Is Tonbridge Closing Down?....

There are a worrying number of shops with "CLOSING DOWN SALE" signs in the window or Estate Agent's "SHOP TO LET" boards fixed to the wall, along Tonbridge High Street. Klan, Tonbridge's only designer label fashion outlet , have deceided to call it a day after sales, name changes, relaunches and all manner of retail tricks to keep up the interest levels. I now see that Cross's the well established art equipment shop are also closing their doors with 25% off this and massive reductions off that. Impact Coffee shop closed recently, Baldocks which became Twinkle Toes for a year or so lays vacant still, Alpha Baby didn't last long in the arcade, Thomson's Holidays have deserted the town. There are many more and I now hear that John Adams bookshop is to close after its lease runs out next year, they have been in business, albeit under different ownership for over thirty years. Is it a sign of the times or is Tonbridge just falling behind it's neighbours? Is it the credit crunch or is Tonbridge just crap at keeping its retailers? Believe you me I know how they feel, because some weeks in the retail trade at the moment you just wonder why you bothered opening up. I've only been in the business about 3 and a half years and others with greater experience tell me it has never been worse (in the book trade that is.) If that is the case then, being optimistic, it can only get better. If we are about to enter a full blown recession and this is just the start of the bad times then God help me and God help the rest of Tonbridge High Street. I must say that on a recent visit to Bluewater shopping centre I didn't notice much evidence of a slump there, but maybe it is just all relative. On the other hand maybe we will always be a town struggling to keep up with more progressive neighbours. Somebody better work out a stategy to overcome this and sharpish....