Teen beauty spot drinkers are ramblers, not rebels
- Dave Burrows
Traders say Oswestry is in danger of dying
Tuesday 29th June 2010, 2:00PM BST.
One of Shropshire’s largest towns is in danger of “dying on its feet” because of a dramatic fall in the number of shoppers, it has been claimed.
Traders are struggling to pay rent and footfall has dropped, a meeting of Oswestry Chamber of Trade was told.
Store owners were last night told they must seriously consider what impact a new supermarket would have on their future.
The meeting was called to hear about the revised plans for a supermarket put forward by car company JT Hughes and guttering firm Guttercrest.
Chamber chairman Yossi Gliksman warned that some of the town’s small independent businesses were already at risk of folding.
He said if a store had to be built in Oswestry, it was vital it was built in the town centre.
And he warned traders not to be influenced by anti-supermarket campaigners.
Mr Gliksman told traders: “You have got to look at it without any pressure from anybody and look at how it will affect your own business.
Struggling
“We know footfall in Oswestry has dropped. Takings are down. Some shops are really struggling to pay the rent.
“Times are not brilliant. It is all over the country. You need to look at all the options and look at it very carefully, almost selfishly, to actually see how you can keep your business going.
“Don’t be influenced by any residents’ groups, associations or any groups that have been created in the last couple of years as a result of this process.”
Town businessman Gwilym Owen told the meeting, held at the Wynnstay Hotel, he feared for the future of many traders.
Mr Owen said: “The trade in the town in the last two to three months has gone down and down. It just can’t continue. If we are not careful Oswestry is going to be dying on its feet.
“We must have new development in the town centre.”
John Hughes, from JT Hughes, said he had reduced the size of his proposed store after listening to the public’s concerns. He said: “We are Oswestry people. We want the town to be developed. We don’t want to damage it.”
The proposal is one of four rival bids all hoping to be given the go-ahead to build in Oswestry. Shropshire Council will meet on July 29 to make a decision.
By Iain St John
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The Chamber of Trade in Oswestry say the town is dying on it’s feet. I wonder if this is another blast aimed at the County Council in the hope that they will cull any hope of a new supermarket. What these anti supermarket campaigners have to understand is without a new supermarket the town will die. What does Oswestry provide shoppers that Shrewsbury or Wrexham can’t? In my view nothing. First the major players, like Sainsbury’s, ASDA and Tesco set up in a town. Followed by major non food retailers like Primark, Topshop and Next. Oswestry doesn’t even have a McDonald’s or Burger King, it doesn’t have a cinema or a bowling alley. If we don’t have a new supermarket then can I ask the last person to leave the town to switch the lights off.
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After reading this and the comments from the Chamber chairman Yossi Gliksman,I had to laugh at what he has said, firstly I agree businesses are struggling,and Jt hughes have made big changes to the size of their plans, which I applaud them for doing so, whereas the others have not made to much of a difference. therefore secondly, I feel that he may need to review where his loyalties lie. If I am not mistaken, has`nt the Chamber of commerce, ie Chairman Yossi Gliksman signed up with the the coalition of OS21, along with Civic Society, CPRE. Their aim to stop the unecessary building of another supermarket,But in his statement, he is saying don`t take notice of these type of groups.
These remarks are they of his own view or as his role as representative of the Chamber of trade,( The businesses struggling)!!
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As a past resident, I’m not all that up to date, but I have had some involvement with developments in the town over the past few years.
I now hold independent views.
Retail in the town centre has been depressed for many years – long before Somerfield, Woolies and Littlewoods went, or for that matter before Sainsburys came in close to the centre.
Any development on the edge of the town – eg the Market site – will destroy the town centre and flies in the face of Government’s planning sustainability tests.
Trade in the town will increase but this will only be car borne shoppers travelling to the edge of Oswestry rather than Shrewsbury Welshpool or Wrexham.
That said the speciality shops in the town centre – of which there are many good ones (and the Bailey Head) – should continue to attract custom if they can adapt – ie reduce the rents they were so willing to pay several years ago.
Can you blame the supermarkets for the fact you agreed willingly to onerous lease terms or to pay too much rent?
The town is overpriced which is why there have ben so many vacant units in the town centre for so long.
Best of luck, and while I am supportive of development and growth please don’t destroy another market town – just look how Shrewsbury suffered in the 1980′s/90′s
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I’d like to shop in Oswestry more but the central car park has a 2m barrier and I can’t get into it when driving my Defender. Yes, I know I could park up the top or in Sainsburys but if I only need to pop into the bakers, butchers or Boots, the central car park would be ideal. So I end up shopping elsewhere.
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Oswestry is NOT dying on its feet. Though we are going through a major recession, combined with changes in shopping habits due to internet shopping etc there are still lots of independent shops trading well in Oswestry. There are four excellent butchers. Good fruit and veg at ‘Covent Garden’, an excellent wholefood shop at Honeysuckle and many supermarkets – Sainsburys, Morrisons, Aldi, M&S Simply Food, Iceland, Home Bargains, H&M Bargains. Not far away in St Martins there is Stans Superstore.
Oswestry Market is having a revival and a makeover and has the best fish stall for miles around as well as excellent coffee, a new cafe and many new stalls. It is soon to be revamped by Sir Terence Conran as the winner of a national competition.
What Oswestry provides for shoppers that Wrexham and Shrewsbury can’t is a market town with a mix of independent shops and national chains. People come TO Oswestry from those towns because due to supermarket development they, particularly the middle of Wrexham, are dying on their feet.
What can another major supermarket provide that we do not already have? The town is never going to be big enough for Primark, Topshop or Next. And if you want a burger you can go out to the Little Chef.
I wonder how far the Chamber of Trade really represents the traders of Oswestry. Though they were at one time part of the coalition of OS21, CPRE and Civic Society. They are now ploughing a lonely furrow in accepting the inevitability of another supermarket.
The Smithfield Scheme is too far from town to be acceptable. Likewise the Burbidge plan. The Central Car Park scheme is way too big and the traffic implications are horrendous. JT Hughes is also right out but having reduced its size, might threaten the existing town less.
The best option for Oswestry is the FIFTH OPTION – Refuse all 4 planning applications!
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Madeley used to be dead on its feet UNTIL they built a supermarket. The place is buzzing now as the new Tesco brings people into the area that wouldn’t have come before, and they don’t just spend their money in the supermarket. All the shops seem to benefit from the increased footfall..
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Oswestry only has small supermarkets with limited choice. Lots of people go to Asda, Sainsbury’s and Tesco in Wrexham or Shrewsbury for a better choice. The Burbidges site would be the best option. It would cause less congestion in the town centre. Any development on the main car park would be too disruptive and would drive people away even more. The town needs a cinema, there is no entertainment in the town apart from the pubs.
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I come to Oswestry monthly from London and personally I love the town atmosphere and feel that there are more than adequate supermarkets to choose from already. I did notice last year the town becoming quite dismal and lots of shops closing down. However,on my last trip I noticed that most of the shops are now being re-let, there is also a Holland and Barrett coming too. Therefore, I do not think that Oswestry is dying at all. The local residents need to shop closer to home more often and appreciate their local shops whilst they still have them.
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