Swansea with no Debenhams

[Jack2jack]

It does look grim. Maybe retail will completely move out of city centres and be replaced by living accommodation, cafes, restaurants and leisure facilities?

I think you're not far off the mark tbh. Times move on, the transition is moving very quickly, the current situation, is moving things along even quicker than expected. To think future generation won't know what it's like to go to the shops.

 

[Ebo]

Slightly off topic but Brexit related. This is worrying.
https://twitter.com/johnshirleyltd/status/1330109352754241539?s=21

 

[Epaul]

I remember my mam working on one of the jewellery counters back in the early 80's in there, bit of an iconic store in the Quadrant, a sad loss I guess

 

[MrSwerve]

It does look grim. Maybe retail will completely move out of city centres and be replaced by living accommodation, cafes, restaurants and leisure facilities?

I think you're not far off the mark tbh. Times move on, the transition is moving very quickly, the current situation, is moving things along even quicker than expected. To think future generation won't know what it's like to go to the shops.

I think that future generations (sadly) will live a bit like we’ve been living during Covid. Online shopping for clothes etc, food deliveries to the house only, working from home a lot with online meetings, pub closures meaning socialising via FaceTime etc more, takeaway deliveries instead of going out for a meal...

Don’t get me wrong, I’m guilty of a good few of those already, especially online shopping...can’t remember the last time I actually went out clothes shopping, must have been years ago. All of my xmas shopping is online. I always get click and collect tesco shops. It’s the meals and drinks with mates that I miss.

Sadly kids these days are brought up socialising online, via games consoles mostly. When they do hit the age of University level studies, most of their socialising is done whilst drunk. Yes, we’ve all done it, but we’ve grown up with experience of proper conversation, playing sports together, etc. I get the feeling that this is declining rapidly.

I’ve noticed in my students over the last 10 years that they are becoming increasingly scared to talk, it’s quite alarming actually.

 

[Cardiffjack]

The way things are going (plus the spectre of a no deal Brexit looming) the quadrant could be finished in 2 years.
Very worrying.

Just imagine how bad things would get under Welsh independence.
Would the last person to leave, please turn off the lights.

 

[Cardiffjack]

Slightly off topic but Brexit related. This is worrying.
https://twitter.com/johnshirleyltd/status/1330109352754241539?s=21

It’s called democracy. Unless you want to adopt the Chinese model ?

 

[Ebo]

Slightly off topic but Brexit related. This is worrying.
https://twitter.com/johnshirleyltd/status/1330109352754241539?s=21

It’s called democracy. Unless you want to adopt the Chinese model ?

Did you vote for food and medical shortages? I bet you didn't and will be the first to moan and blame everyone but yourself when trucks from the continent will no longer entertain the idea of a 5-day gridlock with added red tape and tariffs by coming to the UK.

Never mind we have a deal with North Macedonia which is slightly worse than the one we had before.

 

[Cardiffjack]

It’s called democracy. Unless you want to adopt the Chinese model ?

Did you vote for food and medical shortages? I bet you didn't and will be the first to moan and blame everyone but yourself when trucks from the continent will no longer entertain the idea of a 5-day gridlock with added red tape and tariffs by coming to the UK.

Never mind we have a deal with North Macedonia which is slightly worse than the one we had before.

So an independent Wales would be a success, but an independent U.K. would be a failure, or are you one of these Welsh independence people, who wants Wales to rejoin the eu ?

 

[Dr. Winston]

It does look grim. Maybe retail will completely move out of city centres and be replaced by living accommodation, cafes, restaurants and leisure facilities?

I think you're not far off the mark tbh. Times move on, the transition is moving very quickly, the current situation, is moving things along even quicker than expected. To think future generation won't know what it's like to go to the shops.

Some vestiges of traditional retail will remain, but city centre shopping in a lot of cities, particularly smaller ones like Swansea, will die a death. It's far easier to shop online or go to an out of town strip mall than lug into town, and many local authorities insane obsession with forcing people onto buses instead of making it easy to take a car shopping will finish the job.

 

[Jack2jack]

I think you're not far off the mark tbh. Times move on, the transition is moving very quickly, the current situation, is moving things along even quicker than expected. To think future generation won't know what it's like to go to the shops.

I think that future generations (sadly) will live a bit like we’ve been living during Covid. Online shopping for clothes etc, food deliveries to the house only, working from home a lot with online meetings, pub closures meaning socialising via FaceTime etc more, takeaway deliveries instead of going out for a meal...

