Small Shops
In the News
Today it already seems our small shops are now history and destined for the museum. That’s the online age. I’m used to seeing Victorian shops in museums. Now it’s the recent ones! A bit sad really.
I’m not sure it’s just down to online shopping. I think it’s due to higher business rates, rents and energy plus increased minimum wages.
Technology has killed everything so people Instead order from online. The same applies to the Supermarkets who ran the small Shops up the road too. Lets not forget the greedy Councils who charge ridiculous business rates and put In meter maids to cash In on us too. Welcome to Rip off Britain!
I disagree with you. In my area there is loads of small shops expanding in all sizes and competing with the supermarket giants and still going strong. It all depends on where the customers wishes to spend their money.
It depends on where you live. There are areas around me that are full of small independent shops.
I’m only discussing what I saw on the news today. Yes depends where you live but where I am we are just left with charity shops and supermarkets. Maybe a few pharmacies and one or two new clothes shops but not many. Most have gone.
The rents where I am are the reason we don't have the independent small shops. Only the big giants can afford the rents.
It is sad those small businesses that are peoples wages and those that depend on them
This is easily corrected with the right legislation. It just means the burden of taxation becomes greater for online businesses or large retail premises and smaller premises have much lower taxation. Japan favours local shops because of high population density and wanting to reduce congestion so people don't have to travel far to buy what they need. This could easily be achieved in the UK with the right legislation. At the moment the huge costs of delivering goods are subsidised by the business rates on warehouses and similar out of town large buildings but this could easily be changed. Ebay, Amazon and other international retailers do huge damage to the UK economy and don't even pay corporation tax here. Unfortunately politicians are some of the most stupid people sadly, mostly utterly incompetent. There are few politicians who recognise the problems of our economy and most just borrow money which is short term thinking and pushes more problems into the future.
Where I live there are loads of empty business premises that have been unoccupied for years, owned by the council I might add. Surely better to have all those years at half rent rather than no rent at all. Would help businesses just starting up too!
Lynibis I know some is due to recent pandemic and more people work from home but it’s the rents as well as you say. There is still a place for workplaces too as some people prefer that. It’s a combination of high rents, more online etc. It’s sad and makes things look scruffy with unoccupied buildings. Oh but there are quite a few coffee shops but if not a lot else what is the point?
JLouM agree with you both ,it's a crying shame ,most people want human contact,
Everything small is shut down !Ike schools and medical places, and we are herded miles away in our hundreds....
Where we live there are a number of small shops. There are a lot of rural places and small villages near us, so they all have small local shops, all of which thrive. We have used them ourselves, they are reasonably priced and sell everything you need.
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