This shop unit on the railway bridge has seen better days. Next door isn't doing much better. Dodle turned out to be, well, anything but and it's probably many businesses ago since this was the Discount Mini Market. Shopkeepers take the advice of someone who has made the mistake of opening a shop away from the main drag. However cheap the rent is you'll end up regretting it. Anyway, from a purely photographic point of view I really like this shot because it shows a bit of imperfection, faded glory and history. All summed up in one washed out façade. Ahh yes the power of pictures!...
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| Lovely row of boarded up shops. The first thing many visitors see at the gateway to the town |
8 comments:
The number of businesses on the Railway approach, which have failed over the years, is substantial. Is it the location or, as many suspect, the rents, which are too high? Are the units still owned by the British Rail Residuary Board; the body which was set up to look after non railway-related assets, following the privatisation of British Rail?
Another possible factor, is not being able to pull up outside. People are very lazy these days, and many are unwilling to walk even a few steps away from their cars.
I agree, these boarded up, empty shops, are not a good advert for visitors to the town, but what to do about it, is a much harder question to answer. Perhaps our local MP might like to get involved.
maybe it is the type of shops that have tried to open? You would of thought that footfall is not really a problem given the number of commuters using the station - it is more the type of shop being their that would entice them in a minute or two before (or after) departure or arrival...
I remember when Williams the fishing tackle shop was there.
Maybe the footfall is falling in the High Street. I don't think the KCC planners did a good job of not incorporating a bus pullin by Costa and removing the pedestrian crossing by Smiths (where PO is moving to).
These are the same planners that seem to be proposing changes by the Station to add to the traffic delays.
Bigger concerns for Tonbridge must be the retail units that are being springing up on the B&Q site and later on the Homebase site. With the free parking it will take trade from the High Street and it could be some time before tenants are found for the Poundland store which closes in a few weeks and the Post Office which will become empty at the beginning of March. The High Street is not doing too bad but Angel Walk and the Pavilion could be on a slippery slope. Maybe these shops are too expensive. I see the small closed ice cream parlor was being marketed as a fully fitted cafe at £35,000 per year. You need to sell a lot of ice cream to cover this cost alone.
With astronomical rents like that (the closed Ice-Cream Parlour), it’s not surprising businesses don’t last long in these types of units. The property companies who own places like the Pavilion and Angel Walk, are obviously way out of touch with reality.
With the strong possablity of Aldi coming to the Homebase site it as interesting that they release the expected customer number for there new Herne Bay store. 500,000 customers per year - thats 100 per hour every hour.
Does anybody know who is taking over the poundland store (former Woolworths site)
I assumed the owners of this stretch were gradually not renewing leases with the intention of redeveloping but if it is simply businesses failing that's really worrying. There is plenty of footfall to and from the station although most people wouldn't just nip in to book a coach tour I guess.
two other trading shops that are on the to let market - 18 High street and 3 Angel Walk. Looks like with the PO soon to move out Angel walk will be a bit bare.
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