10 September 2010
10:3669696Out of town retailing was always going to kill the high street shopping experience. Why a local data company, or any data company is required to tell us that is beyond me. It's so obviously the case.
Saving town centres is a waste of time as they are no longer economically viable for most of the types of business frequenting them. High business rates are just one dagger in the back of the high street traders, as are a diminished foot-fall and online shopping.
The towns that will survive this sea-change in the dynamics of retailing will be those that find an alternative use for their town centres/high streets. Migrating them to domestic accommodation and/or liesure outlets may be one way to achieve this.
Hanging on to past glories will never be the answer.
10 September 2010
10:4169700I agree Sid but it is sad watching a once lively town disappearing .
Guest 700- Registered: 11 Jun 2010
- Posts: 2,868
10 September 2010
11:0569721I wonder WHEN people will realise that out of centre retailing is not good. EASIER and more profitable maybe, because using brown-field sites is more expensive....
There are a lot of properties in the town centres which have accommodation above the shop premises empty - years ago shop keepers lived on their premises.
If the owners chose to live elsewhere, then this could be a source of income for the owner by letting.
With more people living in the town security in the streets after hours would be improved.
It would also mean town properties were smarter, and not likely to become derelict and in bad repair.
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Lincolnshire Born and Bred
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
11 September 2010
06:1569886A good number of those properties you mention Kath have now had those rooms above the shops converted (back) into flats and let out, increasing the income for the landlords and/or leaseholders.
I pushed for these conversion years ago, giving the same positive slant on why they should be done, eventually the "No Use Empty" strategy was impleted (not just just because of me of course), I believe by the then Cabinet member at DDC, our very own Sue.
The trouble was/is, that then the conversions were complete, the housing associations took over the running and responsibility of most of them and because there were large numbers of registered homeless, they were given the flats and so we then had an even bigger problem in the Town Centre, because instead of "policing" the Town Centres, as it would have been with good quality residents, they were part of the problem.
I'm certainly not saying that every one who is homeless is a problem tenant, but the vast majority of the early ones were and the housing associations were very slow to react.
Roger
Keith Sansum1
- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,942
11 September 2010
12:4669941roger;
I would say a MINORITY of homeless may have been a problem, but use of the words, VAST MAJORITY were needs qualifying
ALL POSTS ARE MY OWN PERSONAL VIEWS
Ross Miller
- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 17 Sep 2008
- Posts: 3,707
11 September 2010
13:0269943I agree with Keith, that it is a small group that are well known to the authorities and social housing providers that cause the vast majority of issues. Sadly, there is little that social landlords appear to be prepared to do about them, thus causing a blight on all of us. Surely the obligation to provide social housing must stop when someone breaches their tenancy agreement and therefore implicitly is making themselves voluntarily homeless
"Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today." - James Dean
"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength,
While loving someone deeply gives you courage" - Laozi
11 September 2010
15:5569960It's a tough one Ross. I agree bad behaviour needs sanctions, and support that, but creating homelesness isn't always the answer. There isn't an easy one, though.
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
11 September 2010
17:2469977When the problems were so prevalent in the Town Centre, it looks like it is the majority.
Roger
Keith Sansum1- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,942
11 September 2010
17:2669978ROGER
Thankyou for backing down
Ross is correct those that breach do need sorting
but we mustnt get into this blame game majority at it.
ALL POSTS ARE MY OWN PERSONAL VIEWS
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
11 September 2010
17:3069983It wasn't backing down Keith, it was being pragmatic.
Roger
Keith Sansum1- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,942
11 September 2010
17:3269985ROGER
bUT interesting,
as soon as others challenged nowt came forward to qualify the allegations
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Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
12 September 2010
06:1870026If you talk to shop-keepers in Cannon Street, they would tell you that every flat above those shops, had homeless people staying there who were causing problems - the same as most flats above the shops, so although it's not the majority of homeless people as a whole, it was the majority of those, in that area.
There isn't a problem now that I'm aware of, so the Housing Associations have tightened up and maybe, just maybe, the people themselves are behaving less objectionably.
Roger
Keith Sansum1- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,942
12 September 2010
07:1670044Could I just add that there appears to be a lot more of our heavy drinkng friends in the town lately(used to be in pencester)
they sit outside marks and spensers with there cans of strong ale
they also sit in the bit of land round corner from kebab shop by estate agents just before market square.
Theres a lot more now, faces Iv not seen before.
ALL POSTS ARE MY OWN PERSONAL VIEWS
12 September 2010
09:5870053Yes ive noticed them as well keith they sit on wall near car park of co op, lots new ones doesnt give the town a good look.
12 September 2010
10:0570056Who are they? Defeated Labour MP's?
12 September 2010
10:2870059Nah - Shocked coalition members who are just now realising the amount of work needed...........
Jan Higgins
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,894
12 September 2010
12:2570086Along the road from me there is a house full of bedsits that seems to cater for the drunk and drug brigade. Their next door neighbours had a terrible time with them, death threats to the wife and what they would do to the children. The landlord did nothing but all seems to have gone quiet now since the police got involved, thank goodness.
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I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
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Guest 641- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 2,335
12 September 2010
12:3070089I've also noticed the seemingly 'new' crowd of drunks by the green behind the Roman Painted House, not good for tourism or for the town's residents and shoppers
Guest 700- Registered: 11 Jun 2010
- Posts: 2,868
12 September 2010
14:2670102There was one sat against a wall in the Russel Street Car Park the other day.
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Lincolnshire Born and Bred
12 September 2010
15:2970111I see us providing a "safe area" for people to skin up and drink. Titter ye not - it would keep them away from what are seen as public areas, reduce the scare factor for tourists and members of the general public, and keep the detritus in one place for easy and safe disposal. That, or we could simply make a feature of them as a tourist attraction..........