Don’t get me wrong, I’m guilty of a good few of those already, especially online shopping...can’t remember the last time I actually went out clothes shopping, must have been years ago. All of my xmas shopping is online. I always get click and collect tesco shops. It’s the meals and drinks with mates that I miss.

Sadly kids these days are brought up socialising online, via games consoles mostly. When they do hit the age of University level studies, most of their socialising is done whilst drunk. Yes, we’ve all done it, but we’ve grown up with experience of proper conversation, playing sports together, etc. I get the feeling that this is declining rapidly.

I’ve noticed in my students over the last 10 years that they are becoming increasingly scared to talk, it’s quite alarming actually.

Unfortunately, all you've said is true. Very sad indeed.

 

[Jack2jack]

I think you're not far off the mark tbh. Times move on, the transition is moving very quickly, the current situation, is moving things along even quicker than expected. To think future generation won't know what it's like to go to the shops.

Some vestiges of traditional retail will remain, but city centre shopping in a lot of cities, particularly smaller ones like Swansea, will die a death. It's far easier to shop online or go to an out of town strip mall than lug into town, and many local authorities insane obsession with forcing people onto buses instead of making it easy to take a car shopping will finish the job.

I agree. The thing is you're average shopper is now so used to rocking up at a retail park and parking for free, when they consider going into town, the first consideration is where can I park for free or next to nothing.
What did LA think was going to happen to city centres, when they granted planning permission to the out of town developments, the incentives were obviously to great to ignore, but to the detriment of their neighbouring town centre.
Unfortunately, it's a forever spiral downwards, it will be hard to stop, let alone reverse the trend.

 

[MajorR]

Good post.
Our town centres are in a serious decline and unless something serious is done then it ain’t going to get better. Councils have allowed out of town developments, on top of that there are parking fees (big earner for the councils) which discourage visitors, there are sneaky bus lane cameras (and zero tolerance for innocent errors) business rates are steep and in terms of Swansea the number of traffic lights is really irritating.

If they want town centres to thrive, they have to address the above and the online retailers who are able to channel their revenues etc through other countries etc.

 

[Jack2jack]

Good post.
Our town centres are in a serious decline and unless something serious is done then it ain’t going to get better. Councils have allowed out of town developments, on top of that there are parking fees (big earner for the councils) which discourage visitors, there are sneaky bus lane cameras (and zero tolerance for innocent errors) business rates are steep and in terms of Swansea the number of traffic lights is really irritating.

If they want town centres to thrive, they have to address the above and the online retailers who are able to channel their revenues etc through other countries etc.

I could never understand why the council, moan about the lack of footfall, then hike up the cost of parking, and fvck up the road systems, they are effectively at war with the out of town shopping centres. Without the likes of Debenhams, M&S and the like, which pull in punters, what chance have smaller independents, without their passing trade.
And don't get me started on Parc Tawe and their stupid in out parking cameras, surely everyone should be working together, not trying to discourage folk.

 

[Dr. Winston]

I could never understand why the council, moan about the lack of footfall, then hike up the cost of parking, and fvck up the road systems

Because they're morons. Cut from the same cloth as Drakeford.

 

[Gwyn737]

I think you're not far off the mark tbh. Times move on, the transition is moving very quickly, the current situation, is moving things along even quicker than expected. To think future generation won't know what it's like to go to the shops.

I think that future generations (sadly) will live a bit like we’ve been living during Covid. Online shopping for clothes etc, food deliveries to the house only, working from home a lot with online meetings, pub closures meaning socialising via FaceTime etc more, takeaway deliveries instead of going out for a meal...

Don’t get me wrong, I’m guilty of a good few of those already, especially online shopping...can’t remember the last time I actually went out clothes shopping, must have been years ago. All of my xmas shopping is online. I always get click and collect tesco shops. It’s the meals and drinks with mates that I miss.

Sadly kids these days are brought up socialising online, via games consoles mostly. When they do hit the age of University level studies, most of their socialising is done whilst drunk. Yes, we’ve all done it, but we’ve grown up with experience of proper conversation, playing sports together, etc. I get the feeling that this is declining rapidly.

I’ve noticed in my students over the last 10 years that they are becoming increasingly scared to talk, it’s quite alarming actually.

I couldn’t agree more with the social side of things, particularly with kids. Being involved and part of something is so important for self esteem.

Sitting alone in your bedroom with a headset on is no comparison to being involved in sports, drama, scouts etc.