Topic ID 6535
Reply ID 87563
quote:Best post ever [:D]
Originally posted by MrJH
Reply ID 87564
I agree, Royal Mail are not what they used to be!
Reply ID 87565
What do you want to see open . . .?[8D]
Reply ID 87566
Welcome to the forum MrJH. Overlooking the fact that it's customary to post comment on a discussion forum, rather than just an brief heading without explanation or background, you might want to take a look at the following archived discussions that I suspect relate to your post: http://www.hertford.net/yoursay/topic.asp?ARCHIVE=true&TOPIC_ID=2038 http://www.hertford.net/yoursay/topic.asp?ARCHIVE=true&TOPIC_ID=2038 http://www.hertford.net/yoursay/topic.asp?ARCHIVE=true&TOPIC_ID=2038 [:)]
Reply ID 87567
Sorry, I do mean shops Thanks for the link but they look pretty dated 2012 thoughts
Reply ID 87569
What a nice town, Hertford is within reach. Just needs some creativity . . .
Reply ID 87571
Another good fishmonger, another "posh" delicatessan, another "proper" bookshop, (all of which we have lost recently). A Patisserie Valerie would be nice (but fattening). Perhaps what we really need is more hairdressers and coffee shops.
Reply ID 87572
quote:And probably for the very simple reason that they weren't economically viable. What we want and what we'd use enough for them to be sustainable are two different things. Anyone foolish/brave enough to start a retail business in Hertford or anywhere else is taking on a huge challenge. You need to do a lot of homework and spend a lot of time and money before you even open your doors and even then you have to be prepared to lose it all. IMHO [:)]
Originally posted by Darcy Sarto
Another good fishmonger, another "posh" delicatessan, another "proper" bookshop, (all of which we have lost recently).
Reply ID 87573
A butcher's called Frank's.
Reply ID 87575
a more diverse range of shops..... something for men to buy clothes in. some of us 40 somethings don't want what roberto's sells (names and slogans) and certainly aren't ready for what Coles used to sell. but please.... not 'Next' or other 'lower-end' shops... unless they are down the street (Maidenhead Street??) that Poundstretcher is in... in which case it would fit right in :-)
Reply ID 87576
quote:An example shop would be?
Originally posted by wingcomm
a more diverse range of shops..... something for men to buy clothes in. some of us 40 somethings don't want what roberto's sells (names and slogans) and certainly aren't ready for what Coles used to sell. but please.... not 'Next' or other 'lower-end' shops... unless they are down the street (Maidenhead Street??) that Poundstretcher is in... in which case it would fit right in :-)
Reply ID 87579
"Anyone foolish/brave enough to start a retail business in Hertford or anywhere else is taking on a huge challenge. You need to do a lot of homework and spend a lot of time and money before you even open your doors and even then you have to be prepared to lose it all" Agreed - but MrJH's earlier question was "What do you want to see open?". I'm not taking the risk. I'm just shopping. Still feel personally responsible for the loss of Farrow & Farrow. Loved the produce and the staff but wasn't loyal enough to spend my money there all the time.
Reply ID 87583
I would like to buy mens clothes in Hertford, but not want to leave the entire contents of my walet at the till. Fat Face? Something like that.
Reply ID 87585
Argoose or a retail park with plenty of free parking and move all the shops there and leave the town centre to the council.
Reply ID 87604
I think a decent butchers (and judging by the numbers of my friends who travel outside of Hertford to go to the farm shops that also have their own herds to butcher, its a viable one these days!). I also want a decent womens shop that isn't either a boutique for size 8 stick insects and costs the earth or New Look which caters just for the teens.. There is a range of middle aged women, who have money to spend, want to look sexy, trendy but dress their age and we're not catered for, neither are we catered in the town for decent shoe shops its again either cheap and plastic or so expensive and not practical!
