Dear Sir,
Again the lack of shops in the town has been raised, but we have to be realistic and consider all of the relevant facts. Aycliffe is a small town and major retail outlets are not generally located in small rural towns because it’s not financially viable to do so. They have to make a profit, employ staff and stay in business, so if you want a good selection of ‘quality’ shops you will have to travel because they are not going to come to you, that’s why you have retail parks like Teesside Park and the Metro Shopping Centre.
Could we benefit from a range of small diverse shops in the town centre? Absolutely, but until the London based company, who own those shops, are willing to reduce the rents on the properties to a reasonable and acceptable level to give small businesses a fighting chance, it’s never going to happen, and presently they show no interest in doing so. Some small businesses have tried, but quickly realise there is no demand for what they are selling, or they don’t attract enough customers through the doors to cover their overheads and stay in the town and in business.
A recent article in the Guardian reflected on the severity of the current situation in the retail industry. Nearly 15,000 British retail jobs have already been cut since January according to analysis from the Centre for Retail Research (CRR).
Job losses, totalling 11,689, are at large retailers who are carrying out cost cutting programmes and restructuring operations. Meanwhile, a further 3,185 jobs have been lost at other retail outlets which have collapsed and undergoing insolvency proceedings.
Larger towns, such as Darlington, have witnessed a number of businesses, large and small, close due to the ongoing financial uncertainty. Bishop Auckland’s main street is littered with empty and derelict shops, some of which have stood empty for several years.
Is there a need for improvement? Without question, but that may only be possible in the future if we face some hard facts here and now and deal with the harsh reality of the situation. Unfair or unjust it may be, but with the best will in the world, when it comes to wanting more shops in the town, unfortunately, some things are currently beyond our control.
Cllr Phillip Hawkins