What is happening to us all?

[kayos]

I think our main shopping street is a microcosm of our economy/society in 300 yards. I don't know what made me look around this morning, but I wish I hadn't!

6 Bookies. (yes six!).

5 Shops for let.

4 Charity shops.

3 Pound shops.

3 Pawnbrokers.

2 Pubs.

1 Cash Converter.

1 Money shop.

We really do live in terrible times, quite, quite depressing.

 

[Darnc]

It a like that in my town we have a great choice of charity shops and mobile phone shops, we used to have too many shoe shops but now that where the charity shops have move into I believe the internet and supermarkets have spoiled the high street not to mention Christmas, Easter and all the bank holidays

 

[endurothumpers]

It a like that in my town we have a great choice of charity shops and mobile phone shops, we used to have too many shoe shops but now that where the charity shops have move into I believe the internet and supermarkets have spoiled the high street not to mention Christmas, Easter and all the bank holidays

Whilst I agree in part about the Internet lets not forget these huge supermarkets that has open'd up everywhere selling everything you can buy on the high street not just food but clothes,drink,cd's,dvd's,household appliances etc etc.These days if you want to compete or even just stay in business I think you must be on the Internet aswell as having the shop.

 

[kayos]

Whilst I agree in part about the Internet lets not forget these huge supermarkets that has open'd up everywhere selling everything you can buy on the high street not just food but clothes,drink,cd's,dvd's,household appliances etc etc.These days if you want to compete or even just stay in business I think you must be on the Internet aswell as having the shop.

Yup, my friend worked in his Father's butcher shop for 27 years, the shop was there for 52 years. His Father is now retired, the shop is closed and he works at the butcher's counter in Tesco! In Greenock we have around 70.000 people and we have 2 butcher shops left! Plus meat and veg are crap in Tesco and Morrisons.

 

[endurothumpers]

Yup, my friend worked in his Father's butcher shop for 27 years, the shop was there for 52 years. His Father is now retired, the shop is closed and he works at the butcher's counter in Tesco! In Greenock we have around 70.000 people and we have 2 butcher shops left! Plus meat and veg are crap in Tesco and Morrisons.

I've noticed with all these big supermarkets most of the meat is tasteless and the vegetables don't last two minutes before there rotten.when we get veg off the father in law from his allotment it lasts for ages and tastes great same as when we get meat from our local little butcher its got bags of flavour.

 

[northeast1]

I thought i was the only person that had noticed it.....i hate going into Gateshead centre now we have about the same everything a pound, cash shops, pawn shops, a couple of shops selling "out of date goods" a couple of pubs, a mini tesco, Neto and a few second hand shops. I know why i interent shop (the down fall of the high street really) or just go to the metro centre etc.

 

[Ian Alexander]

I thought i was the only person that had noticed it.....i hate going into Gateshead centre now we have about the same everything a pound, cash shops, pawn shops, a couple of shops selling "out of date goods" a couple of pubs, a mini tesco, Neto and a few second hand shops. I know why i interent shop (the down fall of the high street really) or just go to the metro centre etc.

You're not wrong there mate. When I was a kid I used to love going to Gateshead with my Mam and Dad. It was great, we would have our dinner in Shepherds and my Dad would take me to the Sarsaparilla shop whilst my Mam did some shopping.

I can remember my dad buying me a fishing rod from the downstairs sports department in Shepherds, it was a Milbro and I loved it....I must have been about 10 years old. Some of the best memories of my life.

I went to Gateshead high street a short while ago and it was very sad just like you say, I wanted to go to the Sarsaparilla shop but it was fenced off and they were knocking it down. I wonder what happened to the thick marble counter?

Some blame the Metro Centre for the demise of Gateshead but all our society has changed realy.

Regards Ian

 

[Darnc]

Richie did you mean pawn or porn shops maybe I'll have to have look around Gateshead and Ian your showing your age talking about shepherds I use to live going there just before Christmas

 

[fishingmark]

Breakfast with Santa at Shepherds near Christmas. Those were the days

 

[IANG]

Shops

Shops

I think our main shopping street is a microcosm of our economy/society in 300 yards. I don't know what made me look around this morning, but I wish I hadn't!

6 Bookies. (yes six!).

5 Shops for let.

4 Charity shops.

3 Pound shops.

3 Pawnbrokers.

2 Pubs.

1 Cash Converter.

1 Money shop.

We really do live in terrible times, quite, quite depressing.

You must have missed one mark,there must be a newsageants/off licence for the kids to get there fags and drink

 

[cod magnet]

Things are going to get a lot worse, with these torrie tossers in, rob the poor to pay the rich SCUM

 

[CHOPPER]

Every time I get yem Ashington has at least one more card shop!!

 

[northeast1]

Yer i got my first rod from there also. I remember going down as a kid before getting the metro to Shields and buying 3 leads, 5 hooks and a box of rag worm, they walking up stairs and getting a few fresh pies

 

[big sid]

I thought i was the only person that had noticed it.....i hate going into Gateshead centre now we have about the same everything a pound, cash shops, pawn shops, a couple of shops selling "out of date goods" a couple of pubs, a mini tesco, Neto and a few second hand shops. I know why i interent shop (the down fall of the high street really) or just go to the metro centre etc.

Richie as big as the Metro Centre is and the surrounding retail park its all let down by the lack of a Mega Tackle store I struggle every year trying to use the gift vouchers I recieve of Santa.

 

[big sid]

Richie did you mean pawn or porn shops maybe I'll have to have look around Gateshead and Ian your showing your age talking about shepherds I use to live going there just before Christmas

Its definately a Porn shop its where he goes for a massage and a little relief

 

[g.ordon]

You must have missed one mark,there must be a newsageants/off licence for the kids to get there fags and drink

There's normally a frozen food outlet too

 

[kayos]

There's normally a frozen food outlet too

Yes, there is 2 newsagents and an Iceland and a Farmfoods!

 

[The Great Wallsendo]

We have a number of private retailers still operating and holding their own in Wallsend.

Have only lived here for little over ten years but in that time there are still some familiar faces when some of the larger brands have gone down the tube.

That said I think life is very hard for the smaller business these days - peeps just aren't spending the money....can't be ars ed to be dragged down the tired old political route by some dinosaurs on here but the problems were about long before the current party in power (anyway I promised myself not to get drawn in LOL)

One thing I am convinced would spur economic growth for new businesses is shorter leases for shops...it staggers me that Landlords are trying to tie in tenants to long leases and then act surprised when it all goes wrong?!

Surely shorter terms would encourage people to at least "give it a go"

I know of at least a few instances where the biggest drain on new starters has been the outlay on premises.

You would think a landlord would rather have someone in even if just for 12 months than the premises stand empty for longer??

Anywho just my two cents worth...I don't hate large corporate supermarkets either but can see how they do put the squeeze on the little man

 

[kayos]

Can someone explain to me, in the current climate, how 6 bookies' shops can survive in a 200 yard radius????

 

[The Great Wallsendo]

The same way you get can 6 corner shops in a 1/2 mile radius - they all have their loyal customers and postcodes that they cater for...but then with bookies I suspect the varying prices and odds will also get the same people going into all 6 at various times or another