Lockey's a true test
Lockey's in St Martins Walk has now closed. Being in the centre of town and part of the shopping centre development it will be interesting to see how long this remains empty.
For me this would be a benchmark of which the retail viability of the town could be judged. Its crucial position in the town coupled with the marketing of the shopping centre management should surely mean that this would be let quickly. Hopefully it will turn out to be something worthwhile.
posted by The Cockerel @ 12:16 AM
4 Comments:
From, what I gather this unit is firmly 'under offer.' I know some months ago a fast food restaurant and a chain coffee shop wanted to open up in this unit. However, the management (don't make me laugh!) of St. Martin's Walk turned down both of these applicants down, as there is limited units which can sell food and drinks. Apparently, there will be some movement in this unit in the next two to four weeks. It is all hush hush and nobody even in St. Martin's Walk knows what is going to open in this unit.
I just hope that is an independent shop which opens up at the top of St. Martin's Walk. We have lost far too many recently - Fire Your Imagination, Gallery 238, 62a (shop has just closed on West Street, which sold clocks, sports memorbilia, scientific instruments etc.), Vandevi, Shubbee etc. Please god, we don't need another charity shop, sandwich shop, coffee shop, estate agent, shop that sells stationery etc. We need some imagination and why don't people do their homework before opening up in Dorking??
What Dorking needs is a good clothing retailer, a greengrocer, a shop that sells reasonably priced kids clothes, a wedding shop, a second hand record shop, a toy shop, a hat hire shop etc. Is that too much to ask?? And, why is our town centre management not visiting our neighbouring towns (ie. Farnham, Godalming, Cranleigh, East Horsley etc.) seeing if any of their retailers would like to open up a second, third etc. shop in Dorking?? The mind boggles....
DORKING Dan
Look at the Martin Brown website and look at the huge amount of commecial property available in Dorking. The latest development is that the 'original' Jane Elliot shop has just gone on the market. The website is www.martin-brown.uk.com
Spoke to Simon Matthews (the ex-town centre manager) on Saturday morning. He blamed everybody apart from town centre management for the predictiment that Dorking faces at present. He blamed Surrey County Council (for the road works), the people who would rather shop on the internet that shop in Dorking, the government for setting high business rates, the landlords for the high rents etc. etc. Fair enough, but why has nothing opened in Dorking in 2007?? Is the town not being promoted anymore?? Cranleigh and Reigate struggled some years ago with loads of empty shops and NOW, they have successfully turned the corner and are vibrant places to shop, eat and drink. Dorking, on the other hand, has gone back in time and there seems to be a permanent dark cloud over the town!
If the town was promoted well, the town could easily turn into a Reigate, Farnham etc. As it is, people choose to shop elsewhere, as it is a throughly depressing experience with shops closing everywhere you look. The town is rundown and is crying out for investment. The idiotic pea-brained traffic schemes have not helped but the general mood from most people is to shop elsewhere. There is no pride/loyalty from the people who live in Dorking and the place needs a general clean up. We live in the most beautiful part of the south east with Box Hill, Ranmore, Leith Hill all on our doorstep. However, that does not even get promoted anymore. Most of the people who I see in Dorking, complain, complain and complain and do not even bother to vent their views to councillors, town centre management, Mole Valley, Surrey County Council etc.
Is it my imagination that once a coffee shop / takeway opens up in Leatherhead, it has opens one up in Dorking a few months later. Costa, Subway and now Starbucks all opened in Leatherhead first and then decided to open up a premises in Dorking, which is only two or three miles away.
Our High Street is becoming very mundane and is inching ever closer to becoming a clone town. Little wonder, why people decide to go online and shop. There is better bargains to be had, you don't have to shell out money for parking and with the ever dwindling independent shops closing - Dorking IS an extemely depressing place to shop!
Noticed on the BBC website under Southern Counties, Surrey News, that Dorking is not the only town in Surrey struggling to stop shops and businesses closing.
To the Cockerel, please could you link this news item - Fears for future of market town. It refers to the town of Godalming whose independent businesses are closing because of high rents and greedy landlords. Sound familiar???? Apparently, Godalming has been in decline for three years. The same probably applies to Dorking. Though, no-one at town centre management, the council, chamber of commerce will admit it. ~AP~
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