Hetheringtons Shoe Repairs Closing

[rosco]

Shame to see another long established business closing.....so here is the latest betting on the new one opening

 

Hair dresser/Barbers...1/2

Nail Bar... 6/4

Beauty Salon 7/2

Vape Shop...4/1

Cafe...5/1

Anything  actually useful...20/1

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

On 28/03/2022 at 11:59, rosco said:

 

Anything  actually useful...20/1

Unfortunately it used to be the public that went up and down the Font Street that would influence anyone in business to open a shop. 

These days it's only the things you can't but online - Hair dresser/Barbers  - Nail Bar - Beauty Salon & Cafe that will tempt a business owner. 

I can't imagine a business owner thinking - what retail shop could I open, in any town, that will bring in joe public during normal working hours? The majority of families, weather house owners or renters, have all the bread winners working. Even after child birth the parent wants to get back to work asap, even when child minding costs as much as they will earn.

Even green grocers can't compete with the way the Supermarkets have forced the farming industry prices to below what an independent Highstreet trader  could make a decent living from. 

I have always though that Supermarkets should only sell food; not clothes, cosmetics, gardening tools & plants, electrical goods etc. etc.

I wonder if by 2050 house will be built without kitchens - ever meal delivered to your door!!

[Canny lass]

1 hour ago, Alan Edgar (Eggy1948) said:

wonder if by 2050 house will be built without kitchens - ever meal delivered to your door!!

Only a matter of time! In the larger towns here, robots have already replaced bike messengers for delivering, ready to eat meals. They are also being tried out for delivering, groceries and packages.

I can't agree with Rosco that hairdressers and barbers don't fall into the category 'useful' but I do agree that Bedlington women have no need for beauty parlours. They are just perfect as they are.

[rosco]

If you count up the number of hairdressers/barbers/nail bars/beauty salons in Bedlington main street and just off it comes to about 20

 

And as regards the town centre development they may as well just build a load of housing on it as nobody else will want to open up a shop because we aren't going to get a leisure facility etc

Edited April 2, 2022 by rosco

[Pete]

18 hours ago, Alan Edgar (Eggy1948) said:

These days it's only the things you can't but online - Hair dresser/Barbers  

 

True But Barbers are only a text message away in Leicester.

[Canny lass]

Rosco, I hear what you're saying and I understand that you are disgruntled with what’s on offer in Bedlington but the very fact that there are so many surviving small businesses in just those categories (hairdressers, barbers, nail bars and beauty salons) is in fact proof that they are meeting the needs and requirements of the Bedlington populace and as such must be deemed as being useful. They would have gone bankrupt long ago if they were not. Clearly, this type of business isn’t anything that appeals to you – and, if I’m honest, three of them don’t appeal to me either – however, as Eggy and Pete very accurately outline above, shopping/selling patterns have moved with the times and services of many kinds are now only a text message away.

Unless Bedlington high street has changed dramatically during the past few years the businesses which you are deeming to be of no use occupy small premises not suitable for the retailing giants. They are therefore reliant on small businesses for their use. Such premises also bring with them costs for rent, heating, lighting and water so it’s not surprising that many hairdressers, barbers, nailbars and beauty salons today choose to be ”a text message away” and go to the customer’s home instead of having the customer come to them. 

Shouldn’t we therefore be thankful that there are still people willing to occupy these small premises in Bedlington because without them – whatever their line of business – this is what Bedlington would look like today:

Edited April 3, 2022 by Canny lass

[Vic Patterson]

100% Canny lass, shopping has evolved, online and box stores have the numbers, $, and convenience, "Front streets" need to adapt to local needs or be outlets for the larger businesses. 

Anything social should be encouraged such as drop in centres, cafe's, fitness centres, youth centres,  garden centres anything that encourages people to get out and mix. 

Local authorities need to adapt to the new life styles and figure out how to make the changes to the old disused buildings. They need the ability to make unsightly buildings meet standards or loose them. I'm sure present laws are outdated and restrictive (take the politics out) I'm sure Malcolm has great visions for the front street!

We have all enjoyed the days of local personal service while shopping but sadly times have changed, I'm sure the youth of today love the new way! (I like much of it especially the technology) 

[Canny lass]

Twenty years ago I, and many women like me, enjoyed a day in the town, trailing around the shops looking for a bargain and despite the unavoidable sore feet and inevitable clock-watching (couldn’t afford to miss the 4 o’ clock bus home because the old man would be wanting his tea) this was, believe it or not, considered to be a relaxing day out! ”Go and enjoy yourself” my OH said, quite seriously, and I did! Now I, and many like me, think it’s much more relaxing to sit in a comfy sofa, lap-top on knee, G&T in hand and find my requirements without the sore feet and clock-watching. It also has the added benefits of non existent travel/parking costs, time saved and being able to shop when I want rather than when the shops are open.

