Opinion : Why do so many shops close down in Wycombe?
A closed shop. (Archive picture)
I’ve lost count of how many shops have closed in Wycombe in recent years.
It was very disheartening to read the article that appeared on the news section of this site the other day entitled ‘YesPleaseGolf shop in High Wycombe to close on Sat 16th Sep 2017‘.
What a shame the golf shop has closed. Yours truly used to enjoy visiting the shop during my lunchtime walks around the town centre and made several purchases too.
Sadly another retailer has joined the long list of those who have held a closing down sale, taken the shop signs down and closed their doors.
It’s such a shame the retailers selling quality goods are deserting our town in droves leaving us with cheapo discount shops that sell items for no more than £1.
With so many quality businesses closing yours truly is left asking myself the question ‘Why do so many shops close down in Wycombe?‘.
To have a thriving local retail economy lots of people are needed to generate the footfall, but look at the various parts of Wycombe town centre.
The Frogmoor area has become a bland concrete lawless wilderness where young girls are subject to unprovoked attacks and women are murdered in chemical attacks.
In the High Street passers by are subject to the unwanted attentions of ‘charity muggers’ trying to get bank and personal details so they can take money for their respective charity. On market days the crowds are covered in smoke billowing out of control from various cooking contrivances concocted from old oil drums with chimneys welded on the top.
White Hart street is lined with gentlemen of the road who sit on the pavement playing guitairs, harmonicas and other instruments while begging for money and drinking a tinny.
Venture into Church Street and potential shoppers are likely to be knocked over by a youngster doing a ‘wheelie’ on a bicycle.
In Desborough Road the problems have been so bad that a Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) was recently introduced to prevent activities related to prostitution.
With such dreadful problems in the town is it any wonder so many shops are closing down?
Let’s face it there are big problems in Wycombe town centre that drive away the wealthy shoppers possibly resulting in the large number of business failures that have come to blight our town in recent years.
I fear more shops will be closing soon unless the powers that be get a grip on the problems in the town centre. To make things better Wycombe town centre needs positive action not spin or public relations initiatives.
How many more traders will close down in Wycombe before something is done?
What do you think?
My blogs are published every Tuesday and Friday evening around 8.00pm here on the WycombeToday.com website.
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