Pubs I’m upset about high streets I’m not. They’ve been dying for years now we need to stop pumping money into trying to keep them going. Repurpose them as multipurpose areas - e.g. housing, recreational, nature reserves, shops snd amenities
Nature reserves-yes, recreational-yes. You have put shops, but shops are closing. How are you going to square the circle?
There are now far too many Vape shops, “Turkish barbers” and charity shops in every High St. My local High St charity shops are very high end. Last Summer they had a vintage Omega watch in the window for only £290 I quickly went to the cash point & withdrew the money, and when I got back it had been sold Generally speaking though, there are far too many. They also have an unfair advantage on other High St traders, as they are exempt from business rates. Licensing Authorities should be directed by central Government to now restrict the number of approved applications for charity shops, Turkish barbers & Vape shops. 2-3 per High St is more than enough.
Where would local people, particularly old people, shop then ? I am a 15 min walk away from Westfields. You don’t see many butchers, greengrocers or independent shopkeepers in there. Traditional small traders in local High Sts also fostered a sense of community.
Not forgetting the nail shops and tattoo parlours. I was speaking to a Chief Inspector friend of mine. He said there are a number of shops like kebabs, Tattoo and nail bars that are being used for money laundering and cheap labour.
They very rarely have customers in them. The leases, particularly in London, are astronomical, and they can’t possibly be paying the Duke of Kent out of what they are taking across the counter. It’s blatant, IMO.
I remember the days of shopping with my mum on a Saturday morning. We'd get the bus from Thamesmead to Woolwich, then begin the process of visiting the independent butcher, the independent greengrocer, the independent bakery, and the independent cafe for a well-earned milkshake and sticky bun. If I was really lucky, I'd get a small toy from Woolworths. And then we'd catch the bus home in time for Grandstand. Great days and fine memories of how things used to be.
That’s exactly how I remember it. Every Saturday we used to go to Beresford Square on the 96 or 51 bus. We would shop at the covered market or open air market. Then if Charlton were at home, my Brother and I would get the Bus to Charlton My Mum and Sister would get the bus home. Both of my parents never owned a car.
You must of been minted to get the bus , I use to walk over Woolwich common past the graveyard and through the park and then up at Lansdowne mews where I jumped the wall in the neighbouring gardens - just so I could afford the peanuts
Guess what. It's pay-day for millions of people, so three major Banks are having online issues https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cz9nnz2eqzdo I'm sorry but this just isn't f**king good enough. Almost every month now we are seeing these stories. Either the Banks are under-funding their online services so they simply cannot cope, Or their security isn't up to the job. These companies make mega-profits, and every time they get into trouble British tax-payers have to bail them out. They hold us all hostage in effect, and give incresingly rubbish service.
It's probably a unique occasion when I say Well Done to the front page writers of three newspapers as diverse as THE DAILY STAR THE DAILY EXPRESS THE DAILY MIRROR All three rightly calling out that gormless glove puppet for insulting our brave Armed Forces.
