, especially since JLP pulled out. We haven’t been into the city since before Xmas and I can’t think of anything I’d go in for unless I needed knickers from M&S.