Highlighting Town’s problems ‘will just make them worse’
Friday 7th August 2009, 2:00PM BST.
ST PETER PORT deputy Barry Brehaut has condemned a survey of empty shops as sending out the wrong image of Town.
He said the study, carried out by Deputy Mary Lowe, would discourage people from shopping in the area.
All high streets were suffering the same problems, he said.
‘It is a time of difficult trading conditions. It is a disappointing figure, but we shouldn’t be surprised,’ said Deputy Brehaut.
He said that the douzaine and the Town Centre Partnership worked hard to draw people into St Peter Port.
‘We shouldn’t be talking down the Town but working to improve it.’
This is the second survey carried out by Deputy Lowe. The first, in April, found 41 empty shops around Town. That figure has risen to 48 in four months.
Deputy Lowe decided to carry out a second survey during the summer season in the hope that the number of empty shops had fallen.
‘I am very disappointed the number has risen,’ she said.
She said she never intended her survey to put shoppers off coming to Town.
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What solution do you propose then, Deputy Brehaut? Bury our heads in the sand, wear our “la la I’m not listening headphones” and do nothing?
We elect our leaders to identify problems and where possible take action to alleviate them, not ignore or whitewash over them. No matter how much you truss up a manure pile, it’s still a manure pile.
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So telling peeps there is a problem will make it worse? Yeah right Dep B, hide it and it will just go away eh?
Health vs Mike Hadley anyone?
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I don’t think Deputy Lowe’s survey has put people off coming into town the fact that so many shops are empty is the high rents, let us see some of the landlords drop there rent you never know it might make a difference
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“He said the study, carried out by Deputy Mary Lowe, would discourage people from shopping in the area.”
Maybe he’s right, maybe people will be discouraged from shopping in the area and they’ll go to the next city, er, I mean town, er… oh. There is no other town.
Where the hell does he think all these shoppers are going to go instead?!
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Well Paul Le P, and others you beat me to it-
but this I will say;
within a few days another so.called politician has got egg all over his face,
‘
SO count today 2useless deputies, roll roll up let’s be ‘aving you.
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Could it be that the issues are our town is in a steep decline is for whatever reason those in power (or some of) can not identify the problems or come up with a strategy to address our towns slow demise into a ghost town.
Well known local businesses are shutting down or abandoning our high street and/or moving out of town. Is this exodus happening because of the recession, internet shopping or could it be the old favourite, those greedy greedy landlords who don’t give a dam about the retail trade, high street, jobs or Gsy. Before one turns the key in the door to their shop they may have up to and beyond, rent of £55,000 per year and this does not include, wages, stock, electricity, water, refuge, rates, security and one must not forget the competition.
My wife and I always try and buy local if we can but this is our preferance.
Yes, there are good landlords in the area of retail but it could be argued they are far and few between. I say well done Mary Lowe she does have her finger on the pulse at times…….
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