Kitchen retailer closes Wilmslow showroom

Sad that Grove Street has another casualty - not too sure what the answer is ! Something needs to happen.

Perhaps another Coffee shop ??

Nick - any other thoughts other than the comment reference a coffee shop.

Why do you think these shops keep closing ? Lack of trade ? High rents ? High taxes ?

The shops keep closing because Grove St has to be the most depressing shopping area in the town. The front of the shops needs to be the other side - it is what Starbucks did and the row of shops at the back converted from shops to housing. Behind Grove St there are currently hidden pleasant areas of the Conservative Club, British Legion and the Prep. School. This would open up the whole of the rear of Grove St.

Something radical like un pedestrianise the area? Make it one way traffic, lets be honest none of us like walking so have parking bays for 30 or 60 mins and maybe trail it for 12 or 24 months. It works in knutsford..........

Mark - Grove Street was exactly as you suggest many years ago and it was very convenient to park (if space available) for a short time and pop into a shop or two. Times may have changed, but in those days it was always busy not the ghost street it often is now.

Is anyone as surprised as me that it lasted as long as it did?

I remember Grove St before it was pedestrianised, back when our children were toddlers. The sheer hell of trying to manouvre a buggy along the narrow, crowded footpaths while most of the available space was given over to motorists too lazy to park elsewhere and walk. They would drive round and round the block, doing several passes along the street burning off gallons of fuel, polluting the air with fumes and noise, in the hope of finding a parking space right outside the shop they want to visit.

Return to that? No thanks!

Why have Grove St. shops declined (and those in Wilmslow generally)? Out of town shopping centres, that's why. Not for nothing did the shops at Handforth Dean subsidise the building of the Wilmslow bypass - a feeder road straight to their car parks. Pedestrianisation, far from bringing about the decline of Grove St., has almost certainly given it a reprieve.

Altrincham has suffered even more than Wilmslow, probably because of its proximity to the Trafford Centre. Knutsford hasn't so suffered, as these major out of town shopping developments are far enough away from it.

At least in Wilmslow the cafes and bars appear to be thriving as the retail business, with the exception of supermarkets, inevitably moves up the bypass to Handforth Dean.

Pedestrianisation killed Grove Street, even Peter Jones has closed his shop.

I am of a similar mind to Vince. I enjoy sitting in Grove Street watching the world go by with out the fume noise of cars.

There are numerous reasons why business's fail or relocate. This time it was because of end off a lease. Nothing to do with pedestrianisation at all.

There are plenty of 1 hour free parking spaces in the town centre. Am I the only one who seems to use them! No.

Oh and a free multi-storey car park after 3pm. That's 2 hours free parking to go and do the shopping before shops begin to close from 5:00pm onwards.

Rant over!!!!!

Wouldn't dream of driving into Wilmslow after 3 p.m. It is quicker to walk the mile and a half there is so much traffic.

Well remembered Vince. Grove Street was awful when traffic used it and circled as you noted. I have visited Knutsford on numerous occasions and I estimate the number of shoppers (on King Street) is far fewer than Grove Street as is the number of shop units actually selling things. The narrow pavement is constantly blocked by open car doors, prams and people stopping to look in windows. Three factors have been a major influence on Grove Street's decline; out of town shopping (Trafford Centre, Handforth Dean and John Lewis/Sainsbury's), the rise in internet shopping and the grasping landlords, councils and governments. The unit in question (along with Laura Ashley - how long left?) was allowed to build on their car parking creating a huge unit at huge rent. I often wonder just how many of the outlets in Wilmslow barely cover their operating costs and of course wonder how much of what is spent is milked out of Wilmslow by the graspers mentioned above. Jones "shop" selling villas and flats in Portugal and Florida is just an advertising unit. The rented offices above nicely cover the costs of the unstaffed unit.

Shame to lose a retailer, but lets not panic. I doubt this shop employed as many people and it did not seem to be a destination shop that drew in shoppers. It would be great if an independent took the lease long term but unlikely, given the size of the premises. I wonder if a pound shop could use it?

It would be useful to have one in Wilmslow and they draw in customers.

As for blaming pedestrianisation, just ask the shop owners. Customers whizzing by in cars or on foot, which is best?

I am not an expert on retail but I do think the decline in shops is due to lack of parking facilities.

One only has to walk around the area to realise that people do not want to take a step further than they need to. Observe the cars parked on pavements, double yellow lines, grass verges and especially the pick up and drop off bays outside Tesco/Marks and Spencer,why are the cars empty if they are dropping off or picking up ?

If locals could only (legally) park directly outside the shop of their choice, think how busy they would be, then the extortionate rents and taxes would not seem so bad.

so the conclusion is: lazy locals

Really do appreciate it's a shame when a business either moves on or closes bearing in mind the efforts the owners invariably put in, but don't get too down hearted everyone... yes ! we would like to have 100 % of establishments fully let but we're not that far off. If you want to cheer yourself up go drive around 99% of other towns !!!!!!! I work throughout the North West and our's is an out & out exception along with AE. The answer lies with the changing times in retail and it's up to all our businesses to innovate or die accordingly.

I agree with Simon and others about the reasons for the decline. I don't love shopping TBH but if I do have to go shopping then I enjoy a walk into Wilmslow and wandering down Grove Street without the noise and pollution of vehicles. If I wanted somewhere easy and free to park I would go to Handforth Dean or the Trafford Centre. Having local shops without cars driving past all the time is a selling point in my view.

Geoff, re cars illegally parked on pavements, double yellow lines, grass verges, etc. that has nothing to do with shopping. I see that on every street in the country! Unfortunately some drivers don't respect the law or care about the safety of pedestrians.

Grove Street is doing well given the massive changes facing retail such as the internet and out of town shopping and malls.

You can't have 100 per cent occupancy AND lower rent. It's supply and demand. There is and always will be a churn of retail outlets it's part of the retail life cycle. If all the shops were occupied then rents would skyrocket. The issue to be concerned about is how long the shops remain empty.