Don't you think that there are too many charity shops?

People are using them as a dump
Every weekend people who are too lazy (or don't have a car) to go to the local municipal dump site, leave their broken lamps, toys, incomplete jigsaw puzzles and bags of worn out clothing on the pavement in front of them. These piles of bags get tripped over by pedestrians and blown by the wind into the street in a matter of minutes.What they imagine the charity will be able to do with a broken toy, burst suitcase or an incomplete jigsaw, which has been kicking about the shop front and pavement all sunday with all the local dogs pi**sing on it, is anyone's guess.

They Never have enough staff
Because charity shops rely on volunteers, the only people who work there are either retired, or people with a genuine intrest in the charity. Unless the unemployed are compelled to work there, there will never be enough staff, and that's why half the shops have "looking for volunteers" signs, some are hardly ever open.

They often take up the most prestigious parts of the high street, preventing a legitimate business from opening with the added benefit of paying full council rates and supporting families with decent livelyhood. The fact that an empty shop unit, after a year becomes a charity shop, means that shop letting rates on the high street remain very high, If there was a block on the quantity of charity shops, then these rates would fall, as landlords would have to take a lower rent, enabling more people the chance to start a small business.

The stuff in them is mainly junk
All the best stuff goes to London and places where there are loads of young students, whereas the 23 charity shops in my district, all sell dead people's clothes and tony blackburn records. Even Jarvis Cocker wouldn't buy it.

What do you think?

Why don't you ask someone who works in one. I pick up a fair amount of worthwhile stuff from charity shops (mostly books and cds) and I donate stuff to them whenever I have a clear out. It's better than taking perfectly good stuff to the landfill.

Yes there is some absolute juink in some shops but it's not doing anyone any harm and it will get thrown out or sold eventually.

Your main complaint seems to be people leaving rubbish outside of shops - you'll notice that most shops have a note in the window asking people not to do that.

Charity shops are useful businesses that are not jut another GAP or NEXT. I'd rather have the charity shops than a bunch of overpriced chain stores on the high street.

I LOVE charity shops....they are da bomb.

Originally posted by muddycoffee
They often take up the most prestigious parts of the high street, preventing a legitimate business from opening with the added benefit of paying full council rates and supporting families with decent livelyhood. The fact that an empty shop unit, after a year becomes a charity shop, means that shop letting rates on the high street remain very high, If there was a block on the quantity of charity shops, then these rates would fall, as landlords would have to take a lower rent, enabling more people the chance to start a small business.

Where did you get that from ?

I can only think of two charity shops in town, both out of the way.

It seems a bit of a wild accusation to lay at the door of charity shops.

AS Nick says, the only ones in town are oxfam book shop on West Street and a couple down the Moor.

I said too many charity shops. I live in woodseats and there are 5 or 6 of them. Half are closed,
In hillsborough there were always loads. And at crookes there's a fare few as well.

I dare say that in town centre, there would be plenty of need for normal shops.

I know that they put up notices to ask people to stop putting junk outside, but they still do it, even next to the notice!

My mate says that it costs st. lukes, £1500 per year to get the junk taken away.

I'll sometimes go shopping in Woodseats *because* there are loads of charity shops there, and usually end up spending money in the other shops as well. Maybe I'm not the sort of person muddycoffee wants in their area though. :)

It seems an odd thing to complain about.

I agree.

Broomhill is like this, it has loads of charity shops...and I know loads of people who go there specifically for that, then they'll have food somewhere, grab a coffee, go in the other shops etc.

don`t really know how many are in the city center but i have been reminded of something which happened fairly recently.
A relative died and rather than simply throw all the good stuff away we washed all the clothes that were in good condition and spent ages sorting through things and discarded things that wern`t in good condition. The good stuff was bagged and taken to the charity shop at gleadless townend.
The woman working in there could not have been more ungrateful especially given that they could have made decent money from the stuff. we left two bags there and took all the rest to the pdsa shop at the bottom of the moor, the response couldn`t have been more different they opened the bags and were really grateful for the items.
Just goes to show that not all charity shops are the same. get rid of the ones that don`t want things and keep the ones who are prepared to make an effort.

I love charity shops and will spend hours traipsing around them, I've bought lots of good things over the years and sometimes wonder how or why some of the goods turn up in the shops in the first place. It is annoying when people disregard the notices about leaving stuff as it is then either nicked by car boot sellers or taken to the nearest bit of wasteland by down and outs looking for anything they can wear. I live in Woodseats and the shops there are open most days of the week and don't temd to sell rubbish. I asked them why they couldn't have a key holder to put any bags left on the pavement in through the doorway but it seems no-one wants the responsibility. I once told a guy off for unloading his car at five on a saturday, he must of realised that the things were going to be out till Monday, I don't think he was happy as I then watched him put it all back in his car.
A lot of older people love the charity shops and so if they use them then they'll probably do a bit of shopping in the other shops thuskeeping the shopping centre alive and bustling.
In town just for the record there are a lot of charity shops if you know where to look, I can think of nine off the top of my head, sorry make that ten.