I certainly agree with you that local authorities need to adapt to new life styles and how to put disused buildings to use. However, I don’t know just how much of Bedlington Front Street, if any, is council owned. I do think they ought to be able to approve, or disapprove, new businesses even in private properties but then comes the dilemma: Should we allow another hairdresser etc. to open shop or should we say no and let the property stand empty. The latter doesn’t look too good in any town and the former gives an employment opportunity(even if it’s only for the owner) and keeps the street alive. If hairdressers etc are succeeding there must be a need for them.

[Vic Patterson]

Delinquent owners, rental properties etc, Our bylaws allow the Council to bring in a contractor to clean up a property, be it for unkept gardens, from weeds's etc to wrecked or abandoned cars and put the bill on the property taxes. The front street could be kept looking good even if only on the outside.

I wouldn't regulate the use of the buildings but definitely the looks.

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

21 hours ago, rosco said:

If you count up the number of hairdressers/barbers/nail bars/beauty salons in Bedlington main street and just off it comes to about 20

 

And as regards the town centre development they may as well just build a load of housing on it as nobody else will want to open up a shop because we aren't going to get a leisure facility etc

@rosco

Do you think the space now under development at the Market Place would have been large enough to hold a leisure facility, with all the amenities, for the whole of Bedlington? Bearing in mind I think it would have to have it’s own car park. 

I know we all would prefer to see a thriving Front Street but would we all be prepared to spend more in the individual family Butchers, Bakers, Greengrocers, Florists etc. than we would in a Supermarket? Even for those that could afford to  pay extra for their weekly shop there are still many more that would prefer the cheaper option.

If Bedlington did not have Supermarkets would the town’s folk, with  transport, shop elsewhere. I know a few relatives, from Bedlington Station, do their weekly shop at Blyth (Cowpen) Asda and only use the Station Co-op and corner shops for the odd items they may need through the week.  One of our daughters used to be in charge of the Guidepost Co-op

But still did a large shop at ASDA.

Edited April 3, 2022 by Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

12 hours ago, Pete said:

True But Barbers are only a text message away in Leicester.

@PetePete

I know what you mean Pete – it’s the same here. There are quite a few who only do home visits.

The wife uses a hairdresser that used to rent a space (one chair, bench and mirror)  in a local Hair Salon.  The covid lockdown resulted in that hairdresser starting to work from home and she has now converted one of her rooms into her ‘one person at a time’ salon.

Once I got to my teens, mid 1960’s, I hardly went to a barbers. I preferred the hippy style to the Teddy Boy brylcreemed wave. These days I never go to a barber or have a home visit – It’s a do-it-yourself hair shaver job with a No 3 guard so one length all over.

[Canny lass]

19 hours ago, Vic Patterson said:

I wouldn't regulate the use of the buildings but definitely the looks.

I wasn't meaning that local councils should be playing big brother, Vic, more that they should be looking at the impact of the business on the infrastructure and  amenities available: roads, traffic, parking facilities, schools,  in the vicinity and so on. I think it's worth them looking at what type and where the new businesses are planned to see whether or not they fit in with existing town planning or if amendments needed to be made. Are there parking spaces? Will pedestrians cause problems? Will the business cause problems for pedestrians? Could there be traffic problems? Is the nature of the business suitable for the area? (here, you'd never be allowed to put an Ann Summers shop (are they still in existence) near a school and plans are even afoot to prevent sweets and energy drinks being sold near schools).

Edited April 4, 2022 by Canny lass

[Canny lass]

20 hours ago, Alan Edgar (Eggy1948) said:

@PetePete

I know what you mean Pete – it’s the same here. There are quite a few who only do home visits.

The wife uses a hairdresser that used to rent a space (one chair, bench and mirror)  in a local Hair Salon.  The covid lockdown resulted in that hairdresser starting to work from home and she has now converted one of her rooms into her ‘one person at a time’ salon.

 

Sorry! wrong quote! I must get new specs!

[Vic Patterson]

Towns will look like they did 200 years ago when the railways opened up the country, there were only essential shops and businesses, but will have to add traffic!

I had too Google Ann Summers! 

[Canny lass]

20 hours ago, Alan Edgar (Eggy1948) said:

@rosco

Do you think the space now under development at the Market Place would have been large enough to hold a leisure facility, with all the amenities, for the whole of Bedlington? Bearing in mind I think it would have to have it’s own car park. 

 

I know we all would prefer to see a thriving Front Street but would we all be prepared to spend more in the individual family Butchers, Bakers, Greengrocers, Florists etc. than we would in a Supermarket? Even for those that could afford to  pay extra for their weekly shop there are still many more that would prefer the cheaper option.

 

If Bedlington did not have Supermarkets would the town’s folk, with  transport, shop elsewhere.

