Traders want to see bigger shops
Kevin Tester from Most Wanted Homes, Deborah Sarson from Colemans, Will Kellock from the 02 shop and Mark Jones, chairman of Wellingborough Traders Group
Traders have said bigger shops are needed to bring new retailers to their town.
The Wellingborough Traders Group, which is made up of shopkeepers and businesses in Wellingborough town centre, says the size of stores in the town centre is a major problem which prevents new retailers from coming to town.
The group did some research by contacting commercial agents to see what the retail requirements were for big brands.
They were told that most retailers wanted to set up in a shop between 1,000 and 2,500 sq ft, though the traders say Wellingborough has very few empty units which fit the bill and most of the stores outside the Swansgate Shopping Centre are not big enough for modern retailers.
But Cllr Graham Lawman, chairman of Wellingborough Council’s development committee, said while he welcomed the traders group’s “proactive approach”, there was more to it than just building bigger shops to attract major brands.
He said: “There’s an issue of space to start with – where would we put these shops? We have to balance the heritage and character of the town against developers’ needs.
“And not forgetting issues like traffic flow, parking arrangements and disruption for other town centre users.
“Of course we would like major retailers to come to Wellingborough, but there’s a lot more to consider than simply the space available.
“Plus we’re proud that our town centre isn’t a replica High Street and there are many independent and niche shops offering something different, so we have to balance that as well.”
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Thursday 24 May 2012
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Comments
There are 9 comments to this article
Page 1 of 1
c.w
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 01:50 PMWellingborough has niche shops and is not 'A replica town'?!!!! c'mon councillor Lawman,when was the last time you actually had a decent walk around all the shops in the not so replica town???lets see,how many gently worn.SORRY ,SECOND HAND shops!!!banks,estate agents ,mobile phone shops , etc.???? that's why there are more shops retailers on the outskirts ie ,B+Q,(the Castle fields retail complex, Koru ,on the Leyland Trading Estate(on Facebook)the town planning committee has falling asleep when planning for the centre,when Skewbridge opens will Wellingborough town centre permanentely fall asleep???
Aliss
Friday, January 27, 2012 at 09:34 AMPalace cinema - shut in the early 2000's, converted to a dull chain pub. Warwick's is still going strong (although, from council records, the main opposition to getting a big name store in the town is Mr Warwick. An excellent tailor, despite what I think of him as a councillor). The zoo is a bit of a giveaway of how long you've been away - it shut in the late 60'searly 70's and was mostly concreted over to build (hideous) council offices on it. The foundations of the Lion enclosure and the penguin pool are still in the rest of the park though.
Isabel Ringer
Thursday, January 26, 2012 at 03:26 PMOh dear ...thank you Alice for your message although I am deeply saddened to read that my favourite Wellingborough shops are gone. How disappointing. I hope the Palace cinema is still open as my late husband & I did all our courting there on the back row. My husband also liked to shop for his needs at Warwicks outfitters on the High Street. Is that still being run by that nice young man Alan Warwick? I suspect I'm living in the past but I'm quite happy there.As a family we all enjoyed visiting the zoo but now I'm told that has moved across the road & into the Swanspool Council offices.Can that be true? PS What a motley looking crew pictured in the article!
Aliss
Thursday, January 26, 2012 at 09:44 AMIsabel Ringer - I've lived in Wellinborough for over a decade. I've never heard of Mence Smiths or Green & Valentines, so I assume they were gone before I arrived. Wharton's shut down (went bust) several years ago and was replaced with yet another unneeded estate agent for 3-4 years, and is now empty (although it's nice to see the museum have filled the windows with historical stuff)
Aliss
Thursday, January 26, 2012 at 09:41 AMJaman - wrong in your first sentence. Several stores have told the council, in writing, and repeatedly, that they would open in the town if there was a suitable space for them. For the rest of your comment, yes, I broadly agree with you.
Isabel Ringer
Wednesday, January 25, 2012 at 03:23 PMFor once the Councillor is right. There are many independent and niche shops offering something different in Wellinborough. Although, because of my advancing years, I haven't visited my home Town recently I always enjoyed shopping in Wharton's book shop & Mence Smiths. Green & Valentines is my personal favoourite & I hope they are all doing well nowadays.
JAMan
Tuesday, January 24, 2012 at 04:45 PMA large M&S, BHS, Debenhams or any other large shop in Wellingborough forget it, it will never happen! It’s not just about retail space, but population, income in a nutshell demographics. What I’d call the main shopping street ‘Market Street’ is full of banks, charity shops and discount store. It’s too late for Wellingborough, town centre development should have started 10 years ago especially with the Skew Bridge proposal. Wellingborough will die a slow and painful death over many years.
DMT48
Tuesday, January 24, 2012 at 04:37 PMWe need micro, affordable units for business start-ups and niche traders, and larger units for chains. Both towns suffer from shops that are either too big or too small, If a kiosk becomes available in Kettering, it's gone before you know it. I don't know why some landlords don't divide their properties to get two traders in one space, but larger units for chains are impossible, especially now in Kettering has half the potential space has new flats on it. Clone Town Britain doesn't work anymore,.
Aliss
Tuesday, January 24, 2012 at 09:41 AMThe council has been told this over and over again - M&S specifically stated, in writing, that while Wellingborough's population growth meant it was becoming a viable prospect, it was never going to open a large store because there's no retail space large enough for it. BHS, Debenhams and others have said much the same. Every time this comes up, the councillors ignore what they're being told. As for "where" and "balancing the heritage", that's a doddle - gut the hideous and unappealing shopping centre - it's already a stain on the heritage and has more than enough space if it hadn't been laid out stupidly. The superstructure is mostly fine and has more than enough space, albeit it's hideous from the outside and would be better off being completely redeveloped. As for " our town centre isn’t a replica High Street" - sorry, yes it is. Name 3 independent shops in the centre? The only interesting and non-replica shops are on the edges, where you charge more reasonable rates.
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