Its sad, the shop used to be brilliant, but then even before its "green" refurb, it was much dearer than most other shops and out of the way to boot, no wonder trade dropped off.

Still, such is life, Play & Amazon are too much compeition for independant high st to compete with.

i got all my college stationery from there many moons ago

You can't 'blame' the grand arcade. Whether you agree with it or not, it's progress, and you have to keep up with the times.

Depends whether you think things like the grand arcade "progress" or just another clone of other shopping centres all over the country with the same shops selling the same goods.

I live in Chester and there was an article in the local press the other week about a shop that was relocating from the "rows" because of lack of footfall. Other shops had closed nearby and so several are now empty.

The rows are supposed to be a major tourist attraction for the town but they face the same pressures as any other retailer with competition from Cheshire Oaks and Broughton retail parks close by.

Businesses leaving is not the kind of progress the city needs.

The council does not help because in parts they are quite shoddy and not well maintained. You would think the council would try and create an environment for retailers to thrive in to encourage more visitors but they seem happy to let things slide. No surprise really given it is a Tory led council so investment in infrastructure is a low priority compared to the all important task of keeping the council tax down.

Ever since I have lived here I have been amazed at the lack of maintenance for things like the rows and the city walls (a bit of which collapsed not so long ago). The state of repair of such things is appalling in parts.

Dave

God you do drone on.

Of course it's a matter of opinion. However the proof of the pudding is in the eating, and in the case of the Grand Arcade, Trafford Centre, Golden Square or wherever, the truth of the matter is that the retailers like it and the customers like it.

Take Standishgate. Whether you like it or not, the shops (in the main) are tiny, badly shaped, full of support pillars, inflexible and expensive to maintain. This is no one's fault - it's just that they were built to suit the retailers of the day.

These days, customers like bigger shops and companies have larger stock ranges. Therefore they need bigger, more flexible retail space with minimal maintenance costs. I've not even mentioned DDA compliance yet.

And as for your comment 'You would think the council would try and create an environment for retailers to thrive in to encourage more visitors', well forgive me if I'm wrong but don't the three development I've mentioned do just that? Don't you think these developments would have got the go ahead if it wasn't for the involvement of their respective local councils?

If you would rather do your shopping on an uneven street with steep inclines, restricted access with restrictive stock levels due to restrictive shop size then you, my friend, are living in the 1970s.

well they have been up for quite a while

why dont they demolish the walls and replace them with a modern version, similar to southport promenade ?

Wigan has detiorated significantly over the last 10 years. Town centre full of p--s heads all day, Central Park, International Pool, town centre shopping crap, traffic, unemployment, racism. Things move on but its bad replacing good. Basically the town has nowt going for it now.

It's got a football team

You should try going to Warrington or St Helens....

Or Leigh !!!!!!!!!

To be fair, Warrington is a damn sight better than it used to be.. Nicer than Wigan to be fair.