 

I am failing to see how establishing a successful business on the main street is dependent on there being a leisure centre. People who go to leisure centres go there for just that purpose – leisure. In all those which I’ve visited I have been able to buy everything I need for the purpose: leisure wear, hygiene products and bath towels (should I have forgotten to take mine along with me) as well as food and refreshments should I need/want them. I’ve even visited a hairdresser in one of them. So, as I see it, these facilities within the leisure centre (if they keep their prices down) may even kill some business that already exists on the street.

 

Perhaps it’s being suggested that a leisure centre would attract footfall from other towns? Which towns? Morpeth? Already got one! Ashington? Already got one! Blyth? Already got one! They may visit one or two times, just to see what it’s like, but unless Bedlington’s liesure centre has some unique, gigantic, ’can’t be lived without’ magnet of a special attraction they’ll soon realise that they can have the same experience, without travel time and costs, on their own doorstep. Most of the arguments I’ve read in previous topics related to wanting a leisure centre in Bedlington have revolved around just that question – the need to avoid travel.

 

Eggy, as long as Bedlington’s high street has its business premises occupied and in use – with whatever – then I would say it IS thriving. If it wasn’t it would look like the Nottingham street in the photo above. As Vic points out, ’business’ doesn’t need to be a shop.

 

For me, and I suspect many others, where I do my weekly shopping is not just a question of its cheaper prices that makes me choose a supermarket. It’s also the time and the effort that would be involved should i choose to shop in small specialized grocery shops. I could never go back to my mother’s way of shopping; 2-3 times a week (morning or afternoon only and no Sunday opening), carrying increasingly heavy shopping bags from one shop to another, waiting in a queue in EVERY shop then waiting for the item to be wrapped (no pre-packed veg.) then lugging them all the way home in time for the kids coming home from school. A half day’s work at best. No thank you!

 

Much better with once a week, one stop - preferably on the way home from work (or the leisure centre when I’m out and about anyway), shopping trolley instead of heavy bags (no carrying), one queue at the checkout then trolley to the car park. An hour and a half at the very most.

 

It would be interesting to hear just what would be considered ’useful’ and at the same time able to be accomodated in any of the small business premises on Bedlington’s high street, should they become vacant.

 

[Canny lass]

5 minutes ago, Vic Patterson said:

I had too Google Ann Summers! 

No comment!

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

3 hours ago, Vic Patterson said:

I had too Google Ann Summers! 

If they had an Ann Summers shop on Front Street then the footfall could be monitored and then we would know who was working from home.

 

This isn't totally accurate but the best I could do - Market Place area & Cramlington Manor Walks and Concordia area (car parking areas outlined in yellow) :- 

 

[rosco]

Back to my original post.......I don't disagree that the high street has changed and the butcher/baker/candlestick maker thing is long gone, and yes there is clearly a market for all theses barbers/nail bars etc but only so many can survive and I think saturation point has been reached.

Sadly I think the town centre development site will be the same in a couple of years time and eventually will have cheap housing built on and when I say the site will have cheap housing I mean cheap as in cheap and nasty not affordable. One idea would have been to move the library/doctors etc into a nice new modern building which would take a fair chunk of the land as the originals are out of date and as normal every other town has had/getting new except Bedlington.

Tesco wanted to build a new shiny store and a handful of shops but were turned down because the old building was marked as listed/important🤣they also refused to spend major amounts fixing/bodging the leaking roofs/decrepit buildings and eventually decided enough was enough and left even though the old shop was making money. Then a few years down the line the entire site is flattened including the all important former COOP building

 

Edited April 5, 2022 by rosco

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

1 hour ago, rosco said:

......................................

Tesco wanted to build a new shiny store and a handful of shops but were turned down because the old building was marked as listed/important🤣they also refused to spend major amounts fixing/bodging the leaking roofs/decrepit buildings and eventually decided enough was enough and left even though the old shop was making money. Then a few years down the line the entire site is flattened including the all important former COOP building

 

I had heard that when Tesco pulled out all the small retailers also backed away. Naturally as that's just what I heard I have no idea what went on behind the scenes and at the council meetings. 

I  assume all the minutes from all the meetings involving every stage of the development, that has gone on for years, are available to the general public. Reading the minutes, or attending council meetings, It's not something I have ever thought I could pass a few hours/days of my time doing.   

[Canny lass]

7 hours ago, rosco said:

there is clearly a market for all theses barbers/nail bars etc but only so many can survive and I think saturation point has been reached.

I understand how you feel, Rosco. I’ve felt the same way about the number of tatoo parlours in some towns – Bedlington included. However, as long as these businesses are successfull and paying there way, we can´t say that saturation point has been reached. First when one of them goes out of business due to insufficient customers, can we say that saturation point has been reached – and then only if the remaining businesses cannot accomodate those customers because they are already working at full capacity. Saturation point for the onlooker, who is sick of the sight of them and longing for something else to take their place, is more easily reached but that’s another matter.

