[BBC News] Town shops to get government help

[Twitch]

The banks weren't open either, nor most of the offices - how very dare they!

 

To be fair, most visitors and those enjoying their day off may not consider visiting Charterhouse offices or enquiring about a savings account at the Isle of Man Bank in Parliament St as a leisure activity.

 

It still amazes me why a retailer closes for lunch or doesn't open on a bank holiday. Perhaps they should sell up and go and work in an office.

[DRIVER]

Well it was a BANK holiday ! and most offices and gov depts had a day off and went out to spend ther hard earned with a day out, some went to ramsey and found most of the food outlets shut and also long queue's at the ones that did open.

[Mission]

I hate to break it to you but bank holidays don't just apply to banks.

[DRIVER]

We all know that, but some retailers do have the common sense to open when there are a lot of potential customers and they seem to be the ones that have been around for a long time because you need cutomers to return.

[Mission]

I'd like to ask what you do for a living, just on the offchance that I might want to use your services on a bank holiday (or a Saturday for that matter).

 

Will you tell me please?

[Gladys]

Isn't the issue in Ramsey that most retailers are sole traders who staff their shops themselves and, with the best will in the world, cannot be expected to be open 7 days a week?

[Mission]

That's certainly the issue for me Gladys.

 

I've tried bank holidays before and to be quite frank, spending all day in the shop only to generate a fifth (if I'm lucky) of the normal revenue of a standard trading day just doesn't justify it for me. I was chatting to friends last Thursday about the weekend just gone and they suggested I take Saturday off too and make it a long weekend. I told them I couldn't do that and went in, and still only took a third of what I'd normally take on a normal Saturday! Factor in the roads being closed and it really nose dives. Take today for example, when the roads were open it was okay, as soon as they shut, the till stopped ringing despite a large increase in the number of people walking along the street.

 

It's all well and good people saying we should work all hours but why should we when the returns just aren't there? I've got no-one else to take my place if I want a day off, I'm either open or closed.

 

I feel guilty enough as it is trying to get 2 weeks holiday a year (not paid by the way, as if I take them, I don't earn money) so forgive me if I take the public/bank holidays to make up for the lack of proper holidays.

 

That's it for me now until Christmas, 6 days a week, every week and then a few days off at Christmas before being back to work until New Years Eve/day and then back to normal until easter.

[manxy]

That's certainly the issue for me Gladys.

 

I've tried bank holidays before and to be quite frank, spending all day in the shop only to generate a fifth (if I'm lucky) of the normal revenue of a standard trading day just doesn't justify it for me. I was chatting to friends last Thursday about the weekend just gone and they suggested I take Saturday off too and make it a long weekend. I told them I couldn't do that and went in, and still only took a third of what I'd normally take on a normal Saturday! Factor in the roads being closed and it really nose dives. Take today for example, when the roads were open it was okay, as soon as they shut, the till stopped ringing despite a large increase in the number of people walking along the street.

 

It's all well and good people saying we should work all hours but why should we when the returns just aren't there? I've got no-one else to take my place if I want a day off, I'm either open or closed.

 

I feel guilty enough as it is trying to get 2 weeks holiday a year (not paid by the way, as if I take them, I don't earn money) so forgive me if I take the public/bank holidays to make up for the lack of proper holidays.

 

That's it for me now until Christmas, 6 days a week, every week and then a few days off at Christmas before being back to work until New Years Eve/day and then back to normal until easter.

I don't envy you mission, as it must be hard for people who are in the same position like yourself to take time off, without as you say, 'feeling guilty'.

Pity you couldn't grab a relative and nail their shoes to the floor for a couple of weeks or even a full weekend

Take it easy, don't overdo it and hopefully you'll have enough money to retire very early

[Albert Tatlock]

IMO, the simple facts are this: 25% of workers work for the government, 75% work for the private sector - and 90% of all workers currently stay/head for Douglas for work/shopping.

 

If Ramsey or Peel are to be a success, the govt really need to start relocating infrastructure there i.e. govt depts. After that, the rest businesses/services will follow, and existing businesses will do better.

 

Ramsey and Peel may get their day one day, but IMO not with current policy - which might work when the islands population hits 100,000 and Douglas 'officially' overflows.

 

In the meantime, fannying about with marketing in shops that cater for hardly anyone is a complete and utter waste of time. Shops need customers, full stop. Want things to change in Ramsey and Peel? - then start persuading govt to start relocating departments to start the process.

[DRIVER]

Mission

I run a retail outlet in ramsey six days a week, (seven TT & MGP ) 51 1/2 weeks a year

[manxy]

IMO, the simple facts are this: 25% of workers work for the government, 75% work for the private sector - and 90% of all workers currently stay/head for Douglas for work/shopping.

