Will new shops tax improve Newbury?, Business Improvement Districts Options

[user23]

Sounds to me like another tax on anyone who works hard and is succesful in order to prop up a council who are inept at running a town centre retail enviroment. I would only support this if it replaced business rates rather than being in addition to them.

You seem to be disagreeing with the figures that say Newbury is doing rather well compared to other local towns when it comes to trade. Have you got any figures of your own to back your assertion up?

Recently, I saw on TV the other day, that Newbury is a growing retail environment, where as places like Reading are shrinking. I'm surprised nothing was mentioned on here about this.

That's because it's positive news about Newbury. Many people on chat boards such as this (and this is true of most local chat boards) like to use them to discuss the negative aspects of an area.

[Iommi]

You seem to be disagreeing with the figures that say Newbury is doing rather well compared to other local towns when it comes to trade. Have you got any figures of your own to back your assertion up?That's because it's positive news about Newbury. Many people on chat boards such as this (and this is true of most local chat boards) like to use them to discuss the negative aspects of an area.

I understand that to a certain extent, but this should have been a NWN worthy item.

[user23]

I understand that to a certain extent, but this should have been a NWN worthy item.

Yes, you're right. Which local news was it on?

[Bartholomew]

I don't give a stuff about independent retailers. Should I? I'm interested in range, price, and convenience.

Yes you should. There is a place for both large retailers and independents. Large retailers turn over huge volumes of the same products restricting the range they sell. Independents need to fill the niches that this leaves and must provide service and products that the large retailers don't stock quality to survive.

If you look at Newbury, the independents are service mainly related - barbers, hairdressers, nail bars and sandwich shops. Tesco doesn't provide these and the reason is that it cannot be boxed and sold with all red tape and procedures that large companies require. They need personal service and attention. There are Independents going head to head with the large companies such as Barry Forkin, Open and Closed and Tiger Tiger. They are still going because you can get a better range of goods and the personal attention that means you get what you want.

Get rid of the small shops and the variety of goods and service drop and the service becomes impersonal

[Simon Kirby]

Yes you should. There is a place for both large retailers and independents. Large retailers turn over huge volumes of the same products restricting the range they sell. Independents need to fill the niches that this leaves and must provide service and products that the large retailers don't stock quality to survive.

If you look at Newbury, the independents are service mainly related - barbers, hairdressers, nail bars and sandwich shops. Tesco doesn't provide these and the reason is that it cannot be boxed and sold with all red tape and procedures that large companies require. They need personal service and attention. There are Independents going head to head with the large companies such as Barry Forkin, Open and Closed and Tiger Tiger. They are still going because you can get a better range of goods and the personal attention that means you get what you want.

Get rid of the small shops and the variety of goods and service drop and the service becomes impersonal

Read my comment in context. As a consumer I'm interested in price, range, and convenience, and I don't give a stuff whether that's provided by an independent or a chain. You make the case for the independents filling a niche. Well fine. And I'm not much fussed whether the town's retailers set up a BID or not. My feeling is that neither WBC nor the NRA have the nous to do the job, and what the TCP have managed with limited cash has been rather successful so I'd have thought they could drive a successful BID. But whatever, I'd like Newbury town centre to be a clean safe and entertaining place to visit, but if it declines I'll go elsewhere so it hardly affects me one way or the other. What I would like to see is the TCP take responsibility for the Christmas Lights from Newbury Town Council because it's a marketing event that benefits the town's traders and NTC has no business spending £50k of my council tax on it when the TCP could do a better job for less.

[On the edge]

You seem to be disagreeing with the figures that say Newbury is doing rather well compared to other local towns when it comes to trade. Have you got any figures of your own to back your assertion up?That's because it's positive news about Newbury. Many people on chat boards such as this (and this is true of most local chat boards) like to use them to discuss the negative aspects of an area.

You need to understand the facts behind the figures. The raw numbers look good but when they are assessed properly you'll find we are on a par with Reading at best. No problems with promoting the area, or indeed supporting trade. Regrettably, this was just pumping sunshine.

[On the edge]

Read my comment in context. As a consumer I'm interested in price, range, and convenience, and I don't give a stuff whether that's provided by an independent or a chain. You make the case for the independents filling a niche. Well fine. And I'm not much fussed whether the town's retailers set up a BID or not. My feeling is that neither WBC nor the NRA have the nous to do the job, and what the TCP have managed with limited cash has been rather successful so I'd have thought they could drive a successful BID. But whatever, I'd like Newbury town centre to be a clean safe and entertaining place to visit, but if it declines I'll go elsewhere so it hardly affects me one way or the other. What I would like to see is the TCP take responsibility for the Christmas Lights from Newbury Town Council because it's a marketing event that benefits the town's traders and NTC has no business spending £50k of my council tax on it when the TCP could do a better job for less.

I think that's right - such arrangements should be run by the traders themselves. In fact, it would be worth our local counillors pulling right away. Gone are the days when Councils did have a good number of local traders and business people as Councillors or Aldermen, mores the pity.

[user23]

I think that's right - such arrangements should be run by the traders themselves. In fact, it would be worth our local counillors pulling right away. Gone are the days when Councils did have a good number of local traders and business people as Councillors or Aldermen, mores the pity.

One one hand you're agreeing when he said he thinks that that NRA (the retailers) don't "have the nous to do the job", then you're saying "such arrangements should be run by the traders".

The two statements are in opposition to each other.

[On the edge]

One one hand you're agreeing when he said he thinks that that NRA (the retailers) don't "have the nous to do the job", then you're saying "such arrangements should be run by the traders".

