I WasThinking About My Town's Retail Area

We're in a credit crises, a recession, an economic crunch call it what you will...nationally and across the world, we are constantly told by the press and media. So who is going to invest in our shopping centre at present when money is tight?

To be honest it has gone quiet with little or no news regarding who might consider taking up any retail units or changes to/demolishing of existing buildings that have outlived their purpose, been allowed to fall into disrepute.

What set me thinking of this was finding out that(and I have mentioned this before)that the main spare empty unit once occupied by Sommerfield Supermarket is to be taken up by another retailer like two others we already have on town virtually next door to their new store.

We needed competition to the new large supermarket that dominates the town. And many shoppers say are not as cheap price wise as their competitors(and a TV campaign quoting an independent website that compares prices)I would've even suggested that the existing freezer shop could've taken the space and offered a wider range of products to the town.

I might've accepted(and I am sure many on low incomes or feeling the credit crunch...oh how I hate these short cut expressions to describe the situation)one of the new breed of food outlets that sell high quality(but unknown brands)or well known brands at lower prices by saving on fancy in store displays or buying in bulk but such outlets are out of town and you need to use public transport, taxi's or a car which adds extra cost to the shopping trip.

I found out by chance that two such stores have opened in the last week or two close by(3 1/2 and 7 miles away, it's been reported that between them they managed to attract 13,000 customers on their opening day)Initially that made me a little angry but then I thought just maybe they have good reasons for avoiding my town.

By taking up these new locations they are probably paying less in rent or lease payments(its been said that our landlord charges higher than usual rates(that could be anecdotal)There are no spare retail units to move into as existing businesses need them if/when the development resumes again. Also, their plan is probably to stop people travelling into my town to use the large supermarket rather than stop us who live here travelling out of town. Stop them before they see the choice or variety of product in the large supermarket.

The other day when I ventured into the older part of town it was absolutely dead. We are talking of a handful of shoppers using each store.

But no the local free sheet has news from our local MP saying everything is on track and we'll see things moving again early 2009. There is talk of new buildings being offered for community projects such as a decent town library etc...but at the end of the article my eyes did spot mention of a supermarket. I'm not sure where that will fit into the plans and who is considering coming here but we'll see.

My town has invested in a new memorial for Remembrance Day which is this weekend to commemorate those who fell in the two great World Wars and the conflicts since.

Our town has managed(even if it looked quite sparse)with a flag pole outside one of the many churches we have in town and part of the town centre is closed to traffic during the service, we do not have a town square but a car park faces onto the church so townsfolk and troops etc...have to stand there and across the road, however, we now have this monument which will be used for the first time this weekend.

I give credit to the Newton News where this image appears but hopefully in the next few hours, I will be posting my own photo here...I have not decided as yet whether I like it(that's a personal opinion)but it is different and striking.




Update:I have some photos. It was dark. Unfortunately, the digital viewfinder was so dark, every attempt resulted in one of the stone pillars missing off the image. You could not tell until you looked at the image you had taken.

My taxi driver asked what I thought. I was diplomatic in my answer but afterwards he told me what he felt. We agreed that we probably would've preferred a traditional cenotaph.

What can I say? From two directions it cannot be seen. From another it just looks like three plain pieces of stone. It only looks anything once you get up close and read the inscriptions that are chiseled into the stone. I wonder how many of the townsfolk are impressed and how many feel that they have to say that they are?

I wonder how many expressed a view or were asked? I suspect that there is someone that can say that if I had looked information was out there and I could have passed an opinion but I missed it. The first I knew I was seeing that the decision had been made as to which artist had been commissioned and what the design would be. And where it was going to placed.

In case it is not clear...the first inscription on the left pillar is in white writing, the middle one is in gold writing and the right pillar is inscribed but not filled in. An article in the town's free sheet says that some wanted a traditional monument but most are happy with what has been erected.

I think I able understand why it is facing in the direction it is but I found it looked more impressive with the church behind it rather than having a shopping arcade and a public house in your line of vision.

I have managed to salvage some of the images I took and tidy them up a little using some computer software so I have added them below. Ask me at a later date and I may change my mind and it could grow on me.

I have been told that it was featured on the local TV news earlier today as it was being consecrated for tomorrow's Remembrance service but I missed the report.