Friday, July 31, 2009

Margate 'Most Closed Down Town'

Recuperating with the chicken soup in front of the BBC's One O'Clock News earlier, I nearly choked when my old economics chum Huge Pym came on, wandering down Margate's derelict high street. According to a survey by something called the Local Data Company, 25% of the shops in the Arsonists' Playground are shut. That's worse than Derby, Croydon and Central London!

More on BBC News website

6 comments:

In the know said...

Maybe the BBC would like to ask what the council who sit on the doorstep of this disaster have done to prevent it? Or what the MP who has been there for decades has done? Oh Roger Gale, such a good constituency MP LOL!

Son of Eric said...

yet TDC is trying to create extra shops in the Old Town. That defies modern business trends with more internet shopping as I wrote 6 months ago
http://marknottingham.blogspot.com/2009/01/this-town-is-becoming-like-ghost-town.html

Westgate Old Lady said...

It's a shocking state of affairs; with Knightsbridge so far away I'm so relieved TDC had the foresight to open Westwood Cross, and just in time too!

Head, SMEG said...

"There are a lot of multiple that have left the town centre, which have left some serious gaps in the high street" says Dave Kinnear Margate Town Centre Manager.

Yes, all fecked off to Westwood, created by Thanet District Council, who had not done their homework and seen the effect out of town shopping centres had done to urban town centres up and down the country.

Anonymous said...

25% come off it, more like 55%!

Local shopper said...

When will the powers that be in Derby, Margate and everywhere else realise that there are some people who do not drive cars, some who feel claustrophobic in shopping malls, and those who prefer to shop in local shops. That is why we like living in a small town where we can walk to everything or get a bus home. There are always a lot of shoppers in Ramsgate most days of the week but especially on Friday and Saturday so why not cater for them too.