Loss of retail units and future problems

Wed 1 Nov 2006, 17:13

Malcolm raises some interesting points.

Abbey's willingness to raise loan capital to 5 times a borrowers salary will most certainly be shortly matched by other lending institutions. Having so much of the nation's wealth locked into inflated property values not only squeezes people (especially the young, who actually have to live somewhere, but affects the kinds of communities (and accompanying amenities) that are possible.

None of which makes for a robust economy.

Malcolm's suggestion of community-based private capital re-investing in local amenities is being tried in cases of threatened pub and post office closures throughout the country; extending it to other types of retail space is not a bad idea and would certainly go somewhere to offsetting the exaggerated costs and terms of commercial lettings.

Personally, I'd love to maintain an affordable computer repair and IT services outlet in Charlbury hiring local skills but can't afford the exorbitant rates and terms being demanded by the landlords.

So I don't.

The French have laws that require landlords to use empty retail units or rent them out, but they also have an historical appreciation of local co-operatives in both agriculture and other types businesses.

Don't know if there's a culture for that here.

Wed 1 Nov 2006, 13:27

A simple point, and related to the Sustainable Charlbury initiative, which does need to look at things beyond heading for the fluorescent lightbulb as the first reaction to hearing the words "climate change".

OK. What is killing local shopping is the car culture, unsustainably low transport costs - the motorways…

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