 

If Ramsey or Peel are to be a success, the govt really need to start relocating infrastructure there i.e. govt depts. After that, the rest businesses/services will follow, and existing businesses will do better.

 

Ramsey and Peel may get their day one day, but IMO not with current policy - which might work when the islands population hits 100,000 and Douglas 'officially' overflows.

 

In the meantime, fannying about with marketing in shops that cater for hardly anyone is a complete and utter waste of time. Shops need customers, full stop. Want things to change in Ramsey and Peel? - then start persuading govt to start relocating departments to start the process.

Ah ha Albert. I know for a fact that your figures are wrong.

For instance, when does the Government work... You know I got you

 

heehee....

Ok, I'll just sit in the corner drinkinig my horlicks

[triskelion]

IMO, the simple facts are this: 25% of workers work for the government, 75% work for the private sector - and 90% of all workers currently stay/head for Douglas for work/shopping.

 

If Ramsey or Peel are to be a success, the govt really need to start relocating infrastructure there i.e. govt depts. After that, the rest businesses/services will follow, and existing businesses will do better.

 

Ramsey and Peel may get their day one day, but IMO not with current policy - which might work when the islands population hits 100,000 and Douglas 'officially' overflows.

 

In the meantime, fannying about with marketing in shops that cater for hardly anyone is a complete and utter waste of time. Shops need customers, full stop. Want things to change in Ramsey and Peel? - then start persuading govt to start relocating departments to start the process.

 

There aren't the numbers to justify this assertion. Firstly, the idea that 1/4 of the working population work for IoMG ia pretty irrelevant.

 

Secondly, which Deparment's are big enough to move? The largest employer, the DHSS, cannot be moved, since almost all its facilities need to be in the Douglas area. Strangely basing most of the Island's medical staff in Braddan hasn't created any infrastructure there.

 

Next biggest is the D of Ed, which has most of its people working in the schools, which are already pretty dispersed.

 

Power station? Can't move that either. DAFF is already moving everything to St Johns. Do you expect a lot of economic development to sprout up there?

 

Face it Albert, all moving departments would do is create more, longer car journeys for Government workers. Places like Peel and Ramsey already have plenty of places to get a lunch, which is about the best you can expect as regards new business developments. Moving departments or Gvt offices only works in places where people have to actually move to the town to make it practical, like in the UK where things have been moved from London to say Nottingham or Newcastle. People are still going to go to Tesco in the evenings rather than the terrible Shoprites Peel, and still go to Douglas for their shopping. Making 40 extra people spend their working day in Ramsey isn't going to lead to an economic renaissance in the town. Indeed, it would probably just increase the problems with parking.

[Albert Tatlock]

IMO, the simple facts are this: 25% of workers work for the government, 75% work for the private sector - and 90% of all workers currently stay/head for Douglas for work/shopping.

 

If Ramsey or Peel are to be a success, the govt really need to start relocating infrastructure there i.e. govt depts. After that, the rest businesses/services will follow, and existing businesses will do better.

 

There aren't the numbers to justify this assertion. Firstly, the idea that 1/4 of the working population work for IoMG ia pretty irrelevant.

 

Secondly, which Deparment's are big enough to move? The largest employer, the DHSS, cannot be moved, since almost all its facilities need to be in the Douglas area. Strangely basing most of the Island's medical staff in Braddan hasn't created any infrastructure there...

 

Face it Albert, all moving departments would do is create more, longer car journeys for Government workers...

These things do not happen overnight and take time.

 

The hospital is unique, because it has moved to the sticks, not to a major urban area, though my bet would be that some of the retailers on the business park near union mills etc. will have already noticed some difference. In terms of services, the DHSS have many many back office staff, and relatively few customer facing staff (who could remain where they are if that is required). The same with the DoT and many other departments. This is now the computer age, where even people a few rooms away often communicate electronically, let alone between Ramsey and Douglas.

 

There is still an underlying fundamental belief in Douglas, that Ramsey and Peel are both an unsurmountable distance away and places not to choose to live. In terms of traffic, yes there would be more at first, but it would be heading out of Douglas not into Douglas, but as time goes by more people living closer will seek work in these moved offices, people will consider buying houses near there, and as usual people move around in Govt and adjust. Done gradually, over time it would work just as it has in many other areas. Similarly new roles (especially people moving here to take them up) could be encouraged to locate to Ramsey etc.

 

In conjunction with tax breaks to encourage other businesses to move there, I think it would work, but am not naive to believe that it could happen overnight. It will just take planning and committment, both of which at the moment are lacking.