Support my local high street/shopping area, why?

[Dozer]

I'm someone who tends to like to shop online, but I'll gladly pay extra for the privilege of shopping locally.  Most days, we walk an extra 5 mins to go to our cramped local newsagent because they give a smile with our paper. Our local cafes manage a joke even when they are backed up with lunchtime rush. The local bakery gives good advice. Our closest shop remembers a few of our favorites and will explain why they are out if they are out. Our independent laundry is very fair with give and take; sometimes if we have an emergency they'll do us same-day service. Sometimes when they are shortstaffed, they'll ask for a few extra days.

 

It helps that we don't mind walking because the parking around here sucks.

 

I don't know if there are many like us, but if you want our business, here's all you need to do:

• Have reasonable, predictable hours, including a bit of time before or after work.
• Be clean, or at least not filthy.
• Acknowledge your customers if it's a long wait -- we know you get busy sometimes, but it's nice to know you recognise it's not always convenient.
• If we come into your shop every week for years, remember something about us, or at least spare us a smile. We'll do the same for you.

Basically, let's treat each other well.

[Janus]

1 hour ago, andyofborg said:

 

also, car parks need to be maintained, so if the user doesn't contribute then the whole cost falls on the general council tax payer and takes money from other budgets.

In Rotherham's Forge Island car park I see 2 guys checking tickets. That would be one  instant cost saver on their wages that would contribute to the upkeep of a car park-if it was even required.

 

I cannot imagine a great deal of costs incurred to upkeep an area of concrete for example. 

Edited December 27, 2018 by Janus

[El Cid]

Global property investment advisers BNP Paribas Real Estate say UK councils have spent £324.6m on shopping malls in the first half of this year alone - more than the previous highest annual figure for the whole of 2016.

A BBC report said the amount spent by local councils is now over £800 million!! 

 

   https://www.localgov.co.uk/Exclusive-Councils-investing-record-amounts-in-shopping-centres/45868

 

Not sure if these are out of town shopping centers, but it seems bizarre to me.

[Anna B]

On 12/27/2018 at 7:53 PM, apelike said:

But its something that has been going on for as long as we have had computers and the internet. Remember we were told that this would benefit us all and we would have plenty of leisure time. Trouble is we were never really told that would be because we would be unemployed. I think the first indication of this in the high street was when staff were replaced in banks. 

The elderly already get help with shopping and the new elderly that will replace them in the future will cope. There is a shortage of housing at the moment so the empty premises I am sure will be put to good use as we are already seeing in Sheffield.

What help do you think the elderly get with their shopping? There isn't even a chair to sit on in most shops. As for new elderly being able to cope, I assume you think that's because they will know how to use computers and aps etc.

Unfortunately, as we get older people's capacity to learn and remember diminishes, and things change at such a pace it will always be necessary to learn new systems.  And I believe there's a crisis just round the corner as OAPs start forgetting their pin numbers, passwords and how to use various things.

[apelike]

55 minutes ago, Anna B said:

What help do you think the elderly get with their shopping?

I suppose it boils down as what you call elderly. Most of the elderly (over 80) I actually know dont actually do any shopping themselves and have others to do it for them as many of them have, like me, mobility problems and some have home helps. A few I know do and one in particular still drives and does his shopping and he is 84.

Edited December 29, 2018 by apelike

[andyofborg]

On 12/27/2018 at 10:19 PM, El Cid said:

Global property investment advisers BNP Paribas Real Estate say UK councils have spent £324.6m on shopping malls in the first half of this year alone - more than the previous highest annual figure for the whole of 2016.

A BBC report said the amount spent by local councils is now over £800 million!! 

 

   https://www.localgov.co.uk/Exclusive-Councils-investing-record-amounts-in-shopping-centres/45868

 

Not sure if these are out of town shopping centers, but it seems bizarre to me.

some may be longer term investments with a view to raising income but my understanding is that most are in town or other local centres and the councils are using them as a centre points in regeneration plans.  

[El Cid]

9 hours ago, Anna B said:

What help do you think the elderly get with their shopping? There isn't even a chair to sit on in most shops. As for new elderly being able to cope, I assume you think that's because they will know how to use computers and aps etc.

Unfortunately, as we get older people's capacity to learn and remember diminishes, and things change at such a pace it will always be necessary to learn new systems.  And I believe there's a crisis just around the corner as OAPs start forgetting their pin numbers, passwords and how to use various things.

1

Council do give limited help, be is it their role to get peoples shopping and pay their bills? Maybe it's their relatives responsibility?

But if there is a large enough demand for personalised shopping, the private sector will provide it. There will probably already be an app for it.

Judging by what I see on social media there is already an upsurge in people having cleaners and dog walkers.

[Anna B]

On 12/29/2018 at 11:11 AM, El Cid said:

Council do give limited help, be is it their role to get peoples shopping and pay their bills? Maybe it's their relatives responsibility?

But if there is a large enough demand for personalised shopping, the private sector will provide it. There will probably already be an app for it.

Judging by what I see on social media there is already an upsurge in people having cleaners and dog walkers.

Yes, and the pensioners have to pay for that sort of help from the council and it's not cheap.

 

I'm talking about simple things that would help pensioners do their own shopping and get them out of the house and socialising.  Getting your pension from the Post Office and visiting local shops, perhaps also going to the Library and calling in at a local cafe used to be quite a big part of a pensioners routine back in the day, along with social groups and clubs. Unfortunately, all in decline.

[ECCOnoob]

12 minutes ago, Anna B said:

Yes, and the pensioners have to pay for that sort of help from the council and it's not cheap.

 

I'm talking about simple things that would help pensioners do their own shopping and get them out of the house and socialising.  Getting your pension from the Post Office and visiting local shops, perhaps also going to the Library and calling in at a local cafe used to be quite a big part of a pensioners routine back in the day, along with social groups and clubs. Unfortunately, all in decline.

A question on my mind is whether the majority of 'pensioners' still require such things?  

 

The current generation have lived in a very different world  ever-increasing technology.   For the next generation of OAPs they will be extremely settled in the use of smartphones, internet, online shopping and online everything else.   

 

Whilst I fully appreciate that not everyone is so lucky to have full health and full mobility, I think about my own mother who is a pensioner and has been for over 10 years. 

 

Local services mean nothing to her. She drives a car, she comfortably gets the bus into the city centre or meadowhall to go shopping, she uses supermarkets, she is perfectly competent in the use of cash machines and debit cards, she uses telephone banking and has both a smartphone and tablet at home.

 

l could count on the fingers of one hand the times that she has ever need to go to a post office or use the local library service.

 

If we are going to be spending already dwindling monies we need to be very clear as to what modern-day pensioners need and want as support - not just pretend we are harking back to some distant time of local friendly high street shops and community gossip. 

Edited January 1, 2019 by ECCOnoob

[Longcol]

8 minutes ago, Anna B said:

Yes, and the pensioners have to pay for that sort of help from the council and it's not cheap.

 

I'm talking about simple things that would help pensioners do their own shopping and get them out of the house and socialising.  Getting your pension from the Post Office and visiting local shops, perhaps also going to the Library and calling in at a local cafe used to be quite a big part of a pensioners routine back in the day, along with social groups and clubs. Unfortunately, all in decline.

Don't most pensioners get their pension paid straight into their bank account rather than the interminable queuing in the Post Office? And loads I know have cars so tend to use supermarkets?