It's seems like a good idea in theory
But the reality is that many councillors are fucking arses who are easily bought with a couple of free lunches.
cf. every single fucking decision made in Coventry city centre since the Luftwaffe decided to change things around a bit.
( tangledupinblue hairy badge with moving eyes, Mon 8 Apr 2013, 11:56, 3 replies, latest was 12 years ago)

I think, if people didn't need payday lenders they'd piss off quick sharp.

(PsychoChomp, Mon 8 Apr 2013, 11:57, Reply)

haha you live in a shit town
and you've got shit on your shoes
( Light In Chains maker of the ikea sofa, Mon 8 Apr 2013, 11:57, Reply)

ITS A CITY ACTUALLY

( tangledupinblue hairy badge with moving eyes, Mon 8 Apr 2013, 11:58, Reply)

whatever

( Light In Chains maker of the ikea sofa, Mon 8 Apr 2013, 11:59, Reply)

the reality is that on the kind of high street we're talking about, the landlords need the rent
otherwise they default on loans and we end up paying for it.

or the pension funds don't make money and we end up paying for it.

or the high street dies a little more at a time and we end up with shitty dead end high streets. so we end up paying for it.

if you have a mortgage and you get told that the only tenant you've had a sniff of in 6 months can't go in there because the use is deemed undesirable, you're fucked. only a politician could have come up with something so stupid.
( rachelswipe with a fork, Mon 8 Apr 2013, 12:04, Reply)

It just seems a complete waste of time to revamp a shopping area and then for it to be filled with pound shops and bookies.
That isn't going to improve the local economy.
( tangledupinblue hairy badge with moving eyes, Mon 8 Apr 2013, 12:06, Reply)

nobody with a brain would spend any money revamping a shopping area
unless/until they had at least the anchor tenants on the hook. no tenants, no shops, it really is that simple.

and unless/until people stop sucking their own cocks for saving a fiver online and start to use the high streets for a fair proportion of their shopping, it's only going to get worse.
( rachelswipe with a fork, Mon 8 Apr 2013, 12:14, Reply)

I was shocked recently at just how much a shop costs to rent.
Refitting also costs a fortune. I partially agree with Swipey, it's only going to get worse unless people start using the high st again OR rents/business rates are lowered.
(Captain Placid 24/7 ball gags, brownie mix and clown porn, Mon 8 Apr 2013, 12:23, Reply)

councils can't afford to cut business rates, they don't have enough cash either
and landlords with mortgages or pension performance or fund management targets can't really afford to cut rates - some can, some can't.

it's use it or lose it when it comes to high streets. my own view is, we'll end up with the more desirable areas full of nothing more than beauty salons and restaurants, and the less desirable areas will be pretty much derelict.
( rachelswipe with a fork, Mon 8 Apr 2013, 12:27, Reply)

Sadly I think you're right.
While the centre of my fair city is dying on its knees, out-of-town retail parks are still being built.
(Captain Placid 24/7 ball gags, brownie mix and clown porn, Mon 8 Apr 2013, 12:51, Reply)