Originally Posted by
VALE BOY
However this reduction in amenity is not only confined to airgun retailing premises. When I walked along Sauchiehall St, in Glasgow today, arguably the principal shopping and leisure facilty in the town, I was horrified to see the number of once popular and prominent, pubs, cafes etc, cinemas, music venues and department stores all boarded up and creating a depressing environment.
Sadly this demise is largely prevalent throughout the whole of the U.K also and it’s high time local authorities took a realistic look at what constitutes a fair rateable value on these premises in order to maintain a ‘high-street presence’ in the burgeoning age of online shopping which undeniably has its attractions and benefits but surely not at the expense of losing a ‘traditional, personal, shopping experience.
Very true - the small shop I was recently working in in our town centre closed earlier this year. The out of town landlord wanted over £30k in rent, then there would have been £10k business rates on top. Even the national chain I was working for baulked at that. The centre, which about a decade ago had an award for being one of the most diverse in the country, has lots of boarded up shops.
As the OP said, the supply chain issues are also causing issues - both my previous & current employers (outdoor wear/car & cycle parts) have been having problems keeping the shelves stocked. Partly due to factories in the East being shut (CV19), container ship pricing & border controls all adding to lead times.
ATB
Bru
Webley Mk3 x2, Falcon & Junior rifles, HW35x2, AirSporter x2, Gold Star, Meteors x2, Diana 25. SMK B19, Webley Senior, Premier, Hurricane x 2, Tempest, Dan Wesson 8", Crosman 3576, Legends PO8.