Reply ID 87607
quote:My wife doesn't want any more tatty rip-off womens' clothes shops, hair cutting places, coffee shops or any other shops with constant owner changes or landlord rental killers who own the buildings. We all want sustainable shops. The likes of McMullen, Vigus, Crozier and Able Smith are not supporting the town with re-generation. Just like a usual property owner, they are keen to suck the blood from the tenant yet never help the tenant. The future for the town and for all of us moaners surely has to be sponsorship; you want a shop and are prepared to shop there, why don't we buy legally agreed shares in it for a year, let the company get off the ground, support it and then let the company grow. After that, a £50 stake (steak [:)]) A PLC does it. [:)]
Originally posted by Drama Queen
I think a decent butchers (and judging by the numbers of my friends who travel outside of Hertford to go to the farm shops that also have their own herds to butcher, its a viable one these days!). I also want a decent womens shop that isn't either a boutique for size 8 stick insects and costs the earth or New Look which caters just for the teens.. There is a range of middle aged women, who have money to spend, want to look sexy, trendy but dress their age and we're not catered for, neither are we catered in the town for decent shoe shops its again either cheap and plastic or so expensive and not practical!
Reply ID 87608
quote:Yes you are. 1.Monsoon 2.Matalan - So Beau, Papaya and Rogers & Rogers in-house brands 3.Hertford Women's Society (Old Cross) 4.Retail Therapy (between Loftcat and Rose's Cafe) 5.Dare I say Edinburgh Woollen Mill? Some of their women's clothes aren't awful
Originally posted by Drama Queen
.. There is a range of middle aged women, who have money to spend, want to look sexy, trendy but dress their age and we're not catered for,
Reply ID 87611
plus also, there is already a decent butchers in sele farm. there's no way hertford could sustainably support both sele farm AND one in the town centre ( and foxholes too ) So; No to a butchers.
Reply ID 87614
As a man: 1) Somewhere to buy a decent pair of shoes. 2) Somewhere to buy a decent suit (for work not the local night club) 3) Somewhere to buy a decent shirt (for work not the local night club) Actually thinking about it, anyone know of a half decent tailor in Hertford?
Reply ID 87616
The problem is that Hertford (and the other local towns) have had most or all of these and they have gone - It's a big ask expecting people to put their financial future on the line to set up the type of business which has already failed, maybe a set of small cheap units to let them get on their feet before expanding would help. Ware used to have Becketts Walk and several of the businesses in the High St started off in a small way there.
Reply ID 87620
quote:Agreed. The MacDonald's building in Maidenhead Street would make a good "arcade".
Originally posted by Spear
The problem is that Hertford (and the other local towns) have had most or all of these and they have gone - It's a big ask expecting people to put their financial future on the line to set up the type of business which has already failed, maybe a set of small cheap units to let them get on their feet before expanding would help. Ware used to have Becketts Walk and several of the businesses in the High St started off in a small way there.
Reply ID 87622
Agree with codek2 that there is s good butcher in Sele but would have thought Hertford could sustain similar if - taking note of other posts - it was suitably sited, of similar excellent quality and vfm and not crippled by rent (a bit of a big ask I know)!
Reply ID 87623
Arcade!!! What, like the one that closed on railway street? I guess that was out of the way, but still! The marquee or whatever it was called.
Reply ID 87625
quote:Yes, like the Marquee in Railway Street, but in the town centre with plenty of passing trade and small affordable units. The units in the Marquee weren't by any means small. Plus the complete lack of any maintenance suggests the owners weren't serious about letting any of the units out. The Marquee has been a dilapidated eyesore for a number of years now.
Originally posted by codek2
Arcade!!! What, like the one that closed on railway street? I guess that was out of the way, but still! The marquee or whatever it was called.
Reply ID 87631
Full English breakfast AND a nice cup of coffee in the same venue.
Reply ID 87639
nevertheless, if the marquee had been successful when it was new, it wouldnt have got into that state. Arcades are ancient concepts that dont work anymore other than in curious cities like oxford/cambridge! I guess that hits on a problem in hertford though, virtually every type of business/retail unit has been tried and has a history of failure.
Reply ID 87644
quote:The Marquee failed because the location is completely wrong. Virtually no passing trade whatsover. Maidenhead Street on the other hand has plenty.
Originally posted by codek2
nevertheless, if the marquee had been successful when it was new, it wouldnt have got into that state. Arcades are ancient concepts that dont work anymore other than in curious cities like oxford/cambridge!
