Out of Town Retail Park and our Councillors

[ajr]

I believe that a certain councillor said that the new retail park that may or may not be built would "rip the heart out of the high street" - Clearly trying to defend her granny clothing shop and the interests of her son in laws father who also has a business on the high street. Are the council going to do the right thing by the people of Caithness or just look out for their own interests?

I'm sure Tesco would introduce competition in the petrol market and make the stations in Wick and Thurso realise that they have been fixing prices for too long. I'm sure they don't need to worry about ripping the heart out of Thurso or Wick high streets, that happened many moons ago.

Any thoughts?

[EDDIE]

Well one things for sure if you do get a retail park you better hope that it is out of town a bit because all the retail parks in aberdeen are gridlocked with traffic at the weekends its amazing were all the cars with one persons in it come from

[gravedigga]

I know the councillor you're on about. The following week i spotted her son-in-law's letter in the editors pages saying exactly the same as her.

If you ask me they're just looking out for themselves and their businesses. Put it this way i'd rather see a busy retail park and their shops closed than the way things are just now. I find both shops quite expensive with limited choice for younger people, least if Tesco's come up here and take their clothing with them it'd be cheaper and better than what them 2 have to offer in their shops.

New businesses are the start of what the town needs to breathe fresh air in to it, i can't be bothered with these pessimistic people always on their soap box trying to put a dampner on things, tut :roll:

[EDDIE]

New businesses are the start of what the town needs to breathe fresh air in to it, i can't be bothered with these pessimistic people always on their soap box trying to put a dampner on things, tut

I agree with the first part of your opinion but a message board is for everyone to voice there opion whether it be pessimistic or not.The message board is not there to slag other peoples opinions thats a sad thing to do.

[307]

Complex Scenario........
"They" are only trying to "protect" their businesses, which they have built up over the generations, and you have to give credit for that.
HOWEVER - the family shop structure of business is now being eclipsed by the internet etc. Even the retail parks can be expensive in comparison to online goods.
Doubtless as long as there is local demand for the goods & services they supply then they will carry on . . . . . . . .
Perhaps "they" should consider the long-term trading position ?

I personally hope that there will always be an artisan culture in the local community - its essential and enhances the community. The plumber/electrician/we-fix-it/we-supply-it shop doesnt live on the retail park, is usually open much longer and also does house calls........
:D
Its not about quantity its about QUALITY

[mickey101]

Hi
Although I agree with the comment that a message board is for all, whether they agree or disgree, it would be wise not to get away from the main point which is the shoddy standard we get from RIP OFF CAITHNESS. Whether it is petrol or clothing, the excuse of our geograhpical location is used too often and by people who think the population of Caithness is incredibly stupid.
For Example
If you take the cost of petrol it is an average of 10 pence dearer than Inverness. The average tanker carries 20000litres, which adds up to £2000 of profit. If you factor in the cost of the diesel to bring it up here and the driver's time you see a profit of £1800 per tanker load.
Some of our busier petrol stations get a delivery every 2 weeks or so. So folks do the arithmetic and that is over and above the profit they make already.
Bottom line NO EXCUSE. Oh and by the way how come the petrol is cheaper in Skye. They have to drag it the same distance from Inverness to Skye and yet it is cheaper. Maybe it is because Caithness is up hill and Skye is just across Scotland at the same level?

The bottom line is with the difference in petrol prices IT PAYS people to travel to Inverness to do their shopping, fill up the boot with shopping and top up the tank and you have paid for your trip with change( and you have a choice). This is money that is going out of our county and is providing no benefit to the local community.

So the powers that be ( who we elected ) figure it out for yourselves. Keep playing the protectionist game and watch the county's retail sector slowly die or open your eyes to the possiblity that people may want to shop in Caithness if they got a fair deal. A retail park would bring people to Wick who would then shop in other outlets while they are there.

Mickey

[ajr]

mickey101 - Never a more honest word said!! Go for it!!!

Do these councillors actually read this board ever?

[apollo69]

I can see both sides. It's great to get big stores moving up here, as we all tend to use the internet or go to Inverness now. However I do have some sympathy with the high street stores who simply cannot compete with them. Some of these people have been in business for many years and are seeing their livelihood draining away.

Petrol stations are different though....

[mickey101]

Hi
I think everyone is missing the point.
The kind of business that the likes of Tesco, Homebase are going to target is not going to affect the high street one dot.
They are selling to two different markets. What Tescos et al would bring is PEOPLE who will shop in Wick for other things.
I would rather not trek down to Inverness to do shopping. I would rather shop locally.
I would rather support local business if I can get what I want at a fair price. A FAIR PRICE!! That means I am not asking or expecting local traders to match the price I can get in Inverness or the Internet. but not charge the ridiculous mark up we are seing now.

