The comment from the proprietor of John Jones butchers, Clwyd Street in the Vale Advertiser:
“When you look at the empty shops and the shops that have closed down, it’s not rocket science to work out what’s happening, is it?”
All but one trader in the same newspaper article from which the above quote was taken said that post-Tesco footfall in the town centre was down. Is there any evidence of this?
There are certainly some worrying signs. The grocery side of Reebee’s closed three months after Tesco’s arrival (though the florist remains). Reebee’s blamed Tesco (and car parking charges which, from April, halved to 20p for the first hour).
Other recent or pending closures include:
Tanazaro café/Caffi'r Bont (January 2007) (Lôn Parcwr site remains open)
Ragazzi clothes (February 2007)
Iechyd Da (juice bar/gifts) (March 2007)
Uproar (fireworks) (move to industrial estate pending)
B-dazzled (accessories) (move to industrial estate pending)
Oddbin’s (closure pending)
Castle Bell newsagaent for sale as going concern (from March 2007)
On the positive side, the following are now trading:
Crown House (internet café) Panda Garden (Chinese) Amber Bridal Mococo (jewellery) Well Street Pharmacy (change of ownership in March 2006 but with an internal makeover during the autumn 2006) Nelson’s café and soft furnishings (December 2006) Pam’s sandwich bar (Christmas 2006) Nanncherrow sandwich bar (January 2007) Key Properties (estate agents) (spring 2007) Alton Murphy optometrists moved to nearby larger premises on St Peter’s Square Changing Networks (mobile phones) A Touch of Class (laundry) (February 2007) Twenty-3 (gifts/furnishings) (February 2007)
More pluses than minuses, thankfully. Can this mask the alarming increase in the number of actual or proposed casualties this winter? It’s still true to say that Rhuthun remains in good heart, far better in fact than at any time in 20 years. A healthy number of new business starts reduced the quantum of vacant premises. We just hope that the current prosperous feel to Rhuthun, somewhat dulled by actual or proposed shops closing, isn’t now a little hollow. Only time will tell. As to whether any of this results from Tesco, the jury's still out.
All but one trader in the same newspaper article from which the above quote was taken said that post-Tesco footfall in the town centre was down. Is there any evidence of this?
There are certainly some worrying signs. The grocery side of Reebee’s closed three months after Tesco’s arrival (though the florist remains). Reebee’s blamed Tesco (and car parking charges which, from April, halved to 20p for the first hour).
Other recent or pending closures include:
Tanazaro café/Caffi'r Bont (January 2007) (Lôn Parcwr site remains open)
Ragazzi clothes (February 2007)
Iechyd Da (juice bar/gifts) (March 2007)
Uproar (fireworks) (move to industrial estate pending)
B-dazzled (accessories) (move to industrial estate pending)
Oddbin’s (closure pending)
Castle Bell newsagaent for sale as going concern (from March 2007)
On the positive side, the following are now trading:
Crown House (internet café) Panda Garden (Chinese) Amber Bridal Mococo (jewellery) Well Street Pharmacy (change of ownership in March 2006 but with an internal makeover during the autumn 2006) Nelson’s café and soft furnishings (December 2006) Pam’s sandwich bar (Christmas 2006) Nanncherrow sandwich bar (January 2007) Key Properties (estate agents) (spring 2007) Alton Murphy optometrists moved to nearby larger premises on St Peter’s Square Changing Networks (mobile phones) A Touch of Class (laundry) (February 2007) Twenty-3 (gifts/furnishings) (February 2007)
More pluses than minuses, thankfully. Can this mask the alarming increase in the number of actual or proposed casualties this winter? It’s still true to say that Rhuthun remains in good heart, far better in fact than at any time in 20 years. A healthy number of new business starts reduced the quantum of vacant premises. We just hope that the current prosperous feel to Rhuthun, somewhat dulled by actual or proposed shops closing, isn’t now a little hollow. Only time will tell. As to whether any of this results from Tesco, the jury's still out.