Confidence returns to the High Street (From Southend Standard)
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Confidence returns to the High Street
5:30pm Thursday 27th September 2012 in News By Jasmin McDermott
Southend High Street is on theup
SHOPPERS and traders are being offered a glimmer of hope as Southend town centre starts to pull itself from the depths of recession.
Last year it was a picture of gloom with empty shops scarring the High Street and surrounding roads as traders started to admit defeat.
However, the future of the town centre is starting to look up after the announcement retail giant H&M would expand their presence in the town by moving into the former TJ Hughes store.
The number of vacant premises, a key indicator of a town’s economic well-being, compares favourably with some other big towns in Essex.
Confidence is starting to build in the town as more retailers start to trickle in.
Ohsoboho has taken over the former Past Times shop, Quiz Clothing is now in the former First Choice store next to the railway bridge, while Mallard Jewellers and Robins Pie and Mash have also opened.
Deputy council leader John Lamb , responsible for regeneration and enterprise, said he believed the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the Olympics had contributed to shoppers’ confidence in High Street shopping.
He said: “The High Street has held up extremely well. We have lost some shops along the way, but we have gained others and there has been more investment in the town.
“This shows the confidence retailers have in the high street which, in turn, is doing much better –it is a really positive knock-on effect.
“The Jubilee and the Olympics have given us the feelgood factor and really given shoppers a boost.”
Also credited for improving the High Street is the Town Centre Partnership, an action group funded by major traders.
The partnership hopes to bring in a business improvement district to the High Street, which would use the extra 1.5 per cent business rates every firm would need to pay on improvements to the town centre.
Partnrship chairman Dawn Jeakings, said: “Things are moving forward.
“It is a much better picture than it used to be.
“The empty shop units are filling up and there is a more positive vibe, which is great in the run-up to Christmas.’’
Comments(12)
LoopyLou88
says...
5:48pm Thu 27 Sep 12
RobertFS
says...
5:50pm Thu 27 Sep 12
why not give free parking for two hours.
that would encourage people to shop in southend rather than go to lakeside or bluewater where the parking is free.
it costs me around £5 to go to lakeside and back and i can stay there all day and the selection of shops is much better than southend.
bluewater costs another couple of £ if you have a dart tag(will increase but still a better deal than southend
southendshrimper
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7:00pm Thu 27 Sep 12
Druggie Scumbag
says...
7:19pm Thu 27 Sep 12
LoopyLou88 wrote:I started work in the early 1970s Loopy and it was the same story then. It's not a new phenomenon but I know it sure can make you angry.
Now for shops to employ young people and give them the experience they need, so hard to find a job when they all want experience, how are you suppose to gain experience if you can't get work ? Tell me that!
Not sure how it works now but back then it meant getting a job that was very poorly paid and for which you may be over-qualified for. Suffer that for a year or two and doors will open. That was my experience, for what it's worth.
emcee
says...
8:34pm Thu 27 Sep 12
There are several ingredients that need to be flung together if the High Steet is ever going to become a vaible shopping centre again. One is variety, not more fashion shops, eateries or jewellers as there are plenty of those already. The town is crying out for a large town centre market, not an excuse for one chucked onto the corner of a car park in York Road. There also needs to be free or substantially cheaper parking and there is a massive need for cheap and relaible bus services into town.
At the moment, none of these ingredients exists so the High Street has no chance.
DogsMessInLeigh
says...
9:12pm Thu 27 Sep 12
A Free parking trial would be a massive boost...but that will never happen.
live in westcliff
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10:24pm Thu 27 Sep 12
perini
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12:29pm Fri 28 Sep 12
Nebs
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9:15pm Sun 30 Sep 12
Shoeburylass
says...
10:16am Mon 1 Oct 12
Nebs wrote:Could you tell us where? There used to be free parking up to Ashburnham Road, but that's all permit only up to Park Road now. At the South end of town, the Pay & Display stops halfway down Alexandra Road/Cambridge Road, but you'd be very lucky indeed to nab a space on a Saturday afternoon. I'm all for park & walk as having grown up in the town centre, paying for parking feels quite absurd (to me).
There is plenty of free parking for those fit enough to manage a 5 minute walk.
LoopyLou88
says...
5:15pm Mon 1 Oct 12
Druggie Scumbag wrote:been in same job for number of years, apply for jobs for the experience below the qualification I have, the problem is they are quite happy to employ with experience in a shop or something but if you don't , you don't get anywhere, and then the papers moan that it's all young people signing on, but it wouldn't be if people employed us and gave us experience we need. I know it's nothing new but it really annoys me, even now days I can't even get a job at lower level qualification that I'm over qualified for.
LoopyLou88 wrote:I started work in the early 1970s Loopy and it was the same story then. It's not a new phenomenon but I know it sure can make you angry.
Now for shops to employ young people and give them the experience they need, so hard to find a job when they all want experience, how are you suppose to gain experience if you can't get work ? Tell me that!
Not sure how it works now but back then it meant getting a job that was very poorly paid and for which you may be over-qualified for. Suffer that for a year or two and doors will open. That was my experience, for what it's worth.
beyond the valley of the asbos says...
5:34pm Thu 27 Sep 12