 

Certainly, it would be nice if there was more variation on the street but until there are enough enterprising individuals with new ideas willing to chance the investment, AND sufficient customers who want their services, then isn’t it better with six hairdressers rather than six boarded up shop fronts?

[rosco]

I forgot the tattoo shops .....we have 3 and every time I've gone past barbers shops at bp garage/todds/market place/old post office/clippers....no more than one person at best

On a side note now that Morpeth are building a £21M leisure centre and selling the old one can Bedlington not put a cheeky £1 bid in and demolish/rebuild in the market place😁as we will happily take a 2nd hand leisure centre, it'll sit nicely where the pub that isn't getting built anymore would have been

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

15 hours ago, rosco said:

On a side note now that Morpeth are building a £21M leisure centre and selling the old one can Bedlington not put a cheeky £1 bid in and demolish/rebuild in the market place😁as we will happily take a 2nd hand leisure centre, it'll sit nicely where the pub that isn't getting built anymore would have been

That sounds like a good idea but would they have to leave out a gymnasium area? I wonder if the paramount Health & Fitness Club, on the Glebe Road, would be involved or would they loose their business in the area?

Nowt to do with Bedlington but just what happens to small businesses when a shopping complex with additional facilities opens. I know an ex work mate of mine opened the Aspire Health & Fitness club, Newgate Street, Morpeth but I don't know if she and her husband were aware of planned new leisure centre facilities. They bought the premises, 76, Newgate Street just before covid hit so all their plans were nocked back months and now they have opened and have some members I wonder how long their members will stay with them when the new leisure centre gym opens. 

[Canny lass]

Rosco, am I right in thinking that you don’t consider tattoo parlours useful either? Add them to the 20 hairdressers/barbers/nail bars and beauty salons in and around the main street and that’s 23 successful small businesses giving life to the street or, to put it another way, that’s 23 (at least) employment opportunities. OK, they may not be the type of business you or I have any use for but clearly other people do.

 

To judge the need for a business by the number of customers at any one time of day when you happen to be passing by seems a little unfair. Irrespective of the fact that there is only one customer when you happen to pass by the barbers, there may be countless at those times when you are not around. There are many businesses that have quiet and busy periods both throughout the day, the week or even the year – pubs, hairdressers and cat hotels, to name but one of each, where evenings, Friday/Saturday and summer holidays, in that order, are when income is generated. They must be doing something right if they are surviving despite the quiet periods.

 

Correct me if I’m misunderstanding you but I am starting to get the feeling that some of your disgruntlement is because you feel that these businesses are being approved/supported/favoured by the local authority at the cost of erecting a leisure centre? Let me ask two questions – to anybody who can answer them:

 

How many of those 23 business premises are rented from the local authority?

Would a leisure centre fit into any of those premises?

 

If the answer to the first is anywhere between 1 and 23 then those businesses are making a contribution to the coffers of the local authority – which could help to provide the longed for leisure centre rather than preventing its coming into being.

 

If the answer to the second is no, then the small businesses are not utilising any space that could be put to use for such a leisure centre.

On a lighter note:

Sorry to hear the pub isn’t being built anymore but with 8-9 drinking establishments in and around the main street perhaps it’s already reached saturation point?

 

A conundrum: Every resident in Bedlington (give or take the odd one or two who for medical reasons or otherwise doesn’t have hair, and those like Eggy who manage their own hair growth) requires the services of a hairdresser/barber from childhood through to old age.

Every person in Bedlington does not require the services of a public house because it is illegal for any child younger than 16 years to drink alcohol in licensed premises (unless accompanied by an adult). With no accompanying adult the age is raised to 18 years. That’s quite a big chunk of the population who are excluded.

 

I haven’t counted but I strongly suspect that there are at least as many licensed premises as hairdressers/barbers in Bedlington yet the former has fewer potential clients. Can anybody explain how this is possible?

[rosco]

There was never any chance of getting a leisure centre my only grudge with the council is that they didn't approve the Tesco development years ago because of the former Coop building with its listed / historical status. Give it another two years and the rest of the site will be cheap nasty housing because of a combination of fannying about / incompetence by council etc

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

11 hours ago, rosco said:

......................... Give it another two years and the rest of the site will be cheap nasty housing because of a combination of fannying about / incompetence by council etc

Well I'll still enjoy life whilst the development is in progress and finally completed - but Roll on 2025 and we should see the state of things.

You never know by 2025 we might all have taken a step back in time, as importing is getting more difficult, and we will have gone back to the early part of the 20th century days to growing our own produce in our gardens and following the local horse and trailer sellers for horse manure