The two statements are in opposition to each other.

Perhaps I haven't made it clear. Today, we have very few Councillors with any knowledge or experience or even understanding of trading. Therefore, we should leave it to the traders.

[user23]

Perhaps I haven't made it clear. Today, we have very few Councillors with any knowledge or experience or even understanding of trading. Therefore, we should leave it to the traders.

So you disagree with Simon when he says that the retailers don't "have the nous to do the job".

What make you so sure they have, when he doesn't think so?

[Simon Kirby]

One one hand you're agreeing when he said he thinks that that NRA (the retailers) don't "have the nous to do the job", then you're saying "such arrangements should be run by the traders".

The two statements are in opposition to each other.

The first suggestion was that the NRA don't have the nous to run the BID, and the second is that the retailers should run retail-promotional events. There's no dependence of one idea on the other.

The NRA barely has the support it needs to run itself so it's not unreasonable to suggest that it isn't the organisation to take the BID forward, but that doesn't mean that retailers are not the best people to understand and manage the town centre retail vision, only that the NRA's agenda and vision lack support. As I noted, the TCP has been considerabley more successful, and the Christmas Lights would appear to me to be a very good match both for their remit and ability.

[user23]

The first suggestion was that the NRA don't have the nous to run the BID, and the second is that the retailers should run retail-promotional events. There's no dependence of one idea on the other.

The NRA barely has the support it needs to run itself so it's not unreasonable to suggest that it isn't the organisation to take the BID forward, but that doesn't mean that retailers are not the best people to understand and manage the town centre retail vision, only that the NRA's agenda and vision lack support. As I noted, the TCP has been considerabley more successful, and the Christmas Lights would appear to me to be a very good match both for their remit and ability.

Isn't the BID all about the town centre retail vision? If retailers are best people to understand and manage the town centre retail vision surely they are the best people to manage the BID too. Shouldn't the organisation that represents them manage it, if this is the case?

If you're suggesting a new retailers' organisation should be set up for Newbury traders if there was any appetite for this wouldn't it have happened already?

[Simon Kirby]

Isn't the BID all about the town centre retail vision? If retailers are best people to understand and manage the town centre retail vision surely they are the best people to manage the BID too. Won't need their own organisation to manage this?

If so are you suggesting a new retailers' organisation should be set up for Newbury traders? If there was any appetite for this wouldn't it have happened already?

The BID will be run by a Community Interest Company which will be a new organisation, but the project is being progressed by the TCP. I would have thought that once BIDCo was operating there would be little need for the TCP as such as BIDCo would do all the same consultation.

[Bartholomew]

Read my comment in context. As a consumer I'm interested in price, range, and convenience, and I don't give a stuff whether that's provided by an independent or a chain. You make the case for the independents filling a niche. Well fine. And I'm not much fussed whether the town's retailers set up a BID or not. My feeling is that neither WBC nor the NRA have the nous to do the job, and what the TCP have managed with limited cash has been rather successful so I'd have thought they could drive a successful BID. But whatever, I'd like Newbury town centre to be a clean safe and entertaining place to visit, but if it declines I'll go elsewhere so it hardly affects me one way or the other. What I would like to see is the TCP take responsibility for the Christmas Lights from Newbury Town Council because it's a marketing event that benefits the town's traders and NTC has no business spending £50k of my council tax on it when the TCP could do a better job for less.

I simply replied to your question "Should I care about independent traders". I believe that you should care. You don't. That's fine.
Personally I would prefer a town that's not a clone of thousands of others in the UK and that allows the very things you and I want - price, range and convenience.

[Bartholomew]

Isn't the BID all about the town centre retail vision? If retailers are best people to understand and manage the town centre retail vision surely they are the best people to manage the BID too. Shouldn't the organisation that represents them manage it, if this is the case?

If you're suggesting a new retailers' organisation should be set up for Newbury traders if there was any appetite for this wouldn't it have happened already?

Can you tell me which organisation(s) currently represent the retailers?

[user23]

Can you tell me which organisation(s) currently represent the retailers?

As a shopkeeper, which I believe you are, shouldn't you know this already?

[Richard Garvie]

I think it's important that we put the smaller traders at the top of our priorities. If some of the nationals refuse to pay, why should the smaller traders have to pay? I will be visiting traders between Xmas and New Year to see what they think and to gauge how much consultation there has been. Those questions again:

Who is paying for the research and study into the feasability of the proposed BID scheme?

Who will be apointed to run it, what is the selection process and how much will they earn?

What are the benefits to smaller traders and businesses / independents?

Will all nationals have to pay the levy? If not, why not?

And is there a place we can see the plans?

[user23]

Sounds like you're having an exciting time in the USA, Richard.

[On the edge]

I think it's important that we put the smaller traders at the top of our priorities. If some of the nationals refuse to pay, why should the smaller traders have to pay? I will be visiting traders between Xmas and New Year to see what they think and to gauge how much consultation there has been. Those questions again:

Who is paying for the research and study into the feasability of the proposed BID scheme?

Who will be apointed to run it, what is the selection process and how much will they earn?

What are the benefits to smaller traders and businesses / independents?

Will all nationals have to pay the levy? If not, why not?

And is there a place we can see the plans?

Whilst you are at it, could you ask what is the one big thing that needs to be done now to make Newbury really spin.

[Bartholomew]

As a shopkeeper, which I believe you are, shouldn't you know this already?

I have told you previously that I am not a shopkeeper.

Can you tell me which organisation(s) currently represent the retailers?