Saturday Retrospective
There were some mixed feelings about Saturday. Some traders were happy with the numbers in the town. One felt powerless because the so-called “credit crunch” was having an effect. Another felt that Saturday’s pedestrianisation was a mistake.
At least one shop admitted to takings not up to their usual level for the last Saturday before Christmas. We trust that this wasn’t the trend across the town. It’s worrying if it was. Christmas comes but once a year and town traders rely heavily upon it, as do all small businesses everywhere. Business rates, staff wages and other overheads don’t take a cut when and if custom does.
For those who felt that Saturday was below par, was it because the pedestrianisation, the credit crunch, a generally lower post-Tesco town centre footfall, the weather—fine during the day for a fortnight but not on Saturday—or larger out-of-Rhuthun retailers discounting heavily? Certainly, larger towns witnessed the hoped-for boom on Friday, with 18 million cars reported on the roads (BTW, who was actually counting them?).
The pedestrianisation didn’t actually prohibit use of any of the car parks, except for the six spaces on St Peter’s Square. Access was maintained to on-street parking on Well Street, Wynnstay Road and Clwyd Street (though turning on Clwyd Street might’ve been a problem). All three were busy in the morning, though the advanced signs especially at the foot of Clwyd Street might have put people off driving into the town. The empty plot of land next to the Town Hall was full. There was free parking at County Hall—a number availed themselves of this opportunity.
It seems that Rhuthun can’t win. If it makes an effort, like this year’s Nadolig Rhuthun, then the consequent closures cause problems. If it doesn’t, there’s nothing to tempt people away from out-of-town stores and larger sub-regional centres. A case of Catch-22?
Sunday
Yesterday, 23rd December, was Rhuthun’s first ever day of large-scale Sunday trading since the law permitted it, from 1994. As part of Gweledigaeth Rhuthun’s (Ruthin Vision’s) strategy, it aimed to offer an alternative last minute destination to the larger neighbouring towns.
Fair play for trying. At least 25 businesses were open, offering a good range of gifts. Shoppers were disappointingly few, though, as a comment left yesterday on this site confirms. There were pockets of activity. John Jones the butcher was doing especially well, proving that when it comes to groceries, Tesco and the larger supermarkets don’t always have it their own way.
There were far more cars whipping through the town than usual for a Sunday, too. Too few of them stopped and parked.
Supermarket Watch—Sunday
Tesco—probably busier, in fact, than yesterday, with cars parked on Lôn Parcwr itself, in the morning. We’d say there were seven times as many people in Tesco than in the Co-op.
Co-op—less busy than Saturday. The Co-op would be disappointed but it was by no means dire. We’d say there were twice as many as in Somerfield.
Somerfield—the poor relation. Uncomfortably few.
There were some mixed feelings about Saturday. Some traders were happy with the numbers in the town. One felt powerless because the so-called “credit crunch” was having an effect. Another felt that Saturday’s pedestrianisation was a mistake.
At least one shop admitted to takings not up to their usual level for the last Saturday before Christmas. We trust that this wasn’t the trend across the town. It’s worrying if it was. Christmas comes but once a year and town traders rely heavily upon it, as do all small businesses everywhere. Business rates, staff wages and other overheads don’t take a cut when and if custom does.
For those who felt that Saturday was below par, was it because the pedestrianisation, the credit crunch, a generally lower post-Tesco town centre footfall, the weather—fine during the day for a fortnight but not on Saturday—or larger out-of-Rhuthun retailers discounting heavily? Certainly, larger towns witnessed the hoped-for boom on Friday, with 18 million cars reported on the roads (BTW, who was actually counting them?).
The pedestrianisation didn’t actually prohibit use of any of the car parks, except for the six spaces on St Peter’s Square. Access was maintained to on-street parking on Well Street, Wynnstay Road and Clwyd Street (though turning on Clwyd Street might’ve been a problem). All three were busy in the morning, though the advanced signs especially at the foot of Clwyd Street might have put people off driving into the town. The empty plot of land next to the Town Hall was full. There was free parking at County Hall—a number availed themselves of this opportunity.
It seems that Rhuthun can’t win. If it makes an effort, like this year’s Nadolig Rhuthun, then the consequent closures cause problems. If it doesn’t, there’s nothing to tempt people away from out-of-town stores and larger sub-regional centres. A case of Catch-22?
Sunday
Yesterday, 23rd December, was Rhuthun’s first ever day of large-scale Sunday trading since the law permitted it, from 1994. As part of Gweledigaeth Rhuthun’s (Ruthin Vision’s) strategy, it aimed to offer an alternative last minute destination to the larger neighbouring towns.
Fair play for trying. At least 25 businesses were open, offering a good range of gifts. Shoppers were disappointingly few, though, as a comment left yesterday on this site confirms. There were pockets of activity. John Jones the butcher was doing especially well, proving that when it comes to groceries, Tesco and the larger supermarkets don’t always have it their own way.
There were far more cars whipping through the town than usual for a Sunday, too. Too few of them stopped and parked.
Supermarket Watch—Sunday
Tesco—probably busier, in fact, than yesterday, with cars parked on Lôn Parcwr itself, in the morning. We’d say there were seven times as many people in Tesco than in the Co-op.
Co-op—less busy than Saturday. The Co-op would be disappointed but it was by no means dire. We’d say there were twice as many as in Somerfield.
Somerfield—the poor relation. Uncomfortably few.