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Save Our Shops!
TODAY the Wigan Evening Post launches a campaign urging everyone to buy locally, in a bid to save some of our best-known shops.
It comes as the town toils under one of the highest shop vacancy rates in the country. Shock new figures show that 22.7 per cent of its shops are now empty and the number of closures has rocketed by more than eight per cent in the space of 12 months.
The worrying statistics from the Local Data Company are amply illustrated when looking around many local centres and seeing dozens of boarded-up and derelict stores.
Nationally the average increase in empty shops in medium-sized retail areas like Wigan stands at 4.2 per cent, but the local average is almost double that: at 8.2 per cent.
Although Wigan Council has admitted that there is a problem it has criticised the report, saying that the statistics they are based on are now out of date.
But as of this month council bosses have revealed that there are still 80 shops standing empty across the borough.
Coun David Molyneux, deputy council leader, said: “Compared to neighbouring town centres, Wigan is continuing to perform well in the current economic climate.
“While the latest report shows an increase in vacancy rates, it is important to note that since the survey was conducted several units are now occupied.”
This is echoed by Patrick Prinsloo, Wigan Local Policy Manager at Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce.
He said: “The most recent figure from the council shows a vacancy rate of 16.3 per cent, so we believe the figure in this report is too high. Nevertheless, the trend is still upwards so it is a concern.”
The council points out that Wigan town centre continues to be one of the top 100 retail destinations in the UK, but shopowners have criticised this saying that there is not enough focus on the borough’s other retail centres.
Hilda Byrne, who owns a music shop in Leigh, said: “There has been a lot of investment in Wigan in recent years, but nowhere near as much focus or money has been put into centres outside the town centre.
“There are events on in Wigan for half term and school holidays, but it’s places like Leigh, Atherton and Ashton that need things like this going on to draw people in, not Wigan which is busy without such events.”
Coun Molyneux added: “There are a number of events planned throughout the year that will animate the town centre and encourage visitors from across the borough and throughout the region.
“Whilst the forecasts for 2011 for UK high streets in general are not as positive as we would have liked, we have a strong partnership with the retailers in the town and have excellent support from the management of The Galleries and the Grand Arcade.
“We are therefore confident that Wigan will continue to weather the economic storm and perform well in the face of adversity and we will continue to encourage shoppers to support our town centres and buy local.”
Yvonne Fovargue, MP for Makerfield, said: “The high street has a special place in the heart of people the length and breadth of this country.
“At its best, the high street is a place where people go not only to shop, but to find services, access leisure facilities, and meet friends in bars, pubs and restaurants.
“The Localism Bill is a smokescreen for huge front loaded cuts to our council by this Tory-led government. I support a ‘town centre first’ approach where that is the expressed view of a local community.
“If we are to see thriving local town centres we need to see a mix of public and private investment which is why I welcome the recent decision on Ashton clinic, which can act as a catalyst for further regeneration.”
Lisa Nandy, MP for Wigan, said: “Small businesses, including market traders who play such a vital role in Wigan town centre, are under huge pressure from the recession, cancellation of public sector contracts, the banking crisis and online and out-of-town shopping.
“Wigan Council already supports and promotes local shops with its ‘buy local’ initiative. It’s time the Government did its bit and used its stake in our state owned banks to force them to lend to small businesses again.”
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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Comments
There are 20 comments to this article
Page 1 of 2
diablorojo
Tuesday, March 8, 2011 at 12:37 PMThe problem with Wigan is trying to get in and out of the town center, any way you choose is blocked, I live close to Marus Bridge,not a million miles away,and its far easier to go to Manchester and parking is free. Time the council shaped up or shipped out. Please do something with Poolstock lane, better still build a new road, across the old Scotsman flash
Jimmy
Thursday, March 3, 2011 at 03:04 PM@ Scarecrow - So now you tell me what I wanted and didn't know it. That's amazing. Have you ever thought about a job at McDonalds. It seems to be the limit on your intelligence. Have you ever thought of going to the Spirtualist Church by the Bingo Hall ? I think that would be more suited to your obvious talents.-------Maybe you should go into Wigan more often and look at the closed shops all over the place.----And isn't it strange that the Council wanted Wigan Casino closed down then try and cash in on it by having the Casino cafe. HYPOCRITS. Wigan HOME OF THE NOW DEMOLISHED WIGAN CASINO. Let's cash in on its name.
Great Gig In The Sky
Thursday, March 3, 2011 at 11:29 AMI wish somebody on the council would become a revolutionary rather than this defensive stance they put out in their robotic manner, Molyneux does it everytime if you study his comments. Why can't they grab the bull by the horns and look in to the reasoning behind such an article instead of automating their defense mechanisms? It's all political and they'll stick with whatever decisions been made 20 years ago by their party to keep credibility. Basically whilst Rome's burning, they keep with a decision which is of great detriment regardless of the masses. I bloody hate politics it doesn't belong at local level as I've said previously.
