Quote:
Originally Posted by Neil
That's 40 years ago, if people wanted to shop in markets still they would all be as busy as they used to be.
It's not just shopping habits that have changed, peoples whole lifestyles have changed.
Looking at the shops in Accrington will tell you what the shop owners think about Accrington shoppers. Its all charity and pound shops - that says to me that the big shops know there is not much money in Accrington so they stay away or pull out and blame things on the high rents in the Arndale etc because they don't want to say they can't make money out of the shoppers Accrington attracts.
Its ok for our retired members to keep saying Accrington used to be busy and the Council should attract more big names but it wont ever happen. Younger people like to shop for their day to day things in Asda/Tesco etc, many of them do it online in the evening while the kids are in bed to fit in with their lifestyle.
Even someone of my age (43 before you ask) likes to pop over to the Trafford Centre with my wife in the evening after work, do a little shopping, have something to eat and a bit of peace and quiet from the kids.
All town centres are fighting to stay alive, smaller ones will disappear which will in turn help out the larger ones.
Accrington will in my opinion disappear and you will have to catch the bus to Blackburn to do you shopping. Accrington cannot support a big shopping centre and must shrink to fit the shops, if it doesn't I think the decline will be even faster. Empty shops looking a mess with put off many shoppers and they will start to go elsewhere sooner. Less people means less trade so more shops will close sooner.
I am sure the Council know what is happening and that they can't stop it. Blocking plans to expand retails parks wont help, they will just build one outside of Hyndburn. The Council have no money to redevelop the town, they can't persuade shops to move and redevelop the empty areas and that is what is needed. I don't suppose it helps that many of our Councillors fit into the older and retired bracket either.
Sorry for the long rant
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Can't argue with that, but it's not all charity and pound shops, there is at least one other shop
