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Ghost Town fear
WIGAN is danger of becoming a ghost town if business rates are allowed to soar.
That’s the view of successful businessman David Bamford, who owns Symphony Music, on Market Street, who is bracing himself for a proposed 5.6 per cent rise in rates.
The musician, who originally set up shop in Ashton, moved to the town centre two-and-a-half years ago.
David, who runs the store with his wife, Michelle, voiced concerns that if the price hike goes ahead, many businesses could be forced to close.
He said: “If the rise to the rates is applied in April, our business rates will not only be the highest they have ever been, but more significantly they will account for a greater percentage of our expenses than ever before.
“The principle calculation for business rates suggests it should be under half of our notional rent, but instead it will be more than 75 per cent of our rent.
“What is more alarming is that, due to the high street historically being a buoyant trading environment with high-value properties, the rateable values are generally higher than other business properties.
“In a period of trading decline, this increase hurts the high street twice as hard.”
David, who sells musical instruments and provides instrumental tuition, believes new developments out of the town centre has partly created the problem.
He added: “While Wigan Council are only beneficiaries of business rates and have no influence over the charges levied, I believe it is not blameless in this situation.
“Even during the halcyon years of retail, it can still be argued that agreeing development was irresponsible if it simply moves occupancy.”
Mike Worden, head of planning at Wigan Council, said: “Planning applications for out-of-centre developments are subject to significant testing and scrutiny through the planning process.
“Government and local policy focuses new development for retail in town and existing centres and Wigan Council has followed this approach.
“Robin Park, like many out of centre retail developments in towns across the country, was granted planning consent some years ago before national retail policy was as strong as it is now.
“Since then we have strengthened our town centre retail offer, through for example the Grand Arcade development which has drawn in shoppers to the town centre who would have otherwise shopped elsewhere, plus the improved leisure facilities to help attract more people into the town centre. This has helped to keep Wigan within the country’s top 100 retail destinations.”
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Friday 25 May 2012
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Comments
There are 23 comments to this article
Page 1 of 2
orbix
Sunday, February 5, 2012 at 03:53 PMThe new library, is also soulless, I wont be visiting that monstrosity very often what a waste of space.
Coppull
Sunday, February 5, 2012 at 12:53 PMehm back on Topic, Post 18 , I loved that bookshop too and was sorry to see it go. It had been there solid from the mid 80's i'm sure. It seemed to be the last place in that now empty shell,almost making a statement simply through its presence that it wasn't going to close down easily. It's now just another reason for me to go to Chorley & to visit the similar book shop there. Also i can park for free in Chorley, another reason why i sadly avoid Wigan.
Coppull
Sunday, February 5, 2012 at 12:44 PMPerhaps i'm off topic here, but has anyone else noticed a much prevelant recurrent theme in these posts recently, in that the Government or Council are to blame for everything and the simple panacea to all of our problems is to simply vote in a different one ? I'd be fascinated to hear any examples where citizens have done this simple and sensible action resulting in the so easily achieveable overnight communal peace, harmony and cure of all ills in a society?
Wisewiganer
Friday, February 3, 2012 at 08:20 AMOnline shopping is the future, as for big supermarket chains we the public are to blame for that one we see cheap "buy 1 get 1 free" offers we go there, small independant shops do struggle but they survive..... You talk about the Grand arcade like you talked about the galleries when they pulled down the old market.... MOAN MOAN MOAN but no action..... Get of your high horses and do something about it no good moaning on here about it, organise petitions online and paper, form rallies like in the 90's Oh sorry i forgot your all lazzzzy moaning gits...... This country is going literally to the hounds of recession and its MOAN MOAN HELP BRITAIN BACK ON ITS FEET get rid of this terrible goverment and put in a sensible goverment that are not after filling thier own pockets with your hard earned cash....
Joey Joe-Joe Junior Shabadoo
Thursday, February 2, 2012 at 01:12 PMIt's called a recession, you lot may want to look it up! You go to any town or city in the country and most will be experiencing very similar situations. In the centre of Rochdale the McDonalds has just closed down so things could be a lot worse.
thehumanetrainer
Thursday, February 2, 2012 at 11:00 AMI really fear for my town. The Galleries was great, loads of good independent shop, with loads of variety. I almost cried when the Book Clearance shop closed down. I bought some amazing books from there. The car parking charges are ridiculous. People don't mind paying for goods Oscar, but they resent paying half an hours hard earned wage for parking. Plus, the machines are deliberately set so you don't get change. I walk round my town with my head held high, i love Wigan. But i see the folly of Government and the Council everywhere i go. It's not just shops either. Have a look at the pubs that have shut in the past 3 years. Maybe they had a bad rep, but look at the buildings! I use the Grand Arcade for free aftershave from Boots! Can't beat a free sample!
