old_scrote Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 Perhaps it's time Government bought all of Strand Street then knocked it down and built one huge big undercover mall in it's place then charged retailers affordable rents...I personally think that Strand Street is long past it's sell by date ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Port Erin Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 Perhaps it's time Government bought all of Strand Street then knocked it down and built one huge big undercover mall in it's place then charged retailers affordable rents...I personally think that Strand Street is long past it's sell by date ... I'll second that. Nobody enjoys shopping in Strand Street. It is delapitated, run down and an eye sore and the best thing to do is to just let it go, knock it down and start again. Most people have plenty of money to spend here, and are choosing to spend it in the UK / online for a variety of reasons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pongo Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 Not really sure where the people claiming its too expensive to park in Douglas are coming from. In Chester Street its about 80p for an hour. It's weird that you have to decide how long you want to park for before you park. It's weird that the machines do not takes cards or notes. It's as if they don't want you to hang around and decide to buy things. Most places you pay at the end. I can think of times when I have not bought something because I have had to go back to the car - or because I can't be sure whether I need to go back because I forgot to note when the time would be up. I wonder whether that happens to many other people = loss of retail sales particularly, I would guess, at Chester St Shoprite since presumably anyone planning to pick up something there would go there last. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebrof Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 Anyhow - if you reduce the rates significantly then you make it easier for people to run shops. This has the potential to mean that you end up collecting more. Landlords charge what the market will bear. Reduce costs elsewhere, and landlords will charge more. S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebrof Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 Not really sure where the people claiming its too expensive to park in Douglas are coming from. In Chester Street its about 80p for an hour. It's weird that you have to decide how long you want to park for before you park. It's weird that the machines do not takes cards or notes. It's as if they don't want you to hang around and decide to buy things. Most places you pay at the end. I can think of times when I have not bought something because I have had to go back to the car - or because I can't be sure whether I need to go back because I forgot to note when the time would be up. I wonder whether that happens to many other people = loss of retail sales particularly, I would guess, at Chester St Shoprite since presumably anyone planning to pick up something there would go there last. In Chester Street car park, I seem to recall that it's 80p for two hours or £1 for three. Marks is about the same. How long do you need, for goodness sake, and are these prices really a disincentive? I don't think so. Anyway, you have to make the same decision about length of stay at parking meters across. It's not a problem unique to the island. S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebrof Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 Perhaps it's time Government bought all of Strand Street then knocked it down and built one huge big undercover mall in it's place then charged retailers affordable rents...I personally think that Strand Street is long past it's sell by date ... So the rates will have to go up massively to pay for it. Thought the idea was to reduce costs, not increase them. I don't think this is your best wheeze, Pongo. S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slim Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 Lowering the rates is an idea, but what about the shortfall? Do you increase household rates? No, you stop spending stupid amounts of money on things very few people get benefit out of, like mentally expensive pedestrianized quays that nobody walks on. Increased free parking on the prom is a great idea, but again DOLGE/DOT controlled. You're all forms of government, can't you work together? Who took away the parking in Douglas on the Quay? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slim Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 Most people have plenty of money to spend here, and are choosing to spend it in the UK / online for a variety of reasons. Care to substantiate that claim? I'd bet most people still buy their clothes in town. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
When Skies Are Grey Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 People are talking about the rise of the internet as if it were something unique to the Island, or the fault of high street retailers. Granted but if the retailers then fail to move with the times, by offfering competetive prices or some other USP, then the pure economics of internet shopping will screw them. I am happy to pay a "shop local" premium but my altruism has a limit!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pongo Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 Perhaps it's time Government bought all of Strand Street etc I don't think this is your best wheeze, Pongo. I'm not old_scrote. I never said. Everything I have posted here is positive about the potential of Strand St - I want to see it thriving again. How long do you need, for goodness sake ... Anyway, you have to make the same decision about length of stay at parking meters across. It's not a problem unique to the island. You are arguing for the sake of it. Parking meters are appropriate on city streets where you would be trying to discourage people from staying too long. Analogous to our cardboard discs. If you want people to linger and spend money then you do not fix them to a pre determined time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebrof Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 Perhaps it's time Government bought all of Strand Street etc I don't think this is your best wheeze, Pongo. I'm not old_scrote. I never said. Everything I have posted here is positive about the potential of Strand St - I want to see it thriving again. Sorry, I am getting more senile by the day. How long do you need, for goodness sake ... Anyway, you have to make the same decision about length of stay at parking meters across. It's not a problem unique to the island. You are arguing for the sake of it. Parking meters are appropriate on city streets where you would be trying to discourage people from staying too long. Analogous to our cardboard discs. If you want people to linger and spend money then you do not fix them to a pre determined time. The simple fact is that the (low) cost of parking is not a factor in Strand Street's problems. S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pongo Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 der. I'm not suggesting that it is about cost. You think you want to stay for 1 hour. But then suppose you decide to stop and have something to eat . You changed your mind. Or suppose there is a sale on in the book shop. Suppose the queue in HMV is really long. It's about the psychology of encouraging people to linger, change their minds and spend money. As opposed to rushing back to the car so they don't get a ticket. It's obvious that if you want people to spend money then you don't make them pay for the parking until they are finished. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slinkydevil Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 Care to substantiate that claim? I'd bet most people still buy their clothes in town. Really? Most people I know buy their clothes online, again more choice and cheaper. Most of the big online clothes retailers have excellent paid for returns services as well, so fitting isn't an issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith brief Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 der. I'm not suggesting that it is about cost. You think you want to stay for 1 hour. But then suppose you decide to stop and have something to eat . You changed your mind. Or suppose there is a sale on in the book shop. Suppose the queue in HMV is really long. It's about the psychology of encouraging people to linger, change their minds and spend money. As opposed to rushing back to the car so they don't get a ticket. It's obvious that if you want people to spend money then you don't make them pay for the parking until they are finished. That's certainly the case with me and my wife. Sometimes it's nice to browse and then have lunch and browse again. I was in Exeter recently and the parking meters had the facility of charge/credit card payment methods. You pay on the way out and £3 for the entire day was perfectly fair. With regards to all aspects of charging to shop, it depends upon the authorities in question liking a large slice of revenue from a receding market or a small percentage of a larger one. Personally, I find internet shopping a souless affair. A mountain-biking friend of mine buys everything online. I posed the question to him that once everyone does the same, the mountain bike shops will ultimately disappear to which he responded that given the "inflated" prices they charge is deserved. I then asked him how he would get his bike serviced online..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slim Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 Slinky, I'm sure lots of people do buy clothes online, but nowhere near 'most'. It's still a minority. The simple fact is that the (low) cost of parking is not a factor in Strand Street's problems. Course it's a factor. Mightn't be a big part of it, but it factors in, even slightly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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