Paul Weston
Thursday, March 3, 2011 at 08:57 AMI do not know about Wigan but Ashton-in Makerfield seems to have more empty shops than occupied ones
Scarecrow
Thursday, March 3, 2011 at 07:40 AMJimmy So you wanted retention of Station Road with the Bingo Hall and the boaded up shops. The biggest mistake was the decision by the Council to allow the public to choose the design of the Galleries a few years ago. A design which includes too much wasted space and walkways which are outside. Why do you think the Grand Arcade is always packed, especially in Winter.
cartmankenny
Wednesday, March 2, 2011 at 11:22 PMNo wonder half the shops are empty. A small shop on Crompton St. (part of the new Grand Arcade) was vacant and advertising for £350pw rent. Add on to this electricheatingstaff costsinsurancecouncil tax etc. and the result is obvious. Who on earth can make a profit with these overheads? Also, apart from the extortionate parking charges and the "stazi" parking wardens; who would want to travel into Wigan with the abysmal road system? (not to mention the state of the roads, potholes etc.).
Jimmy
Wednesday, March 2, 2011 at 10:44 PMIt's not Big business that approved the building of the Grand Arcade but WMBC. The IDIOTS on the Council should have concentrated on filling the empty shops in Makerfield Arcade, Market Street Galleries etc. You can see the calibre of the town with all the Charity Shops, Cash Converter shops, Takeaways, Pound Shops etc.----------------- Whose paying for the Council Building work ? PFI ? Wigan Baths PFI ?-------------------------------------- If it is PFI we and our Children and Grandchildren will be paying way over the odds for the rest of our lives. It should be the Council providing facilities for the people of the town and NOT PRIVATELY OWNED BUSINESSES.
strange6
Wednesday, March 2, 2011 at 10:09 PMI think the supermarkets are more to blame rather than the internet
The Thing
Wednesday, March 2, 2011 at 10:02 PMSome sense from Jemmy (for once).....Alot of people on here have very little idea on the subject they are writing about. Rents are set by companies based upon the going rates and vacancy levels. Funnily enough these companies make lots of money which gives the idea that they know what they are doing. The commercial property market does not behave in the same way as the housing market and it can be better to leave a unit empty rather than drop rents, as it results in existing tenants getting cheaper rents from their rent reviews...............Anyway, the internet is killing town centres. As soon as I can order my pies over the net I will rarely leave the house.
JemmyH
Wednesday, March 2, 2011 at 08:00 PM..... And, why do people, like houghy, always think 'The Council' own all the shops? ---- They don't.. --- The Council don't get the rent from the town centre shops, because they are privately owned. The business tax paid by the shops doesn't go to The Council. It goes to a Central Government 'pool', which is shared out nationally. ---- So, don't blame 'The Council'. Blame 'The People of Wigan' for spending their money elsewhere, and the people of the 'borough' for spending their money 'locally'.
JemmyH
Wednesday, March 2, 2011 at 07:49 PMMistress Ploppy, people think that, if you live in the Wigan Council controlled area, you automatically class Wigan 'town centre' as your local shopping place. This is wrong. Very wrong. ---- If you read the article above, and digest it, you'll see that 'Hilda Byrne, who owns a music shop in Leigh' is of the same opinion. ---- Why should the residents of all the towns in the borough pay, through domestic council tax, to improve Wigan and Wigan's shopping centre to the cost of their own locality? ---- It's about time the council got it into their thick heads that a lot of people don't want to go to Wigan shopping centre. Ever. Because it's crap!
spartacus
Wednesday, March 2, 2011 at 07:40 PMI echo the sentiments of the majority of the comments made, Rents FAR too high, and the parking charges also FAR too high, and the attitude of traffic wardens stinks. Also I have noticed quite a lot, when a property goes up for rent, it,s usually either a Manchester or a London number you have to ring, and we all know what the rent charges are in those places , especially London, they only talk in telephone numbers, they don,t live in the real world., Why are these places not owned by Wigan locals, or the council.
celedrialjoy
Wednesday, March 2, 2011 at 07:01 PMBiggest mistake a Wigan labour council EVER made was knocking down the old market hall, they ripped the heart out of Wigan and it has never recovered properly......As most commentors on here have said give us free parking, stop harrassing would be customers be it through rabid traffic wardens or the charged car parks, that only the public have to pay for, (NOT) Wigan council they get free parking thanks to our council taxes....But hey ho these brain surgeons called wigan council with all their hangers on and their UN-elected MPs always think they know best ........But it seems from the present state of affairs THEY DONT........
houghy
Wednesday, March 2, 2011 at 04:34 PMthe reason most shops in wigan are empty is because the rents wigan council want are far to high, and if they had spent some money refurbishing the galleries instead of wasting money on building a new shopping centre all of the shops in the galleries would be full, blame the council for the biggest mistake they have made up to date
Mistress Ploppy
Wednesday, March 2, 2011 at 03:47 PMJemmyH. You really need to post you fascinations geographical ramblings on here then and give us a rest...........................................http:www.sthelensreporter.co.uk
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