Reply ID 87651
dont know how you figure that. there's lots of passing trade at the marquee - all those who park in hertford. maybe not as much as maidenhead street, but lots more than e.g. fore street.
Reply ID 87652
Sorry,but I would have to disagree.Fore Street has more passing trade than where The Marquee is
Reply ID 87655
Even the top bit? where loch fyne is? Anyway this is all speculation, there's no facts in this matter.
Reply ID 87659
quote:Yes. I think M&S helps greatly. The Marquee is just isolated IMHO. I don't think it's ever been even half occupied. It's now just an eyesore of a white elephant (am I mixing my metaphors there?). I still think an arcade of small affordable retail units with good passing trade could be economically viable and good for "starter" businesses. Having said that, there are units in Bircherley Green that fit this specification (opp Waitrose) and one of them has remained empty since Just The Thing closed. I know the the management at Bircherley Green are very keen to find tenants, so if they've not been able to fill that one then maybe I'm wrong.
Originally posted by codek2
Even the top bit? where loch fyne is? Anyway this is all speculation, there's no facts in this matter.
Reply ID 87669
Bircherley Green is owned by a pension fund (Guiness I think) and charge ridiculas high rents add this to business rates and staffing costs and utilities its a lot of money to earn before making a profit each month. a business IMHO should not just focus on the shop as that’s limiting your footfall. it should also have a great ecommerce site. i would always prefer to purchase from a website that has a retail shop than a faceless organisation, feel i can take it back to a person and get better VfM. the shop i think would work in town would be a teens/young adults skate shop with all that fatface/oakley/quicksilver products in. I think the Marquee is up for sale right now. also there is a fish monger in Hertford....who knows where though? it is in the town centre. I would love to see a decent steak house, not a brand but somewhere individually owned selling great steaks and south American red wines.
Reply ID 87670
quote:Next to the greengrocer [;)]
Originally posted by teddylad
there is a fish monger in Hertford....who knows where though? it is in the town centre.
Reply ID 87671
I would like to see no more shops closing! Looks like Maiden is the latest casualty....but surely we do not want chain stores?
Reply ID 87679
Q - Is a chain store better or worse than an empty store?
Reply ID 87683
quote:I would rather have a chain store than an empty shop.
Originally posted by Darcy Sarto
Q - Is a chain store better or worse than an empty store?
Reply ID 87692
Yes agreed, its a fair cop....empty is rather depressing and I think causes new potential business to look elsewhere. But a useful and interesting balance would be good :)
Reply ID 88201
quote:At first I thought: Aha. Ahaha. Ahahahaaa! S/He's mad; oh the folly of innocence. Then I read:
Originally posted by Darcy Sarto Another good fishmonger, another "posh" delicatessen, another "proper" bookshop, (all of which we have lost recently).
quote:I can confirm that Beardy F&F appreciated your custom, and your honesty, thank you. You are not the only one to express this. A deli will never work in Hertford without a café facility (too close to London for a single-track deli). Bookshops all over the country are losing the 'Vs internet' wars. Any fish mongers or butchers will lose out to the big supermarkets with their prices/offers. Cynical, but very sadly true. I'm an average punter, I'll go to Tesco because it's minutes away by foot. I'd prefer it to be Waitrose, but I'm too lazy to walk in; it's the human condition. A car based shop will be Waitrose - but I'll drive to WGC (better parking, better store/offering). I think we (and the council, if they'll listen) have to recognise that the concept of the high street is changing due to impact of the economy, internet, human nature. It is also worth considering how different generations view their retail experience; the online-savvy 'me' generation is now in the spending market, this will tip the balance away from the 'traditional' experience. The parking restrictions/charges are a short-sighted with a potentially long-term damaging effect. If only the council would understand there is a direct correlation between parking and trade we might be able to move in the right direction.
Originally posted by Darcy Sarto Still feel personally responsible for the loss of Farrow & Farrow. Loved the produce and the staff but wasn't loyal enough to spend my money there all the time.
