Empty Town

I went into town on Saturday with Gina ..... I haven't been in for some months !


It was EMPTY! 


I was quite upset actually. It was not just empty of people but it FELT empty - many shops have boards up and all of the café's I saw only had a few customers. I know it has been  reported on news and that the decline of the Town Centres has been a hot topic for several years (retail park versus town shopping) but I think, having not visited since Christmas (a kind of false time to visit anyway as of course it will be busier), it really hit me how quiet it was!


It wasn't as if we were particularly early ..... or late ... we got in at 11am and after our shopping, we then stopped for a roll and coffee in the Harpur Centre.


When Greg and I first got together we used to meet up every Saturday, after he finished work (around 1pm) and go for a coffee. We continued doing this until about 3 years ago, although we do still occasionally pop in for bits and bobs. Even up until then we used to struggle to find a seat at some of the more popular café's and would often have to weave our way in and out of shops avoiding other people. 


However, I cannot complain about it, as I admit above, I am just as bad as everyone else. Like most other shoppers, these days I prefer to  shop either online or at the retail parks, where parking is free and everything is "within easy reach" !


Yet I really enjoyed going into town again ....... just to browse around and being able to have a choice of places to stop and eat ..... rather than just one coffee shop or McDonald's or Burger King (oh and don't forget KFC!) Even the £3 parking charge for town was actually not that bad ..... although I do think that does put a lot of people off!


When I was young "town" was very important. The place to meet up and the ONLY place to get the variety of shops and goods. It really did seem ALWAYS busy, especially the market - you had to push your way through people and queue or lean over and shout loudly for the card stall or sweet stall! It was noisier too - that maybe because now the main "patch" is pedestrianised and I guess I recall the areas that were still open roads .....although by my late teens/early 20's the roads had been closed.  


I think it still is a place to meet up for some teenagers, although as for choice of products ...... well you can get just about everything under one roof ....... that of most supermarkets these days!


So I think I will try to support the town a little more. It may take a little more time to go from one store to another .......one may be in the Harpur Centre whilst another might be in the High Street ... but I would like to support the market traders and the smaller shops ......... maybe this is an idealistic view and it probably won't last long ..... but I did enjoy the trip and have already booked to go in again this Saturday with Gina ! ....... 


Anyone for coffee and cake ?????