The demise of the High Street

That must be the only town in England that doesn't have a hairdresser every fifth shop. Barbers are admittedly rarer but as one doesn't need to visit them more than a couple of times a decade it doesn't much matter. I'm more concerned about finding NHS Dentists.

In Sandy Bedfordshire there are three Barbers within sight of each other and two of them are almost on opposite sides of the street and that doesn't include hairdressers all in a town that takes just over five minutes to drive through.

Martin P

Well done Rik, I wasn’t expecting it to take a whole page before someone (t)wigged it!

I couldn’t resist suggesting a hairdresser appointment as the reason for Ron’s longer stay in town, so that one followed on...

Turkish barbers, apparently men with beards are no longer able to trim their own growth so where we once had 2 barbers we now have 4.

Saw a busker in Solihull today with a sign "Cash or swipe". You can see where it's all going.

Hope you didnt swipe him.
All the same those pleading poverty having and contracting mobile phone usage.

Must admit i was early on the act 2000 anything can be delivered. Dare say last 5 years have given retailers another nail in the coffin as some people like to use them horrible mobile phones.
For the first time in years i visited an out of town retail site Sat, out of 9 there last time only 3 exist.

If i wanted a part local it would take me around 2hrs to do 16 mile return. Same with bank/s thats 1 3/4hr gone paying in but thats incompetance another story.

Bookmakers and charity shops abound!

I really hate the gradual demise of the High Street. Give me a store (buy and take home) in preference to buying online and delivery any day.

Recent events with deliveries (stuff not available locally) to my house are:-

Lithium ion laptop battery left under my hedge when I was at home, but apparently placed in my hands and signed for. Had to use my CCTV to see where he had put them after checking why the delivery appeared not to have been made (driver made no attempt to walk the 20 metres to my door).

Battery charger left on my rear doorstep in the rain when I was out for the day, again signed for by me of course.

Most recently I waited in all day for a pre-arranged delivery which did not arrive, when I contacted the manufacturers they arranged a replacement to be sent (wonder where the original went?) one week later I was informed that the delivery was on its way and that I would be informed before the day. Very next day (just as I was leaving) a driver was at my door with my parcel and no warning given

Another time a delivery labelled for a house up the road was left behind my gate post.

Banks, that’s another world!

My wife who hates cash machines and such like went into her bank (in our local town) to pay in a cheque. She walks up to the solitary remaining cashier as usual and is told “sorry we are not allowed to do that now you must use the machine”! Wife was not at all happy.

Somehow I think they are trying to force everyone into online banking.

Rant over!

Edited By V8Eng on 06/12/2018 21:46:41

Edited By V8Eng on 06/12/2018 21:49:16

Yes, i think charity shops pay no rates or vastly reduced rates. Here in dublin, one street that used to be filled with shops, like electrician's shops, tools shops (good ones), carpenters/cabinet makers suppliers (i remember going as a kid with my father as he had to pick up a roll of veneer for the cabinet maker at work), motor factors, is now populated with ahem "adult" shops, fast food joints of dubious appearance, charity shops, bookies and coffee shops.

Recently ordered small item from far East. Package so small would easily have gone thro my letterbox, house no in 40 range but shoved in no 11! When I arrived home, message on answer phone from people @ no 11 asking me to collect. They traced my EX - D no. via Google! So much for XD. About as good as that choc. teapot aka Tel.Pref. "service" with all the bum calls I get daily. All relatives, friends, club members know that I will call back asap if I recognise their no. on 1471, or leave message to pick up on 1571. I now never answer a live ringing. Don't see why I should pay monthly extra for any fancy call barring or filtering.

Yes, V8Eng, banks will eventually close all branches and all transactions will become some sort of swipe or pin, but all on a card. Stocking and moving hard cash is very expensive for them. All about punters replacing expensive staff. I will hang on to my telephone banking for as long as poss. until no option left but online banking which will happen.

John