Changing face of Newbury, Helping us 'ride the wave' of recession? Options

[hamster]

How exactly have/are the developments helping us ride this wave?

http://www.newburytoday.co.uk/News/Article...articleID=10784

If they could tell us that 'X' number of local people and firms are employed and working on these developments then fine. Unless anyone knows otherwise I assume that there are few locals involved in the developments.

These development won't be helping us in recession until they are complete, even then many will be so broke they won't be able afford to shop there. From what I have read and seen people are staying away from Newbury at present due to being broke, difficult parking, parking charges, closed roads etc...this can only be having a negative effect on existing businesses right now.

My conclusion to this story is that it is a false statement to say these developments are helping Newbury ride the recession, if they think a new shopping centre, a bigger Sainsburys, a cinema and new traffic lights are the answer to all our problems then we are in trouble. None of this means anything to local business whose turnover is down 70% from last year and to local people being made redundant and getting overdue payment letters from their creditors.

I personally would prefer to have a reduced Council Tax bill that would help me ride the recession a bit easier.

[Darren]

Even if no-one local was being employed on the sites (and I know they are) the local economy will be benefiting from it. Those who have a house miles away usually stay locally Monday night to Friday morning, then go home. In that time they spend money in local shops (for local people ), go out in the evening in local pubs and restaurants along with spending cash in any number for other local businesses.

Every time I go into town I don't see mass signs of a recession. No queues outside any soup kitchens, supermarkets only selling basic lines with shelves of 'luxury' goods unsold, boarded up stores, armies of families in search alms.

I'm sure there are some families who are struggling but I don't personally know any, in fact all my friends are better off now than they were 2 years ago thanks to lower mortgages.

[JeffG]

all my friends are better off now than they were 2 years ago thanks to lower mortgages.

And those of us with savings are worse off. Swings and roundabouts.

[lordtup]

Confucius say " cake only one size , big piece for one leaves small piece for other "

I am sure there are quite a few that are better off than a couple of years ago but there are a lot who are starting to feel the pinch.

The problem the new development has is that the general public are now buying for needs not wants , and as the old soviet block belatedly discovered it's the wants ,and the production of them , that drives the economy.

Still they know best

[Gumbo]

Every time I go into town I don't see mass signs of a recession. No queues outside any soup kitchens, supermarkets only selling basic lines with shelves of 'luxury' goods unsold, boarded up stores, armies of families in search alms.

Maybe not Darren but what I do see is a big lack of something very important.......customers. I went in to town yesterday and compared to other local towns I have visited recently (Southampton, Reading and Oxfordshire) the amount of people out and about shopping was minimal in comparison.

Are you one of these people who thinks all this will be sorted once the new shopping centre is all sorted? I am not so sure, if you tried to drive in or around Newbury on either Saturday or Sunday this weekend but if you did you would have noticed one thing...............big f**k off queues. The A339 was a total joke.

Also I strolled round to the market place yesterday afternoon and noticed that the farmers market has shrunk massively since it first started. Now there are only about 7 or 8 stalls compared with 20 odd when it was at its peak. It actually looked quite pathetic in the big market square.

[GMR]

Maybe not Darren but what I do see is a big lack of something very important.......customers. I went in to town yesterday and compared to other local towns I have visited recently (Southampton, Reading and Oxfordshire) the amount of people out and about shopping was minimal in comparison.

Are you one of these people who thinks all this will be sorted once the new shopping centre is all sorted? I am not so sure, if you tried to drive in or around Newbury on either Saturday or Sunday this weekend but if you did you would have noticed one thing...............big f**k off queues. The A339 was a total joke.

Also I strolled round to the market place yesterday afternoon and noticed that the farmers market has shrunk massively since it first started. Now there are only about 7 or 8 stalls compared with 20 odd when it was at its peak. It actually looked quite pathetic in the big market square.

According to the economic forecast it will at least take us 5 or 6 years before we get back to normal. Unemployment will rise next years and should hit the 3 million mark.

[Bloggo]

According to the economic forecast it will at least take us 5 or 6 years before we get back to normal. Unemployment will rise next years and should hit the 3 million mark.

What' your point hear Glenn, I don't get it?

[GMR]

What' your point hear Glenn, I don't get it?

That it will take a while for recovery.