Do we want massive malls, or local businesses? [BT broadband office]

Do we want massive malls, or local businesses?

Posted 4 June 2008 at 7:34AM by Ian Betteridge in Doing business online

According to The Times, eight new shopping centres the size of the massive Bluewater will open up over the course of 2008 and 2009, a huge increase in retail space that will stretch across the country from Liverpool to Bristol. But what will this mean for smaller businesses and town centres?

The Times report quotes Neil Hudson of PriceWaterhouseCoopers as saying that the new malls mean dire prospects for towns. "The amount of space coming on is potentially massive and, with the trading conditions we have and the ongoing shift towards online, it's going to mean more empty shops in market towns. More marginal sites will become unprofitable and more companies will go bust," he said.

Part of the problem is that developments of this size take many years to go from initial planning permission to opening. Developments which looked perfectly acceptable ten years ago now look like magnets which will draw business away from the hearts of towns, leaving them with large numbers of boarded up shops and little of the foot traffic that is a high proportion of income for small retailers. What's good for large businesses isn't necessarily good for smaller companies.

Tags: bluewater, bt, bt broadbandoffice, pricewaterhousecoopers

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Comments

1. At June 4, 2008 7:57 AM, Chris Sabin wrote:

"a huge increase in retail space that will stretch across the country from Liverpool to Bristol"

Would you mind changing that to this will strech accross England so that anyone reading this who has no idea where these places know?

Me, being Scottish, have no interest in this however and this is just another example of people thinking the world revolves around England.

2. At June 4, 2008 9:15 AM, Zen wrote:

Certainly is the case, unfortunately. However it opens oppertunity for niche and small retailers to make the advance online, with lower rents, rates and wages involved it deffinitely has potential. Only down side is getting noticed on the web is much harder as you have no footfall.

3. At June 4, 2008 9:30 AM, 'Razor' Ramone wrote:

"What's good for large businesses isn't necessarily good for smaller companies."

When has that ever not been the case?
Personally, I prefer smaller businesses as the odds of getting interesting or unique items from mass-market superchains are next to nothing.

4. At June 4, 2008 1:55 PM, J G Dawson wrote:

Local businesses should certainly profit from escalating fuel prices. Where I live people rejected the idea of a new 'local' Co-op store six months ago, but not now...

5. At June 4, 2008 2:59 PM, J G Dawson wrote:

Wake up Chris - Get a map - All the Scots are doon here in England.

6. At June 5, 2008 1:59 PM, Thomas Grewar wrote:

J G Dawson - Wake up yourself, now that the SNP are in power - we wont be part of 'england' any more!

A proud scot

- Thomas Grewar

7. At June 5, 2008 4:42 PM, ann wrote:

When small towns lose their shops perhaps landlords will wake up and lower shop rents to attract tenants. maybe business rates will also fall in line with lower rentals. every cloud has a silver lining.

8. At June 5, 2008 5:37 PM, JJF wrote:

Since when have Liverpool and Bristol been "ACROSS" the country,try length and breath.
On a more serious note the downfall for the small independents started many years ago whith the introduction of "out of town supermarkets" this has now escalated to "in city centre supermarkets" and now " Malls"
Will it ever end?...me thinks not.

9. At June 13, 2008 9:31 AM, Clive Smith wrote:

Just following up on Zen's comments about the problem of small retailers getting "Footfall" on the internet. We are currently trialing a web service that gives independent retailers a clear voice on the internet. Check out www.yourhighstreet.tv and for attracting visitors check out www.longleat.co.uk/kidzone/junior-rangers/ - we would be grateful for any feedback.

10. At June 13, 2008 1:22 PM, James wrote:

"ann wrote: When small towns lose their shops perhaps landlords will wake up and lower shop rents to attract tenants. Maybe business rates will also fall in line with lower rentals. Every cloud has a silver lining."

I agree with Ann - Councils and landlords think they can keep putting up rent and rates every year after year.

Having shut down several retail shops over the past 10 years, I now sell on the internet to people all over the world and my turnover has increased since I closed my last shop.

With the price of fuel constantly on the up less people will want to shop out of town in large shopping malls. Shopping Malls will eventually kill themselves off with fuel and parking costs.etc.

Internet shopping is far better!

James

BT broadband office