Yes the internet has its place but so does the shop in the high street. I would rather see, touch, poke before I buy. I would rather know there is someone locally I can bitch at if something goes wrong, I would rather know I am supporting the local economy.
I only use the Internet when I know exactly what I want and I expect other people do the same.
But dont expect local people to be loyal to local business when they are far from loyal to them.
Right now the policy of a group of the local traders supported by the County Council's apparent exclusionist attitude only encourages people to take their trade elsewhere and that trend will only continue until all parties start supporting the local economy ( traders, County Council and consumers). Right now it is a one way street with consumers expected to do all the running and they are to Inverness and their computers.
Mickey

[Rheghead]

Phill, I think we are looking at out of town developments from at different sides of the coin. You will be spoilt for choice for where to shop whereas we aren't. I think one or possibly 2 large out of town developments will be beneficial to caithness, anymore would be just overkill. This would bring competition to the area and drive down prices.

[Dali]

Phil we are not getting a retail park as you think, with loads of empty units waiting to be filled by next and petsmart .
We are getting 3 much needed shops. That when i have shopped at them any place in the country have allways suplied every item i have needed. Not just stocked what sells .
I have never been to a tescos and been disapointed .And argos would stock everything iin its book .

[squidge]

I think Phil, you arent comparing like with like. Im from just outside manchester. My sister still lives in Middleton and within ten minutes from her house there at least

3 asdas
3 tescos
2 sainsburys
3 morrisons
2 lidls
4 aldis ( i think)
1 costco
Middleton arndale centre
Oldhams wheatsheaf
Rochdales Pioneer centre (is that what its called? gawd i used to live there)
and manchester city centre

i darent even start on the DIY places and how many argos shops there are

Wick and Thurso are talking about 1 of one of these.

[Bill Fernie]

Can I pick up something from the first post alleging that a councillor might have some prejudice towards the decision on any application.

First I think ajr should check the facts regarding councillors before making such statement. I am not aware of any Caithness Highland councillor that fits the description of interests stated and therfor this is entirely wrong and misleading. If the poster is referring to community councillors then that is also misleading as community councilors do not vote on planning decisions although they can comment on certain applications.

Secondly any councillor who may hve any connections are required to declare such connections and usually take no part in the voting on the item. The Standards in public life are rigorously enforced and perhaps many people are not aware of the changes that have been put in place in the last few years of both the obligations on anyone in political life to declare interests and the penalties that might be brought against anyone who infringes the rules. Councillors have for the past two years been reminded at meetings of the requirements to declare any interests. Failure to do so can bring penatlies.

If anyone doubts that councillors will do anything other than look after the best interests of the people of Caithness then they should think about standing for election. It should also be remembered that councillors are Highland councillors and although elected to represent and look after the interests of a pariticular area must also look at and deal with the whole of Highland.

Gravedigga "knows the councillor" but since the only female Highland councillor in Caithness has only two children who are still at school Caithness this can hardly be an accurate statement. Since the thread makes veiled accusations of bias against councillors I am pointing out to readers that the initial posting and later comments appear to be both inaccurate and misleading. Nor do they take account of the rigorous standards imposed on councillors, MSP's and MP's and anyone else in any posiiton in public life in the last couple of years. Registers of interests are now maintained and available both online and in print to anyone who asks.

All council and community council meetings are open to the public and if a few more people an took an interest by attending from time to time then perhaps there would be more assurance that everything was being dealt with properly.

Checking of facts in statements would also be helpful as it does a great dis- service to Highland Councillors to imply that they might be influenced by personal connections when none exist espcially when the regulations now in place put a heavy onus on councillors to declare personal interests.

[squidge]

but i LOVE costco

:D

[mickey101]

Hi
I think we are getting off track again.
The point is that in Caithness we are not spoilt for choice. The type of development ( ie retail park) that is being talked about is not like the large retail units we see down south.
It is a means of bringing in much needed people and investment to an area that badly needs it.

I am a firm believer in there is no smoke without fire and there has been a great deal of smoke about Tescos in particular trying to build a shop in Caithness.
According to heresay they have tried on several occasions to build in Thurso. On all such occasions they have been blocked or effectively block by other means.
One such incident I believe was when they tried to buy the livestock market in Thurso to build a new large supermarket. They were supposedly blocked by the Councils stance that they would only allow any retail development inside the town centre. This was when Safeway had just closed the shop they had in Thurso town centre.
Then low and behold a few months later Lidel is allowed to build out of the town centre.
I stress the above is purely rumour but there has been and still is considerable rumour circulating over the County Council blocking Tesco's attempt to set up in the far north.

So the earlier posted implication that the elected members of the County Council are above reproach I will leave open to debate.

All the people of Caithness want is a fair deal and surely someone must realise that the number of people who want to see this type of development want it for a very good reason. Why not encourage people to come north to shop instead of driving them south there could be all sorts of spin offs. I do NOT want to see Wick turn into a ghost town and if this retail park will bring in much needed employment and money to the area then so be it.