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Consumer
Concerns in Southport Town Centre
Report by Callum Pritchard
A sample survey of 10 local
businesses, ranging from service industries to local shops, has
revealed their concerns about the rapidly dwindling consumer
footfall in Southport. There have been a number of issues bought up,
which may have contributed to the Town's demise, including parking,
rent rates and the marketing of the Town.
Every single store in the questions we asked, believe that local
business in Southport is reducing, and this alone should prove the
desperation of the Town's situation. There was also a high focus on
the marketing of the Town, including events and improving
facilities, 60% suggesting that increased interest will be achieved
by arranging more activities, and promoting more local businesses
and regaining the Town's specialist reputation.
"There are not as many specialist shops in the main areas, but it
hasn't impacted on us too much, as with other types of shops, as
they can't offer the same variety at present. We are not affected by
online competition, as of yet. We can't really see it being an
issue." said an employee at Wesley Fish.
This, however, could become an issue, as these national chains
already have online advertising. This is not limited to a single
website, but they are spread over social media sites like Facebook,
Twitter etc. This is a contributing factor to their success, and an
example of how the correct advertising will generate enough public
interest to attain more visitors.
Baby Love said that a previous bad
experience has deterred them from getting a website. The owner
said:- "We haven't got a website. After being stitched up
once, it put me off getting one. We do have a Facebook page,
though."
A number of businesses seem to have crept into the social media
spectrum, including London Sq, a local coffee shop within a prime
location of the Town centre, which does have a Facebook page, and a
website, but do not use it often. Whilst nationally, the coffee and
tea industry is booming, for example on
startups.co.uk says that:-
"Independent coffee and tea shops remain an opportunity for 2014
and rising demand for accessible, healthy food will support a boom
in mobile catering businesses." This was echoed in the likes
of national newspapers, such as The Telegraph. However, according to
many in the local industry, including London Sq, the national chains
are dominating the market in Southport, meaning that even the tea &
coffee industry, that is booming in the UK, is struggling in
Southport as a result of big brand influence.
This, again, highlights the problem Sefton Council have with
supporting local businesses, within a finite budget.
There was also a call to improve
the promenade, which holds a large portion of Southport's
entertainment venues by the beach. Whilst beaches in Devon are being
touted by
TripAdvisor as some of the best
in UK, and even in Europe, Southport tourist attractions do not even
get a single mention.
This begs the question; is Southport actually a tourist Town? Whilst
it has been in the past, has it been usurped as a tourist
destination by other seaside resorts like Blackpool and Devon?
The lack of activities and events in has resulted in a lower number
of visitors in evening time, and has had a negative effect on local
stores, with a majority claiming that they generate more of their
income from Southport residents, as opposed to visitors of the Town.
This is despite all of the businesses in the survey saying that the
Town is easily accessible. There are still events in Southport, but
there has been a call for more things to go on in Southport in order
to accumulate more visitors, and ultimately more revenue for the
businesses around the area.
From 2010 to 2012, Blackpool had an average overnight stay of 1.48
million people, 2nd only to Scarborough, Southport didn't manage to
reach the
Top 10.
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The increase of parking charges, whilst
other regions that are reducing them, or getting rid of them
entirely, has sparked outrage with locals, who are adamant that this
will drive away potential visitors because they will be reluctant to
pay the charges to spend time in the Town. This issue was, again,
agreed by all of the stores that were included in the survey, with
one describing the issue as:- "if someone parks and walks
across the road, they'll come back and have a ticket."
One example of the extortionate
parking charges is highlighted by those of London Street Rail
Station Car Park, where it is a whopping
£4.50, for both standard and
disabled drivers, to park for up to 2 hours.
The results suggest that Sefton
City Council are not doing anything to help support these
businesses, with a unanimous 'No' the response when
the stores were asked if they felt the Council were giving them
sufficient backing to help them develop. The general consensus,
amongst those interviewed, is that a high majority of people in
Southport are not satisfied with Sefton Council's efforts, and as a
result have lost confidence in Merseyside as a whole, despite other
Merseyside Councils doing well. Susan Hayward, a local shopkeeper,
said of the Council:- "They understand the Town is a tourist
Town. If they don't attract more people, we're dead in the water."
This, however, poses the question:- "How can Sefton
Council achieve this improvement, without any more money?"
The increasing number of charity
shops on Lord St. has become a cause for concern, as it seems for
every specialist shop that is forced to close down there is another
charity shop on Lord St., which is one of Southport's primary
shopping destinations. One reason that these charity shops are
popping up in these main areas is that they do not have to pay
wages, as the workers there are voluntary. The money the shops save
will go towards the rent, already deemed far too high for local
businesses, and will ensure they keep their spot in the primary
shopping areas. This is worrying news for the Town, as such a large
number of charity shops at such a big visitor attraction may deter
potential visitors from travelling there in the future.
Sandhu Off-License said about the
number of charity shops:- "We support charity shops, but there
are just too many on Lord St.."
The amount of charity shops, as
opposed to specialist stores in this area is a sign that rents for
the Town centre are too high. If the only stores who can afford them
are charity shops; where will the more local, unique shops have to
be based? The further away they are from the Town centre in order to
find lower rent rates, the more likely it is that it will reduce the
exposure they are going to get from visitors.
These recent troubles have brought about the inclusion of the Yes &
No Campaign, which focuses on development of local businesses, for
all of the businesses have been invited to vote. The Yes for a
Business Improvement District in Southport are hoping to push
through £2.5 million worth of developments over the next 5 years,
which would help local stores immensely.
Alison Grady, the Chair of the
Bid Development Group, said in
a
manifesto, printed for the
'Yes' bid:- "A successful Yes vote will put the
power to make decisions firmly in the hands of people who run
businesses in our Town."
The 'Yes' bid has
been backed by Southport Pleasureland's Norman Wallis, who said:-
"The BID's projects and services will be entirely additional to
any services, statutory or otherwise, already delivered by Sefton
Council and the Police. These benefits will only be delivered if you
vote Yes in the ballot."
To find out more about the 'No' campaign, the opposing
campaign, visit the campaign's
Facebook page.
All of these results came from
independent stores around Southport Town Centre, and clearly shows
their concern that the falling number of numbers in Southport will
affect their businesses.
Sefton Council's views will be sort in the near future. But what do
you feel about the situation in Southport or indeed in any other
area? Do the views expressed coincide with yours are have you a very
different outlook? Please let us know via emailing us to:-
news24@southportreporter.com. |
