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  • "
    stevelunt wrote:
    mikeashworth wrote:
    stevelunt wrote:
    mikeashworth wrote:
    free parking will not help.

    i used to believe free parking was the answer, when their are no other ideas on the table, it seems like the only one ppl focus on. but free parking rewards the wrong behaviour. we need to be rewarding behaviour which is required in town centre, that is, ppl visiting town centre and spending money. whilst you may think free parking will encourage spending it wont.

    i had my mind changed on this matter by the association of town centre managers. it is believed that a reimbursement scheme is better for many reasons. it encourages spending, and when economy improves, you could reduce / remove if you wish. once you've implemented free parking, where do you go from there?
    Once you have free parking, you get the landlords to offer incentives such as free 6 months / 12 months rent. rate free for so long etc

    Drop the rent if not free. surely some rent is better than no rent
    hahahahaa, the landlords wont be interested in discussing that at all, yes it seems mad, but thats just how they are....
    You see this is exactly what I cannot understand

    They would rather have an empty shell rotting away unoccupied than earn then money ?
    depends what state the empty shop is in. if it is not currently lettable without significant work taking place first then they dont pay business rates on it.

    as for other units, yep, it surprises me, but landlords are an odd bunch."
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More town centre woe as Burtons and Dorothy Perkins set closure date

1:34pm Thursday 29th May 2014 in News

St Helens Star: Closing down: St Helens town centre's Burtons and Dorothy Perkins will be axed Closing down: St Helens town centre's Burtons and Dorothy Perkins will be axed

THERE is more woe for St Helens town centre following confirmation that Burtons and Dorothy Perkins will shut their stores next month.

Closure notices on the stores – situated at the corner of Bridge Street and Church Street – state they will close on June 14.

It is one of the most prominent stores in the town centre.

The posters point customers to their nearest stores, situated on the Ravenhead Retail Park, which is on the outskirts of the town centre.

Dorothy Perkins also has a clothing section within BHS, which has a large store located inside Church Square.

Church Square Shopping Centre had denied speculation Burtons and Dorothy Perkins were to close when asked by the Star in March.

The news will come as another hammer blow to the high street, which already has empty units, most notably the former WH Smith in Church Street.

Internet shopping, competition from city centres and regional shopping zones, such as the Trafford Centre, and the cost of local parking are all cited as reasons why town centres are struggling.

St Helens Council, which has faced criticism from Star readers for the plight of the town centre, has vowed to invest £1million to bring about improvements.

The ruling Labour party has also pledged to introduce free parking on Saturdays and appoint a task force to review the town centre’s future.

It is not clear at this stage whether a new tenant is lined up for the shop or if it will be left empty.

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