Independent businesses in Stafford town centre have issued a warning to visitors – use us or lose us.
The plea for support has come as one town centre shop permanently closed yesterday, 31st August, partly due to lack of footfall.
Those nearby hope to highlight the variety of independent businesses in the town – and encourage people to spend more time and money there.
Amy Walsh, owner of award-winning team room Cup a Cha, on North Walls, said: “We are lucky to have a lovely regular client base, but there is a lot of negativity surrounding the town when really we have some amazing small businesses that need support.
“There is a wonderful independent toy shop around the corner from us, independent clothes shops, jewellery stores and lots of places for gifts.
“Footfall isn’t what it used to be, in fact Saturday is no longer our busiest day and things get quiet around here from 2pm most afternoons.
“However, we need people to carry on coming into the town and venturing down the side streets in order to increase footfall and attract new businesses.”
Amy added: “If you can’t get to a store, think about showing support online. It doesn’t cost anything to like or share social media posts, but it does help to spread the word about a local business.”
Monica Pearce, who runs sustainable boutique Boris & Barbara on Eastgate Street, said: “I opened my business almost a year ago and it is growing, but I could do with more footfall.
“Stafford has the potential to become a place like Nantwich, full of independent small shops but businesses need the support of shoppers to encourage others to open.
“I’m 53 and this is planned to be my last adventure in work before I retire. I don’t want to become a millionaire; I just want the shop to do well.”
Tim Griffin’s business The Little Shop of Curiosity, at the Gainsborough Works, closed yesterday.
Tim originally started the venture in Stafford before transferring to Rugeley for a time and then moved back to the town centre in April this year. He has chosen to change his business model to sell at fairs and events rather than having his own premises.
He said: “It is difficult for most small businesses at the moment, especially in towns where there are outside retail parks.
“But I am a big believer when it comes to small businesses that if you don’t lose them, they will disappear.”
He added: “Money is being spent on the Market Square in Stafford but that is something which has needed to be done for a long time.
“A lot of people are put off visiting Stafford because of anti-social behaviour – it needs to be made a happy, friendly place.”
- Stafford Borough Council has just completed a consultation around regulations aimed at helping tackle anti-social behaviour in the Borough, with businesses, residents and visitors able to have their say. Part of its aim was to address issues that people say puts them off going into the town. Click here to find out more.
When Council Business Rates are so high and private rents are at a ridiculous price, plus no major attraction in the town it is no wonder Stafford is a ghost town.
We visit Ludlow, Truro and other similar towns where there are regular varied town centre markets most days of the week. Where the majority of shops are not charity,phone or quick snack based. Why is there no Major Book Festival, Antiques Market, Farmers Market or Artisan Market? Damn it, instead of having a car boot every Sunday on Stafford Common have it in the Town Centre.
Until there is thinking outside of the box and money being spent on the real reasons for decline the Town Centre will carry on declining by a death of a thousand cuts.
The minute the council allowed the stupid ‘bubble’ to be built and allowed M&S to move there, followed by others, that was the end of the high street. There is nothing at the far end of the town to attract shoppers any more. We rarely go past Boots. When our family moved here 25 years ago Stafford was a pretty, thriving town but now it’s nothing. There is no vision. Some other towns I’ve visited have an older established shopping high street, and have then built shopping malls, but they flow into each other. Ours is stuck at one end of the town with nothing to connect it to the high street.
The whole far end of the town needs knocking down and rebuilt. Maybe instead of digging up the market square the money would have been better spent developing the far end of town!
Moving M&S was the death knell for us. There is no reason to visit Stafford now.
Silly comment – there is still an M & S in town!
However, the point of this piece is about supporting INDEPENDENT businesses in Stafford, not one of the largest food and fashion retailers in the country.
The reason this piece is written is people like you (all of you who replied, to be fair) who are the first to moan about the council, but no longer shop in the town. If you don’t spend in your local economy, your local shops will die and close.
This is down to you.
If you hadn’t guessed, I have skin in this particular game, I have a business in the Northern Quarter of Stafford (did you even know there is a Northern Quarter?)
As Amy mentioned at the start of the piece, if you can’t/won’t buy from an independent store, then help in the easiest way possible – show support online. Any and every like/share comment will make a business stand out to Google, and make them more visible to shoppers – shoppers like you…