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Whats That Old Shop Called?

Cympil

By Cympil
in Talk of the Town

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cunnyjohn

cunnyjohn

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the last people that looked at the old somerfield store were sainsburys ! but the area manager for somerfields has told some of the staff that weatherspoons have got the building !!!!!!!

Malcolm Robinson

Malcolm Robinson

Posted
Posted
The health of any small town shopping street can be easily gauged by surveying who is using it. For example, if it is predominantly the elderly (often lacking their own transport, low income, etc.) then there is no commercial incentive for the retail trade to invest in those areas. Nationally, the 'out-of-town' retail parks and supermarkets have done for the local shops. Given a choice, many folks who are able to, will drive to these places, park for free, have everything under one roof, experience a litter-free day, enjoy the piped music, emerge to find that no Parking Ticket has been slapped onto their car and return home satisfied - what a souless experience! The death of the high streets can often be traced back to the actions of local politicians who, as a means of generating revenue, introduced parking restrictions - guess what? People stayed away, the shops lost income, shut down, etc. etc. Those small towns that do still have viable shopping streets are the ones that campained against the retail park infection in their area.

I remember Bedlington Front St in the 60's as being a vibrant (maybe that's too strong!) place to shop - there was somewhere to get just about anything you needed. Milne's department store for cataput rubber, records (who can remember the listening booths?) furniture and other household items - who needed Bainbridges in the Town! Fruit & Veg (Patton's?) next to the Top Club, butchers(was there one called Amers or something similar?), bakers, and so on. The point was that people had to shop locally - car ownership wasn't universal and it was a right shlep on the bus to Newcastle and back with loaded bags.

I'm afraid the day of the local high street is a thing of the past. Rents can be too high so that freeholders will often only be able to generate a return by developing their holdings into residential units - that's where the money is!

I agree Symptoms but any town worth its salt needs a viable commercail heart. The sad fact is that Bedlington has never modernised its shopping environment. That might have something to do with the bulk of Front Street being a conservation area and as such any structural changes have paper mountains to climb! We should have seen a retail area from Presto's car park, next to the Monkey, right up to the duel carriagway at Glebe Road with shops, offices and plenty of free parking. Front Street could then have carried on with its conservation area status and being an area for cafes, bars and eateries, all pedestrianised, (the Holy Grail of WDC!) The shops are too spread out (complete with restrictive parking) for todays customers who want to park and shop within minutes. Until someone grabs the nettle the future of retail in the town is only going one way!

Pencil_Neck

Pencil_Neck

Posted
Posted
The world has moved on and a return to some perceived golden age of small town retail isn't going to happen.

The greater choice available in Newcastle, the convenience of large supermarkets and the advent of online shopping has curtailed the role of the local shopkeeper.

More pubs, more off licences and more scranneries will probably be the future of the front street.

Perfect for the single man & woman........ ;)

Monsta®

Monsta®

Posted
Posted
Perfect for the single man & woman........ ;)

yeah right not every one wants to drink and eat pizza's! not every one can afford to waste there hard earned money on rubbish!

well not every night! :lol:

Monsta®

Monsta®

Posted
Posted
I certainly don't want to drink pizzas. :o

why not could become a new craze "the alcoholic pizza" you could order the worlds best pizza "the carlsberg pizza" or for the proper alkies "a special brew" :lol: :lol:

Cympil

Cympil

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the last people that looked at the old somerfield store were sainsburys ! but the area manager for somerfields has told some of the staff that weatherspoons have got the building !!!!!!!

Well the rumours just might be true this time! I wonder if The Tavern will lose it`s customers to Wetherspoons,since it`s going to be next door and the price of the ale will be half the price :blink:

Blank

Blank

Posted
Posted
Well the rumours just might be true this time! I wonder if The Tavern will lose it`s customers to Wetherspoons,since it`s going to be next door and the price of the ale will be half the price :blink:

Didn't the Tavern loose its customers a few years ago?

Monsta®

Monsta®

Posted
Posted
Well the rumours just might be true this time! I wonder if The Tavern will lose it`s customers to Wetherspoons,since it`s going to be next door and the price of the ale will be half the price :blink:

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: the market tavern loose customers! does it actually have any customers?

Guest mongo

Guest mongo

Posted
Posted
The one next to Somerfield? I overheard the bloke in !*!@# Hat saying that Wetherspoons had bought it..has anyone heard owt?

ok wetherspoons was never going to be at that shop they were going in for that old ford garage next to the market pace club my mate works for the company that fits out all the wetherspoons gaffs and he said that the plans were done about 2 years ago and hes herd nothing since so i don't think it will be coming to bedlington but you never know i will ask him if hes herd anything yet and let you all know whats happening :D

Monsta®

Monsta®

Posted
Posted
ok wetherspoons was never going to be at that shop they were going in for that old ford garage next to the market pace club my mate works for the company that fits out all the wetherspoons gaffs and he said that the plans were done about 2 years ago and hes herd nothing since so i don't think it will be coming to bedlington but you never know i will ask him if hes herd anything yet and let you all know whats happening :D

i read some where that was going to be an old peoples home! just right for the front street of bedlington cause it's dead anyway so they'll not get disturbed much! :lol: :lol: :lol: thats all they seem to build in bedlington? what does that tell you, is there too many old people in bedlington? or is the council just a load of boring fossils? :lol: :lol:

Malcolm Robinson

Malcolm Robinson

Posted
Posted
i read some where that was going to be an old peoples home! just right for the front street of bedlington cause it's dead anyway so they'll not get disturbed much! :lol: :lol: :lol: thats all they seem to build in bedlington? what does that tell you, is there too many old people in bedlington? or is the council just a load of boring fossils? :lol: :lol:

I would put my money on a residentail development even though it does have planning for an old people's home!

As for retail in the town this is worth a read......

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/main.jhtm...MC-mcn_06062007

Monsta®

Monsta®

Posted
Posted
I would put my money on a residentail development even though it does have planning for an old people's home!

As for retail in the town this is worth a read......

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/main.jhtm...MC-mcn_06062007

your probably right more houses and flats! more money in someones pocket! screw bedlington before long cambois will have more shops than bedlington!!!!

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