High Street or Die Street

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Less than a week to go before “The Shop Doctor” visits Annan to commence a “Let’s Talk Shop” Retailer Support programme funded by Dumfries & Galloway Council.

The programme commences on the evening of Tuesday 26th June with a retail masterclass identifying issues felt to impact on the retail vitality of shops in the town. The presentation will include examples of The Shop Doctors first impressions of Annan and its shops together with examples he has observed from other areas.

In the days following the presentation ‘one to one’ in store sessions are being arranged with an initial base of 12 shops  being visited. During these sessions  The Shop Doctor will looking closely at each of the businesses and developing individual solutions to help each  improve their retail vitality.

The programme follows work recently undertaken by The Shop Doctor with 24 shops in Dumfries where the response to the very individual assistance was extremely well received.

Retailers interested in attending the masterclass or participating in the programme should contact Beverley Bamford via email at beverley.bamford@dumgal.gov.uk

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A follow up visit to the town was prompted by Millom and District Traders’ Forum who are seeking assistance to help improve their businesses.

Following a visual review of the town on Monday 18th June (to help identify changes since his last visit in May 2011) The Shop Doctor will present a retail workshop aimed at helping retailers to identify how they can positively develop their impact on their customers, improve loyalty and attract new business.

Commenting on his previous visit he said: “Last time it was a holistic look at what I felt the town needed to brighten itself up. This time it is orientated towards the retailers, and making their businesses even better”

Mark Holroyd, South Copeland tourism officer said: “We’re delighted to invite Bill back to Millom to deliver another inspiring workshop for our businesses.

“South Copeland has great shops which deserve to do well. Bill’s workshop will help these businesses to grow.”

One of the businesses to benefit from Mr Smith’s advice last time around was the Toy Barn, in Bootle.

Joint owner, Rachel Fallows, said: “Bill gave us some valuable advice about the appearance of our shop last time he visited. As we’ve just launched our online shop I’m really interested in what he has to say about attracting customers to our website via the internet and social networking sites.”

Mr Smith added: “ Operating high street businesses continues to be extremely challenging and for many retailers business is actually harder now than they have experienced for a number of years.” He added  “Retailers can only put so much in for so long and  many  have already reduced staffing levels to minimum and have taken far less out of their businesses ( or indeed had to put resources in) over the last few years.

“There is a limit to how long many can survive. They need focused help, motivation and guidance, many have the skills but ensuring that they are applied effectively  is critical.”

The Shop Doctor believes that independent retailers help place a unique stamp on any trading environment, through the type of shops that they operate and reflecting their individual personalities, helping them to survive and develop is essential in maintaining towns with a distinct trading character.

The workshop takes place on June 18, in Millom Network Centre, in Salthouse Road, from 6pm. The course costs £5 per place and includes refreshments.

For more information contact Millom Network Centre on 01229 719650 or email mark@southcopelandtourism.org.uk

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With further Retail Masterclasses delivered on the evenings of Tuesday 24th and Wednesday 25th April at Blakemere Craft Centre and Castle Park, Frodsham, and 11 businesses visited to receive ‘one to one’ advice our Shop Doctor was extremely busy last week in Cheshire.

In total 18 independent businesses have now been visited under the ‘Let’s Talk Shop’ Retailer support programme currently being delivered in conjunction with Cheshire West and Chester Council and many positive recommendations identified to help develop retail opportunities in all of the businesses visited.

When visits are as diverse as a Bridal Gown Shop to a Pet Shop, Jewellery Shop to a Bike Store, within a short timescale immediate impressions play an important part of how the business is perceived by the Shop Doctor and usually the outside impact of a business reflects opportunities to be found within.

Even good businesses can lose their way and the philosophy adopted by the Shop Doctor of helping to make good businesses even better is found to be a far more effective route to success than seeking routes to criticise.

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Another very interesting day spent in Dumfries on Thursday 19th April meeting with four businesses for the first time, and looking in on some of those visited previously.

Good to see that some of my initial recommendations have already been acted upon and that they have had a positive impact on the businesses concerned, hopefully even more activity once each have received a ‘Shop Doctor Recommendations Report’.

The new Debenhams Store is moving towards completion and this should help to regenerate activity at the north end of High Street, potentially delivering increased footfall into Friars Vennel from those parking at White Sands and walking into the Town via the Vennel, a way needs to be found to encourage this opportunity.