Most charity shops can't afford the ridiculous rents in the 'High Street' parts of most cities.

I'd rather have a good charity shop than yet anover Mobile Phone Emporium.

I like the Oxfam approach of specialising soem of their shops - the Headingly (Leeds) Oxfam is a briliant bookshop - like the West Street one but MUCH bigger.

Joe

I've just thought of another one, on Pinstone Street, I didn't think of it before as it sells some decent stuff.

. I live in woodseats and there are 5 or 6 of them. Half are closed,..........................i live in woodseats to but half aint closed, you must walk around with your eyes shut, lol. Charity shops are brill and alot of people would be lost without them as they cant afford new things

Originally posted by JoePritchard


I like the Oxfam approach of specialising soem of their shops - the Headingly (Leeds) Oxfam is a briliant bookshop - like the West Street one but MUCH bigger.

Joe

That shop is ace. The records there too...some of the vinyl I've seen in there is amazing.

I agree that charity shops are great. There used to be a stereotype attached as a place people went who were really poor or scummy.
Well, I beg to differ. I buy items from charity shops frequently. mostly books, occasionally music etc. I've bought stuff for work too as we need a huge range of strange things and that's a great place to find them.
I recall a few years ago I needed a hand bell, of the town crier style, and found one in a charity shop. Not something I could find on the high st. When I was living on £22 a week about 10 years ago I desperately wanted a sewing machine to improve a few things in my home, got one for £2, an old Singer which I still use.
I also think it's good to show the high street that not everyone needs or wants designer or brand new stuff.
It's a great way to show support to certain charities too.
I took 8 carriers bags crammed with excellent condition books to the muppet second hand bookseller at the bottom of the Moor, who insulted me with a stupid price. So I gave them all to Barbardos and I'm glad I did. most of them seem to have been sold which pleases me no end.
I got a surprised thanks from the lady at the counter who then just appeared shocked but grateful.
If anything, I say lets have more which support other charities.


Another thing which just occurred to me - I left home at a very young age, I had no choice. When I left I had a full crockery set, a dish drainer, a pan, two carriage clocks and 16 pairs of 70's curtains, these had all been given to me by friends and I'd bought things out of my meagre earnings in my paper round aged 14!
In my first nights in the dodgy flat I was able to live in, I slept on 15 pairs of curtains and covered myself with one pair and lay by the radiator which I could not really afford to have on.
I had no furniture and no cooker. St Vincents gave me a sofa, a piece of carpet, a table, a mouldy fridge which worked, a washing machine, a 3/4 size bed and some bedroom furniture. That kept me going for a long time till I got on my feet. I now give all my old furniture to St Vincents, without them where would I have been? St Vincents are a charity who did more for me in one day than anyone else has in my life.
It would be much more difficult to GIVE to charities without a high profile, the more the public know about them the better.

I volunteer with Samaritans and I know that without our shop we would be unable to keep our branch running as we are very dependent on income from them.

If anyone can find a better way to give us a regular income, we'd be delighted to hear about it, but in the meantime we will always be indebted to everyone who works in the shop, who donates goods to the shop and who buys from the shop.

i also live in woodseats the charity shops are welccome!
just not the black bin bags overflowing and spilling onto the pavement every saturday night and and all day sunday!!

Charity shops are a fantastic way to keep myself in the trashy novels I like to read for relaxation! Buy them at a small cost, read them, take them back and let them sell them again! Bit like a library, but with a charity donation thrown in. It's also great to know there's somewhere I can take my daughter's clothes and toys (all in excellent condition) and any other stuff, crockery etc. so someone else can buy decent stuff who maybe couldn't afford it new. Some of the rubbish people 'donate' does astonish me - broken toys and worn-out clothes are no good to anyone!

I agree they're a hell of a lot more interesting than the *endless* mobile phone shops and opticians that seem to dominate the city centre.

And not forgetting the important bit - they do raise money for whatever charity they're representing!

You people are all right. with your interesing comments and observances. I am not against Charity shops.

But my question was really; are there too many of them?

