It's a mix of issues.Many of Northfields shops like South Ealing are not supported as well as they could be by locals. That's a bit to do with changing demographics and affluence.But the huge rent increases and the discriminatory way in which rents are set by landlords and their agents make a great many small margin retail businesses unviable often not even able to support one sole trader.Add to that the cost of business tax and rates, parking costs, insurance and the ability of some types of business to offset tax more than other types and pop goes the viability of a great many shop based traders.Then theres the internet and the complete inability of council executives to grasp the issues and solve the increasing tide of trading decay.Quite why there are regeneration officers, who seem focused only on developers and developments and corporate businesses.They are out of their depth at dealing with the existing problems and in anycase you are unlikely to get a golfing weekend , a trip to Cannes and a few 5* meals dealing with a bakers, pet shop or a haberdashery shop. It will take a lot of things to turn around the fortunes of both areas. Local support is important and needs to be conveyed to the thousands of residents.Easier and free short term parking needs to be extended and not be made a complex issue as proposed which would be a total disaster.Business rates for non hub shopping parades need to be adjusted to allow viability of sole trader retail.Regulations to enhance and restrict shop front appearance to ensure the best and most attractive and uniform presentation of shops and not end up with a run down parade of tatty shops with a run down appearance and not dominated by a large glitzy corporate chain or a filthy dirty run down frontage.All this can be achieved with little cost but with good incentives and joined up thinking. All of which seems to be bereft in the mindset of the current administration.
Mark Kehoe ● 3673d