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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."