Caithness, centre of the universe

[bagpuss]

How many years have poor Caithness dwellers had to put petrol in their cars or get up at some ungodly hour to get on a bus or train to go south to the shops for a day? It seems our prayers have been answered- partly. Superdrug, Homebase etc in Wick's new retail park-and now Asda in Thurso hotly followed by Tesco in Wick. If this trend continues, we might never have to leave town ever again.

However, while these glossy new retail parks flourish, there are still unfilled buildings in the county ripe for development such as the empty units at Groats.

So with that in mind, here is a wish list:
Borders bookstore- with a Starbucks coffee shop
The Body Shop
Monsson/Accessorize
Hawkshead
Comet
Laura Ashley
Next and the discount Next to Nothing
M&S (even if it's a food only outlet)
TKMAXX
Matalan
JGB Sports
Holland and Barratt
Waitrose
Sainsbury
Primark

Of course pigs may fly first- but if you don't ask you don't get. But my wish list comes with one proviso- these stores should look for town centre spots first- and none should be allowed a new buid until every retail lot at groats is filled. That would put a sock in the Lonely Planet guide's criticisms of the most northerly spot, and might put a few more pounds in the local tills as well. But we might of course sell less petrol......

[Gleber2]

How many years have poor Caithness dwellers had to put petrol in their cars or get up at some ungodly hour to get on a bus or train to go south to the shops for a day? It seems our prayers have been answered- partly. Superdrug, Homebase etc in Wick's new retail park-and now Asda in Thurso hotly followed by Tesco in Wick. If this trend continues, we might never have to leave town ever again.

However, while these glossy new retail parks flourish, there are still unfilled buildings in the county ripe for development such as the empty units at Groats.

So with that in mind, here is a wish list:
Borders bookstore- with a Starbucks coffee shop
The Body Shop
Monsson/Accessorize
Hawkshead
Comet
Laura Ashley
Next and the discount Next to Nothing
M&S (even if it's a food only outlet)
TKMAXX
Matalan
JGB Sports
Holland and Barratt
Waitrose
Sainsbury
Primark

Of course pigs may fly first- but if you don't ask you don't get. But my wish list comes with one proviso- these stores should look for town centre spots first- and none should be allowed a new buid until every retail lot at groats is filled. That would put a sock in the Lonely Planet guide's criticisms of the most northerly spot, and might put a few more pounds in the local tills as well. But we might of course sell less petrol......

Caithness has always been the centre of the universe and Groats is not the most northernly point, not now, not ever unless Dunnet Head falls into the sea.:o)

[outsider]

And u kno wat i just realised that..being a junior member dusnt mean ur classed as young but that uv dun hardly any posts...woops my bad:confused

[Ricco]

I do like where Bagpuss is coming from. However, I might suggest a couple of improvements? Julian Graves instead of Holland & Barratt; Lush instead of The Body Shop; and I think that Hawkshead have gone - certainly has from around here, shame.. I liked their stuff.

[Doleve]

Unfortunatly for your wish list, there is not enough people in Caithness to get that shop list.Fortunatly for Caithness there is not enough people for all of those shops.

[Doleve]

Thats a good idea that any new shop should be made to use empty units before new one are built!

[fred]

How many years have poor Caithness dwellers had to put petrol in their cars or get up at some ungodly hour to get on a bus or train to go south to the shops for a day?

I've never been south to do some shopping, what I can't get here I get delivered.

The only times I've had to go south was to the hospital.

[sjwahwah]

I do like where Bagpuss is coming from. However, I might suggest a couple of improvements? Julian Graves instead of Holland & Barratt; Lush instead of The Body Shop; and I think that Hawkshead have gone - certainly has from around here, shame.. I liked their stuff.

definately Lush instead of Body Shop

[scorrie]

Unfortunatly for your wish list, there is not enough people in Caithness to get that shop list.Fortunatly for Caithness there is not enough people for all of those shops.

Indeed, you cannot expect all the benefits of City life and still retain the charm of the quieter places. I would rather have a town and county with some character and use mail order for items that are not available here.

Still you cannot beat the good old stress of busy shops at Christmas, 40 fags, ten vodkas and two valium to get yourself back down to earth and they call that Retail Therapy!!

[bagpuss]

Not enough people? It's not so long ago that there were too few people in Inverness to merit a branch of Asda. So what's changed? Do they know something we don't? Worth checking to find out how many people merit a large supermarket opening up. From another thread I note the size of Tesco under consideration is similar to the size of the Inverurie branch- quite a big branch that caters for an area about 10 times the population of Caithness.

And I will add Lush to the wish list

On another note- does any retailer locally sell Green and Black's butterscotch milk chocolate? I ahve to buy that online- and the postage for 6 bars is £5.
I'd rather put my cash in a local till.

[AR]

From what i heard on the news one night a while back the big 4 supermarkets are all trying to beat each other to build all over the place to keep their market share and turnover as high as possible(no mention of profit%) and they are disregaring their old rules on building for so many people per area.

[susan.leith]

I have just about all of these shops within 10 minutes of home.... (and city house prices / parking charges to contend with) but I would only use Sainsburys and TKMaxx regularly, and I could get by without TKMaxx! I avoid going to the shops if I possibly can. I would use internet shopping for Comet - often cheaper than in-store, and Amazon for books - def cheaper than Borders. Starbucks may make good coffee (I don't know, don't drink it) , but their tea is lukewarm and grey. I order online from Next and have used Hawkshead online in the past. Lush - I start to sneeze if I'm within 50 feet of that shop!
We're getting 2 branches of Waitrose in the summer, but can't see me using them. So maybe you're not missing out on too much.... it's all a question of balance.