Market Towns

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Whilst Mary Portas is commissioned by No.10 to ponder over what it is that makes our Towns vibrant, economically active and productive trading centres some of us are out their actually helping to address the issues that will undoubtedly surface in Mary’s report.

It did not seem that long ago that there were complaints about the number of Estate Agents entering the High Street, now we are seeing planners allowing change of use from retail to the professional services sector providing an increasing level of High Street presence for Accountants, Solicitors, Financial Advisors etc. Many do not fit well in a retail environment and can dramatically alter the perception of what a town has to offer.

Many of the more locally based Charity Shops within the 9,000 estimated to be operating nationally are now feeling the squeeze as the slick national brands divert opportunity away from the smaller operators.  Now there is not is there just competition for business but  competition for donated stock as well.

Having advised many hundreds of retail/high street businesses, and visited both vibrant and far less than vibrant towns across the Country in the course of my work I have developed an understanding of what makes some towns work more effectively than others, what makes  some of our High Streets full of life and , unfortunately, what can lead to their demise.

I will be presenting the first of my overviews of what makes a town vibrant at the Cheshire East Sustainable Towns Forum  on 1st November and am in the process of writing an article for a national trade magazine on the same issue.

Cheshire East Sustainable Towns Forum Flyer

 

 

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The Shop Doctor has been active again this week working with Cheshire East Council delivering his bespoke retail business support to independent retailers in Wilmslow, Knutsford, Disley, Nantwich, Handforth,  Sandbach, Middlewich and Crewe.

At an evening workshop on Tuesday 27th September retailers from Wilmslow, Handforth, Disley and Knutsford participated in an enjoyable and informative evening workshop focusing on how retailers can attract more customers by making the best of the visual impact of their business.

On Wednesday 28th the Shop Doctor participated in the East Cheshire Chamber of Commerce Open Day by delivering two workshops, one in the afternoon (aimed at professional service providers operating on our High Streets) and the second identifying how retailers can maximise unit sales by applying simple but effective  layout and merchandising techniques.

On Thursday the day was spent visiting  6 retailers in Nantwich and 1 in Crewe and on Friday 7 retailers across Middlewich, Sandbach and Nantwich will be receiving a visit.

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Public toilets are not always available where or when you need them, there is often a queue at the ladies, and facilities for disabled people, children and for changing babies are not always adequate.

However, public toilet provision is at the discretion of local authorities, and there is currently no legal requirement for Councils to provide any toilets at all. In fact 40% of public toilets have closed in the last ten years. The campaign group ‘We need the Loo’, a joint venture between the Women’s Design Service, the British Toilet Association and the Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering has therefore launched an online petition to ask the Government to make adequate public toilet provision a legal requirement.

They are asking for adequate toilet facilities for everybody, including men, women, children, babies and disabled people.

If you would like to play your part in ensuring we have public toilets as part of more sustainable, comfortable and inclusive communities, please publicise this petition. It has its own Facebook page, and the petition can be found by searching for public toilets on the government’s e-petition web site, or by using this link –  http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/15258

Well maintained, well equipped, clean and easily accessible toilets can make a real contribution to how customers use our towns – a way has to be found to improve, not remove, public toilet provision.

epetition flyer – we need the loo

epetition press release

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Shops in the Currock, Harraby and Upperby areas of Carlisle are being offered the chance to attend a free Shop Doctor retail workshop funded by Carlisle City Council.

The workshop will be hosted by ‘Shop Doctor’ Bill Smith on Tuesday, 4 October at Currock Community Centre, on Lediard Avenue, between 7pm and 9pm. It will be based around the importance of the visual impact of a business and how selling opportunities can be increased through effective layout and merchandising techniques.

It will be open to all business owners and their staff. It lasts a couple of hours and also allows local business people to swap ideas with fellow retailers.

Shop Doctor retail workshop flyer available here

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The ever increasing presence of professional services providers on our high streets can materially affect the visual ambiance of the trading environment in which they operate.

When contemplating establishing such a business on the high street care needs to be taken to ensure that the visual impact created by the business compliments the trading environment rather than conflicting with it.

Existing providers could often do with taking a regular look outside as first impressions really do play an important role in attracting or detracting customer or clients interest and all too often the impact is less than effective.

Whether a solicitor or accountant, doctor or dentist making sure that those important first impressions impact favourably on your clients can materially affect the onward vibrancy of your business.

Let’s Talk Shop can help you make the right decisions, from the name on the fascia to the colour and presentaion of the ‘shopfront’ , the effectiveness of window displays to getting clients through the door and, once they are in, making sure they feel comfortable.

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Recent Shop Doctor visits to retailers in urban areas of Carlisle have identified some interesting challenges facing the diverse range of businesses enrolled in the present support initiative funded by Carlisle City Council.

The area maintains an abundance of small local shops, some newer than others, and the loyalty of many of the local community has been very much in evidence during the shop visits.

Ensuring that the shops continue to meet the needs of the local community whilst maximising their business vitality is however an ongoing challenge for the operators and the Shop Doctor Surgeries will help identify opportunities to help build upon the existing success of those taking part.

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In a survey of shops in Ambleside, Windermere and Bowness undertaken in the last two weeks the number of empty shop units identified was very similar to the results of a  survey undertaken in April.

In Ambleside 11 out of 162 shops (6.8%) stood empty against 12 in April.

In Windermere 6 out of 113 (5.3%) against 5 in April although 3 shops are actively being worked upon in preparation for being re-opened.

In Bowness 5 out of 147 (3.4%) against 8 in April with 2 of the units being brand new and never occupied since completion, probably due to their  location.

In July 2010 empty shops in each of the towns stood at 6, 4 and 6 respectively with Ambleside seeing the greatest increase against last year due to the loss of shops such as Homes of Football, Shinglers, Lucys Delicatessen and one large unit previously occupied by Gaynors ( who still remain very active in their other shops).

Ambleside has seen some new shops units developed within the year, all of them quickly being occupied, but business in general is felt to have suffered from the loss of student activity following closure of the University Campus, a decision that may now be about to be reversed.

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To date 14 businesses across Harraby, Upperby and Currock have confirmed their interest in participating in the Let’s Talk Shop “Shop Doctor” Support Programme. The initiative is totally funded by Carlisle City Council who recognise the importance of shops serving local communities and who are actively demonstrating this by supporting  and promoting the programme.

Those confirming participation include a Sandwich Bar, a Butchers; Florist; Post Office; Newsagents; Greengrocers;  Bakers and a Greeting Cards Shop and present an interesting cross section of the business serving the local community in the areas concerned.

 

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1st July has seen the adoption of our new logo developed for us by Cypher Digital in Milnthorpe.

The refreshing style reflects our commitment to the high street and our role advising, motivating, mentoring and supporting to the needs of the independent retail sector.

Working either directly with private clients or reaching greater sections of the retail community through business or economic development initiatives being delivered thorough  local councils we develop and deliver bespoke programmes individually orienated toward meeting the need of the particular trading environment or retail sector involved.