Traindriver
Wednesday, February 1, 2012 at 09:11 AMScarecrow: We're not half as funny as you and your typical postings. And I agree 100% with post 14
Scarecrow
Wednesday, February 1, 2012 at 08:08 AMPlenty of comedians on this thread.
working for EU and IMF Greece needs all our cash
Wednesday, February 1, 2012 at 01:15 AMOscar i think your missing the point, i would refuse too pay £3.50 to park my car that's a insult and day light robbery !! the supermarkets have got too big for their boots selling a very limited range of goods, not that much cheaper than the high street but have killed it stone dead. HMV a good example in trouble, if all them shops close where do you get back orders, not from the supermarkets. and the brilliant internet free postage in the right places and cheaper than the supermarkets if they stock the item. as for wigan town center we never needed that Grand Arcade 2 years free rent was a puller for the shops and the original company is insolvent. wigan MBC killed the town bad road planning and charging too park on the street when a short stay restriction as it was previous did the job for a quick shop to pick up a item. they could have covered part off the town center Standish Gate and revamped the other buildings with possible grants and the Gallerys ? ripped down the old Market Hall, the guts of the town and rip off the stall holders in high charges, King street smells off beer and pee. and they wonder why wigan is crap. internet thanks and tesco can go where ever the sun does not shine.
cartmankenny
Tuesday, January 31, 2012 at 10:27 PMFurther to Post 13 - My wife is, or was, a regular shopper at the old Debenhams. She was told by a member of staff in the new store that it was the worst move ever as people don't want to walk the full length of the arcade to get to them and subsequently they are not getting the customer numbers that the old store did.This is especially true of the older shoppers. Re-vamp The Galleries and demolish the Grand Arcade to give us a cinema back.
Traindriver
Tuesday, January 31, 2012 at 09:33 PMEven though people generally don't like the Grand Arcade (what's 'grand' about it, I don't know), you will never hear the arcade or town centre boss's admit to it being a disappointment. In the paper tonight, you seemed to have a general poor view of it from shoppers but i'll bet you in tomorrows post, you'll have the managers painting a very rosey picture about it. It's quite a sad stain on Wigan in my opinion.
Fingolfin
Tuesday, January 31, 2012 at 08:55 PMAgree about the grand arcade being a massive white elephant. It is a waste of space. The galleries is a much nicer place, I even prefer Makinsons (sp?) arcade. Wigan should have done a york and tried to capitalize on the quaint, smaller shops than soulless debinhams, marks and spencers et all
Traindriver
Tuesday, January 31, 2012 at 07:32 PMThe Grand Arcade is a disaster: completely characterless with over-priced shops. Wigan WILL become a ghost town due to the fact that nobody in their right mind would want to drive their way into Wigan on its joke road network in order to shop at the Grand Arcade? The Robin Park retail park and the numerous supermarkets can be blamed for Wigans inevitable demise. And do we really need another fast food outlet and cinema? What about a massive sub-tropical waterpark with enormous slides instead? Now that would be an attraction.
cartmankenny
Tuesday, January 31, 2012 at 06:49 PM" the Grand Arcade development which has drawn in shoppers to the town centre who would have otherwise shopped elsewhere, plus..." Really??? The Grand (lol) Arcade is a white elephant. There are few shops compared to the ill fated and in my opinion, better, Galleries. There is no atmosphere - it's like walking into a railway station. I can't see people coming to shop here from other towns. The main problem with shopping in Wigan (apart from the lack of shops) is the lack of parking facilities. The main car park for shoppers in the town centre is the Galleries car park and the only way to get to it is via the one way system which is always backed up along Mesnes St. and into Standishgate. I think Wigan, as a shopping destination, is sadly doomed.
greenfingers
Tuesday, January 31, 2012 at 04:43 PMOscar. Who ever own the buildings,Better to have some income than none at all,And as for car parking,as they say every little helps.
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