Town centre is there a future , it was good in the 70s

[Planner1 438]

Aren't Business Rates based on the valuation of the property - and covered by government legislation?

And, business rates are paid to the Government.

[cuttsie 1,091]

this might improve things.....What a surprise – Sheffield City Council and Yorkshire Forward are planning to chip in £20 millions towards helping kick start the stalled £600 million ‘Sevenstone’ retail quarter in Sheffield City Centre. Don’t get me wrong – this area of the city centre could do with some redevelopment. Whether this project is right and whether it was timely is another matter and not one for discussion here, but throwing public funds in to the development at this time is in my opinion not a good move.

They are doing this? While borrowing 60 million inc interest to build a new Market .

[Ms Macbeth 75]

In response to the OP, most town centres were 'good' in the 70s. That is because people's shopping habits were different, and small shops could be profitable. The majority of people now have more disposable income, and what were considered luxury items in the 70s are much more affordable these days. I include clothes and household items as luxuries in those days.

 

We needed to shop in small shops because we didn't have enormous supermarkets supplying most of what we wanted. We also had to buy fresh food on a regular basis as many of us didn't have a fridge, and even fewer had a freezer.

 

Sheffield isn't really different to most other places when we compare the then with now.

[Chris_Sleeps 10]

So, why shouldn't the user pay for the service being provided?

He should, but it's a free market and the user is happy to use the free parking at Meadowhall.

 

So why should the council provide free parking? Because it is an incentive to get people to shop in the town centre again.

Edited January 16, 2012 by Chris_Sleeps

[Planner1 438]

He should, but it's a free market and the user is happy to use the free parking at Meadowhall.

 

So why should the council provide free parking? Because it is an incentive to get people to shop in the town centre again.

Do you really think that people decide whether or not to shop in the city centre or Meadowhall / elsewhere, based purely on parking charges?

 

I don't. I think it has more to do with the shopping offer that each of these places present.

 

You can still park for nothing immediately adjacent to the city centre, I do most of the times I shop there. You can also park all day for 3 quid or so in some city centre car parks. Do you really think that someone who is actually going to spend any significant amount of money, will travel miles further to Meadowhall, or somewhere else which offers free parking just to "save" a couple of quid on parking, which they will probably spend in fuel to make that saving?

 

I have never seen a shred of hard evidence that free parking actually boosts business in town / city centres. I've seen people say that it does, but they have never produced any evidence that I have seen.

 

Another point to consider is that the Council make money on parking, so would lose income by making it free. They would still have to pay Civil Enforcement Officers to enforce the time-limited waiting and pay the leases on the land they currently rent for car parks. Which Council services would you like them to cut in order to save the shortfall?

[sccsux 10]

i think its the internet that caused the demise of the city centre, now days nearly everything can be bought cheaper ( even with postage) than the stuff in the store on the high street.

 

The internet as you know it now has only been around for about ten years, Sheffield city centre was in decline years before that (from the early/mid 80s).

 

Because if they didn't the car parks would be full of cars owned by people working in offices and shops in the city centre.

 

But if the workers can't park, then the places that employ them will (and do) move out of the centre and on/in to these out of town centres/custom developments. Thus ensuring that there are fewer and fewer shops/businesses so fewer people frequent the area.

 

Do you really think that people decide whether or not to shop in the city centre or Meadowhall / elsewhere, based purely on parking charges?

 

I know (personally) many that are put off by the cost of parking in the city centre.

 

I don't.

 

Not really any surprise there then.

 

I think it has more to do with the shopping offer that each of these places present.

 

When was the last time that the people of Sheffield were even asked (as this is another question I have never been asked)?

[sccsux 10]

I have never seen a shred of hard evidence that free parking actually boosts business in town / city centres. I've seen people say that it does, but they have never produced any evidence that I have seen.

 

I take it you never went to Rotherham (whilst and after) they offered free parking above the bus station?

 

I have. The centre is half empty since the stopped.

[sccsux 10]

Which Council services would you like them to cut in order to save the shortfall?

 

24 hour bus lane enforcement (unless you can make buses run 24 hours a day), that's a dismal waste of money otherwise.

[Planner1 438]

When was the last time that the people of Sheffield were even asked (as this is another question I have never been asked)?

If you mean the question of whether Council owned parking should be free, that might be a manifesto issue for political parties. The ballot box is how you get your say on such things. I don't recall anyone running on that platform, so they clearly don't think it's a vote winner.

 

I don't think it is an issue for a referendum.

[Planner1 438]

24 hour bus lane enforcement (unless you can make buses run 24 hours a day), that's a dismal waste of money otherwise.

The lanes aren't just for buses though, are they? Many other types of vehicle are allowed to use them and they do travel 24 hours a day.

 

There is no congestion in the middle of the night, so having 24 hour bus lanes does not disadvantage anyone.

[junction1 10]

Things have changed dramatically, supermarkets selling practically everything, internet shopping and out of town shopping malls, did anyone expect city/town centres to improve because of this?

 

A typical husband and wife day out used to be the bus to town, a couple hours of shopping, a bit of lunch and perhaps a drink, followed by taking in a matinee at one of the many cinemas.

 

Now it's into the car and out to the Peak Park or a shopping mall, a good walk around the shops followed by a pub lunch, that done they now go home and watch one of the movies that they have stored on SKY Plus.

 

Such is progress.

[chem1st 10]

In response to the OP, most town centres were 'good' in the 70s. That is because people's shopping habits were different, and small shops could be profitable. The majority of people now have more disposable income, and what were considered luxury items in the 70s are much more affordable these days. I include clothes and household items as luxuries in those days.

 

We needed to shop in small shops because we didn't have enormous supermarkets supplying most of what we wanted. We also had to buy fresh food on a regular basis as many of us didn't have a fridge, and even fewer had a freezer.

 

Sheffield isn't really different to most other places when we compare the then with now.

 

Clothes and household items are luxury items for many. Many can't even afford the bus fare into town. Back in the day people had more disposable income and bus fares were subsidised for the users, rather than the operators. There were not private operators skimming money from he users back then.

 

A man in his 50s I know recently made unemployed remarked to me how he had never seen so many pensioners in his life on the Monday he visited town, having worked many years the monday to friday routine and not visited a town centre in the day for a long time. He forgot to consider free bus fares and £85Bn annual pension direct cash transfer.

 

I think we shall probably see a return to small shops with lower overheads, namely the rent. Nobody wants to be paying a Rachman to live in luxury when he purchases his daily bread!