The great range of small independent shops operating in Friars Vennel, historically a route linking the town with the river crossing that developed over time into an important shopping street, are well placed to  take advantage of any increased footfall and it would only take the reoccupation of  a number of the presently empty shop units to help revitalise this important end of the Town.

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Love Local Life, the Cheshire based local loyalty card supported by Cheshire East Council  ran a competition for Valentines Day where  cardholders were asked to nominate their favourite local business.

The competition was a great success and identified four very deserving winners in the categories of Best Value, Best Products, Best Service, Best Range.

Part of the prize to each winner was a visit from ‘The Shop Doctor’ and it was a pleasure to visit each of the businesses and meet with their owners on 12th April.

Already very good businesses I am intending to provide each with ideas that will help make their individual and entrepreneurial business even better, and I start by recommending each of them to you:

The four winners were:

Middlewich DIY – Best Value – www.middlewichdiycentre.co.uk

Delissimo, Alsager – Best Presentation – www.delissimo.biz

Sylk Wine Bar & Restaurant, Macclesfield – Best Service – www.sylk-restaurant.co.uk

The Lavender Tree, Alderley Edge – Best Range – www.thelavendertree.co.uk

More information about the Love Local Life Card and the wide range of retailers offering discounts to cardholders can be found at www.lovelocallife.co.uk

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Retailers in Cheshire West and Chester will be able to attend one of  “The Shop Doctors” Retail Masterclasses being arranged for 29th March 2012.

The masterclass is being delivered as part of a  new “Shop Doctor Support Programme” being delivered into Cheshire West and Chester for the first time.

The programme also allows for ‘one to one’ advisory visits with 12 independent retailers within each of their businesses. Following the visits each retailer will be receive a comprehensive recommendations report from the Shop Doctor detailing opportunities that he believes will  help build business performance and onward profitability.

The Shop Doctor comments that “unlike many recent TV shows featuring retail ‘gurus’ that result in a major stock purge, and often expensive shop refits, my advice is about identifying immediate solutions that can be cost effectively implemented to help revitalise the businesses concerned.” he added “Substantial investment is often  desirable but not always possible in the prevailing economic climate. We work with the retailers concerned to help them recognise and maximise their existing opportunities, ones that can materially improve performance and lead to future investment if necessary when the economic climate improves”


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Retailers in Dumfries will be benefiting from a programme of specialised Shop Doctor support funded by Dumfries & Galloway Council.

Our Shop Doctor, Bill Smith, will be delivering one of his motivational and informative retail masterclass workshops to retailers  on the evening of Tuesday 20th March at the DG One Leisure Complex

In addition to the masterclass 12 independent retailers in the town will be given the opportunity to receive an ‘in store’ surgery from The Shop Doctor enabling them to directly benefit from his specialised advice.

Each of the twelve shops enrolled for  ‘one to one’ visits will also receive a comprehensive recommendations report focused on helping re-energise each of the individual businesses taking part and will also be eligible for a £500 grant towards implementation of recommendations made by the Shop Doctor.  A follow-up visit with the Shop Doctor will also be arranged 12 months later.

Further information about the retail workshop and the specialised ‘one to one’ Shop Doctor visits will be posted below as soon as it becomes available:

6th March 2012: Dumfries & Galloway Council

22 February 2012: South of Scotland Business Solutions

 

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BT came good with their ISDN line, Dalecom worked wonders with re-installation of our telephone system and  Ultimate Link, 01539 987654 helped resolve our broadband and networking connectivity issues.

Communications now fully restored and we are feeling far more organised in our new offices.

We are contactable again on our main number 015394 40020

Our fax number is 015394 46140

Our email contact is bill@sldt.co.uk

…..and, as you are here already, you have the website address!

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Our telephone lines are being moved to our new offices this morning (Fdiday 20th) and, as a consequence, or main line 015394 40020, and those associated with it, are presently not available.

BT advise that we should be up and running again by 13.00.

For some of the time we can be contacted via our fax number 015394 46140 or you can contact Bill Smith direct on his mobile 07766 208 082

Also apologies for the intermittent Twitter feed to our website – normal service will hopefully be resumed as quickly as possible