I agree about book recycling. and as a vociferous reader myself, I have given lots of very new books to local charity shops. And been treated just like a scummy fly tipper by the octogenarian staff, even though I tried to point out to them the couple of brand new hardbacks, in the box of 30 other books, which I gave were recently purchaced for sums in excess of 10 quid and still in the best seller lists, and the'yd do well to put them in the window to make the same display as the bookshop 3 doors up, I was ignored. This won't put me off however. And the next box will be ready in about a month.

p.s.
the woodseats charity shops ARE frequently closed on normal trading days. I walk past them 3-4 times a week, and the messages in the window and the lights off confirm this.

p.p.s.
have just been for a walk down woodseats. It was 3pm sat afternoon, the most busy shopping time of the week. 5 shops 4 open.

Funny, I was down Woodseats yesterday at 3pm and all of them were open - I went in them all! It's the main reason I go down Woodseats, there are a good range of charity shops (except Oxfam which is overpriced!)

As a result other shops get business from me too - if the Charity shops didn't rent out the empty units there would be another 5 empty shops to add to those that are already unfilled. Empty shops do not make for a good shopping centre.

No, I don't think there are too many, as they are all doing a worth while job. It's like saying there are too many charities?

You people are all right. with your interesing comments and observances. I am not against Charity shops.

If the number of charity shops was in proportion to fast food outlets and take-aways, I would all be anorexic.
The area where i live has 16 pubs, 12 take- aways and 1 charity shop.

Broomhill has a lot of charity shops, but I dont mind them especially if they are for a good cause. And the smell allways reminds me of my grandma

Zebra : Thanks for sharing that story. I do sometimes think how wasteful my family can be. If I had known where to donate unwanted furnitures when we have big cleanouts, I would've egged my bro on to donate it than to hire a skip and chuck most of it away ! >.< ! Thanks for the tip about St Vincent on unwanted furnitures. I prob don't mind using my left over paints and revamp some of the stuff that I don't need. Since I just bought my own place, and have been given more than enough stuff from families/relatives.

Going back to the original post, I can see where MuddyCoffee is coming from. However, being a semi-ethical person, I don't think that charity shops are cluttering up the high streets at all. I am unaware of this 'dumping' habit of donators. (Maybe because I am not in the city centre early enough on weekends to witness this.) Though, do you not think that having charity shops in the high street speaks volume of how we are as a society ? Ok, maybe charity shops are not all that trendy in terms of its branding, (unlike Oxfam), but they are a necessity to the high street.

The fact that an empty shop unit, after a year becomes a charity shop, means that shop letting rates on the high street remain very high, If there was a block on the quantity of charity shops, then these rates would fall, as landlords would have to take a lower rent, enabling more people the chance to start a small business.

I am not sure about that... and I don't work for the council, but I hazard a guess that maybe charity shops get exempt from business rates or council tax ? I grew up in Sheffield, and I think (if they all still exist) that there are around 3 shops down at the bottom of The Moor (inc Oxfam), 2 on the stretch between The Moor and Fargate, and 1 or 2 on the side streets of Fargate like Chapel Walk. Not including the 1 on West St. (Which I thought was strategically placed. So kudos to Oxfam for able to get such a prime spot and market it to sell books. Esp knowing that bookworms go round that area to bookshops like Blackwells and Waterstones.) I stumbled across this Oxfam bookshop, and is impressed by the selection of books that they sell.

Yes, not all of these shops have a professional finish in terms of their decor. Like Cancer Research or Oxfam. Maybe this is their downfall in a way. It's all about branding, isn't it ? As a 20-something, I'd probably want to buy more uptodate contemporary fictions, than an old Delia Smith's cookbook, say. (Maybe I should donate my extra paints to these shops...Hm.) Also, maybe the items are 'junk' because they are not marketed well ?

The stuff in them is mainly junk. All the best stuff goes to London and places where there are loads of young students, whereas the 23 charity shops in my district, all sell dead people's clothes and tony blackburn records. Even Jarvis Cocker wouldn't buy it.

That's a bit harsh. I thought that the shop sells what is donated to them locally ? Maybe they should exchange stuff from different regions, just to increase the marketability of their items ??

Think about this...
Every single year, we get a turnover of students in Sheffield. Every single year, near Sept, Argos would get a high sale on their pots and pans. Imagine that the students donate their unwanted items each time to these charities, and then re-sold again at a cheaper cost. Imagine how much we do for charities this way ? Than to donate money direct, which not many people do anyway.

I think that charity shops are a necessity on the high street. If you don't put a shop where the consumers are, where or how do you expect their wares to be sold ? I suppose whether ALL shops do as well as Oxfam is another matter, but I still think that they are important to the high street. In an odd way, that's something I like about Sheffield, I have lived in Manchester for 4 years, and cannot think where there is a charity shop in the city centre.

[Added] I hate to come across as a bulldozer...but look,look !... ;)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/the_economy/124320.stm