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The Decline Of Sheffield City Centre

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If your city centre is not attracting the shoppers it is time for a bit of radical thinking like trying to do something about it.

Yes, that was Sevenstone wasn't it?

 

---------- Post added 24-03-2015 at 22:09 ----------

 

For that to have any relevance you have to assume that multiple random members of the forum are for some reason lying to you about why they don't visit the city centre.

 

Or, you could try having an open mind, and wonder why a small parking charge is putting people off. (It might be that finding the cheap locations is difficult, and that the on street parking costs considerably more, at least as part of the reason

 

The cheap locations are predominantly immediately adjacent to the Inner Relief Rd, so they aren't difficult to find at all.

 

The maximum hourly charge in any Council car park is £1 per hour, even in those in the very centre of the city.

 

National Government policy says that Council parking schemes should encourage long stay parking to be in off street car parks. That is the reason that the off street car parks are considerably cheaper than on-street parking.

 

The on-street is more expensive to discourage longer stay use, but there are no time limits on the city centre on street parking (because drivers said they found the time limits unhelpful), so drivers have a choice.

 

---------- Post added 24-03-2015 at 22:18 ----------

 

Meadowhall might be a problem but if the council had looked at it as an opportunity then we could have had a very different city centre. They could have used Meadowhall for big retail and lowered business rates in town to encourage independent retailers to set up shop.

You're forgetting that the Council do not set business rates. The Government do that. The Council merely collect them for the Government.

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Yes, that was Sevenstone wasn't it?

 

---------- Post added 24-03-2015 at 22:09 ----------

 

 

The cheap locations are predominantly immediately adjacent to the Inner Relief Rd, so they aren't difficult to find at all.

 

The maximum hourly charge in any Council car park is £1 per hour, even in those in the very centre of the city.

 

National Government policy says that Council parking schemes should encourage long stay parking to be in off street car parks. That is the reason that the off street car parks are considerably cheaper than on-street parking.

 

The on-street is more expensive to discourage longer stay use, but there are no time limits on the city centre on street parking (because drivers said they found the time limits unhelpful), so drivers have a choice.

 

---------- Post added 24-03-2015 at 22:18 ----------

 

You're forgetting that the Council do not set business rates. The Government do that. The Council merely collect them for the Government.

 

Maybe landlords of these empty shops should offer cheaper rents, this would be a start.

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Maybe landlords of these empty shops should offer cheaper rents, this would be a start.

Most of the empty shops are in the area which will be demolished for the new retail quarter development (was Sevenstone), so are only likely to be attractive to a more transient type of business. Businesses wanting a permanent home aren't likely to want them.

 

The problem as I understand it is that retailers these days require a bigger, better standard of unit than is available in Sheffield. The guy from Scottish Widows (who own the Moor) was saying as much in the Star tonight.

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You're forgetting that the Council do not set business rates. The Government do that. The Council merely collect them for the Government.
But the council has some autonomy when it comes to allowing discounts or waiving when they start collections. Business rates aren't a flat, fixed thing across the board

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But the council has some autonomy when it comes to allowing discounts or waiving when they start collections. Business rates aren't a flat, fixed thing across the board

 

The only thing I can find is hardship relief. Which wouldn't apply until a business was already suffering, obviously.

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The only thing I can find is hardship relief. Which wouldn't apply until a business was already suffering, obviously.
Thats because its at individual councils discretion and not a national scheme. Have you ever seen those signs outside a business unit thats up to let that say something like "No Business Rates for X time" or something similar? Its because the council is willing to give some form of relief to a start up business.

 

source: I work for council in department for bens and revs, which includes business rates and council tax so am aware of such schemes

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Thats because its at individual councils discretion and not a national scheme. Have you ever seen those signs outside a business unit thats up to let that say something like "No Business Rates for X time" or something similar? Its because the council is willing to give some form of relief to a start up business.

 

source: I work for council in department for bens and revs, which includes business rates and council tax so am aware of such schemes

 

My wife's business never paid business rates for the first year, this was out in West Yorkshire though.

 

I remember because they set up the direct debit and then noticed 6 months later that the money hadn't been taken, it led to an almighty panic until they found that they wasn't liable for the first year.

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The debate about business rate discounts reminded me of this Roseanne episode.

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Ther are government schemes for business rates releif: https://www.gov.uk/apply-for-business-rate-relief/overview

 

So not at the discretion of the local authority, which is what was implied.

 

---------- Post added 25-03-2015 at 15:20 ----------

 

Thats because its at individual councils discretion and not a national scheme. Have you ever seen those signs outside a business unit thats up to let that say something like "No Business Rates for X time" or something similar? Its because the council is willing to give some form of relief to a start up business.

 

source: I work for council in department for bens and revs, which includes business rates and council tax so am aware of such schemes

 

So legislation allows for the council to exempt a business from rates?

 

I'm not saying it doesn't, I just want to understand the mechanism.

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Again, why do people think Sheffield has to compete with Leeds and Manchester? If you like those places so much, go and live there ... oh wait ...

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