200 UK shopping centres 'in crisis'

[lil-minx92]

The same thing has already happened in America over the last couple of years and now it’s the uks turn= http://uk.businessinsider.com/american-retail-apocalypse-in-photos-2018-1

 

I dont see a problem. There will always be some shops because shopping is to many, a leisure activity. Its just an adjustment in the retail environment rather like happened on a smaller scale with pubs. There were too many pubs.

 

We'll lose a lot of shops- so what? They will become other types of business. The low paid jobs will change to other low paid jobs as TinTinHat says!

 

Of course the property owners will try and drum up support with scare stories of crisis and catastrophe- they can see their millions rapidly disappearing and want their boys in the govt to help them out. They dont give a jot about our town centres per se'. They probably live in Singapore or the US.

[geared]

According to the article elcid put up, some councils are already propping up some centres.

 

It said a few had been bought out by councils, which is fair enough.

 

What would be worrying is if councils started giving rate relief or other discounts to struggling centres but the owners didn't reciprocate with discounts on shop rental costs.

Then it really would be the tax payer bailing out greedy private equity firms.

[lil-minx92]

It said a few had been bought out by councils, which is fair enough.

 

What would be worrying is if councils started giving rate relief or other discounts to struggling centres but the owners didn't reciprocate with discounts on shop rental costs.

Then it really would be the tax payer bailing out greedy private equity firms.

 

Councils dont set rates. Central govt set rates. The council just collect it.

Owners certainly wont reciprocate voluntarily and it would be impossible to force them to and after all why should a landlord of an Apple shop (tenant rolling in it) subsidise Apple, just because the landlord of the shop next door is subsidising a struggling retailer? Would it be means tested? HOw would that work? Can of worms.

 

So yes, the rates cut is tax payers money (or what would have been) eventually parking itself in multinational real estate companies bank accounts, because the retailer can afford the high rents because they dont have to pay their rates.

[El Cid]

What would be worrying is if councils started giving rate relief or other discounts to struggling centres but the owners didn't reciprocate with discounts on shop rental costs.

Then it really would be the tax payer bailing out greedy private equity firms.

 

I agree, Government and councils should treat all shopping venues the same, although they rarely do.

Would council-owned premises be classed as a charity and pay less tax?

[andyofborg]

I agree, Government and councils should treat all shopping venues the same, although they rarely do.

Would council-owned premises be classed as a charity and pay less tax?

 

why would they be classed as a charity?

[tinfoilhat]

why would they be classed as a charity?

 

I've no idea, but council owned properties aren't charities and the council charge rent and business rates.

 

https://www.chesterfield.gov.uk/media/778666/cbc-property-list-october-2018.pdf

[El Cid]

why would they be classed as a charity?

 

Because the council is not doing it to make a profit. I have no expertise in this, but councils run school buses and they don't make a profit, so they don't pay road tax, whereas private buses and taxis do.

[lil-minx92]

Hardly any shopping centres are council owned, and like previous post says the council is generally liable for business rates on property they occupy or own (unless tenanted- in which case tenant is liable)

[Cyclone]

Multitudes of stores closing, 1000s of job losses, and various reasons why. and like i said the governments help package announced last week does nothing to address that.

 

You could have said the same when the tractor was invented, or the combined harvester or something.

It's change, it happens. We don't necessarily need dozens of high street shops selling the same stuff when we can buy it easily online.

So the job market for retail will get smaller, but people will find other work.

 

If city centres become places to live instead of places to shop then perhaps businesses will move out of them as well, and we won't have big pollution hotspots and massive congestion as everyone tries to crowd into one small geographical area.

 

---------- Post added 02-11-2018 at 10:36 ----------

 

I agree, Government and councils should treat all shopping venues the same, although they rarely do.

Would council-owned premises be classed as a charity and pay less tax?

 

The rates are paid by the occupant of a property aren't they, not the owner?

[lil-minx92]

You could have said the same when the tractor was invented, or the combined harvester or something.

It's change, it happens. We don't necessarily need dozens of high street shops selling the same stuff when we can buy it easily online.

So the job market for retail will get smaller, but people will find other work.

 

If city centres become places to live instead of places to shop then perhaps businesses will move out of them as well, and we won't have big pollution hotspots and massive congestion as everyone tries to crowd into one small geographical area.

 

---------- Post added 02-11-2018 at 10:36 ----------

 

 

The rates are paid by the occupant of a property aren't they, not the owner?

 

If there is an occupant. Otherwise the owner pays the rates on an empty property.