Reply ID 88211
How about a Patisserie Valerie - they're good. Belgique in (sorry to mention it) Ware appears to be surviving and the well heeled denizens of could possibly support it. It would certainly give the larger chain coffee shops (and the much maligned Caffe Yum) a run for their money (even if it is a "chainlet" itself). The cakes/pastries etc are easily twice as nice as anything you'll find in Costanerobucks. Mind you - my permitted rate of consumption at one cherry danish per fortnight isn't going to go far towards paying their rent!
Reply ID 88232
quote:Piero’s deli in Hoddesdon by the BP garage does a fantastic trade as does Meadows (when its open). I cannot believe that a deli wouldn’t do well from a customer perspective, maybe the high rates charged by the council are causing them to stay out. There are also two Butchers in Hoddesdon which do well despite the Sainsbury’s, Asda and Aldi. Again why would one not survive in the centre of town of Hertford? I don’t personally think that the supermarkets are any cheaper when it comes to meat/poultry, other than battery chicken which I refuse to buy anyway. There is at least one very good butchers in Ware (same as the one up the farm) which again does very well despite the tescos.
Originally posted by Mr Pquote:At first I thought: Aha. Ahaha. Ahahahaaa! S/He's mad; oh the folly of innocence. Then I read:
Originally posted by Darcy Sarto Another good fishmonger, another "posh" delicatessen, another "proper" bookshop, (all of which we have lost recently).quote:I can confirm that Beardy F&F appreciated your custom, and your honesty, thank you. You are not the only one to express this. A deli will never work in Hertford without a café facility (too close to London for a single-track deli). Bookshops all over the country are losing the 'Vs internet' wars. Any fish mongers or butchers will lose out to the big supermarkets with their prices/offers. Cynical, but very sadly true. I'm an average punter, I'll go to Tesco because it's minutes away by foot. I'd prefer it to be Waitrose, but I'm too lazy to walk in; it's the human condition. A car based shop will be Waitrose - but I'll drive to WGC (better parking, better store/offering). I think we (and the council, if they'll listen) have to recognise that the concept of the high street is changing due to impact of the economy, internet, human nature. It is also worth considering how different generations view their retail experience; the online-savvy 'me' generation is now in the spending market, this will tip the balance away from the 'traditional' experience. The parking restrictions/charges are a short-sighted with a potentially long-term damaging effect. If only the council would understand there is a direct correlation between parking and trade we might be able to move in the right direction.
Originally posted by Darcy Sarto Still feel personally responsible for the loss of Farrow & Farrow. Loved the produce and the staff but wasn't loyal enough to spend my money there all the time.
Reply ID 88234
quote:I've been mourning the loss of Meadows. Used to go there regularly up until they closed for refurbishment last year. I know he was hoping to re-open quite soon but feared that once work started that there would be delays. However the lack of any information posted in the window suggests that it will not return. A pity as they had a fantastic selection at reasonable prices. For me it was a destination shop and it's Hoddesdon's loss that it's no longer there. I've not heard of Piero's so will pop over there this afto. I'm sure a well stocked reasonably priced deli would work well in the town centre - something the size of Clinton Cards maybe [;)]
Originally posted by Louis M
Piero’s deli in Hoddesdon by the BP garage does a fantastic trade as does Meadows (when its open).
Reply ID 88235
quote:Much smaller than Meadows but he keeps lovely meat and cheese and has some really nice fresh sesame bread (get in before lunch as it goes :P. Its aimed at the italian residents so the food must be good!
Originally posted by Stevequote:I've been mourning the loss of Meadows. Used to go there regularly up until they closed for refurbishment last year. I know he was hoping to re-open quite soon but feared that once work started that there would be delays. However the lack of any information posted in the window suggests that it will not return. A pity as they had a fantastic selection at reasonable prices. For me it was a destination shop and it's Hoddesdon's loss that it's no longer there. I've not heard of Piero's so will pop over there this afto. I'm sure a well stocked reasonably priced deli would work well in the town centre - something the size of Clinton Cards maybe [;)]
Originally posted by Louis M
Piero’s deli in Hoddesdon by the BP garage does a fantastic trade as does Meadows (when its open).