Support Our Shops Portfolio January August 2012

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highstreethero AlanCullens
NO WARM WORDS: Bridget Deuchars says there needs more action to help Lancashires high streets
As another survey claims Britains high streets are in decline, DANNY LEE and MICHAEL MORRISON check out the cures on offer from all sides of the political divide
WHEN the Labour party revealed its four-point plan to save Britains high street, Bridget Deuchars could not help but feel a little cynical. Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls vowed to cut VAT back to 17.5%, repeat its empty shop initiatives to ll up the vacant scars on the high streets, hand local people the power to help shape their high street and introduce new competition laws to prevent leading brands dominating our town centres as part of a package it claimed would give the power back to traders. On the opposite side of the House, the coalition has vowed to give local Town Hall bosses more powers to keep business rates, trotted out plenty of rhetoric about its support for local retailers and even appointed televisions Mary Queen of Shops to uncover the problems hitting the countrys high streets. But, Bridget, whose family runs fashion chain Novello on Fishergate in Preston city centre, believes all these ne words smack of empty gestures. She says: A cut in VAT would not make a vast difference, I think bringing down the charges in city centre car parks would make far more difference. It is very upsetting that we are losing all our shops in the city centre. We have had two or three gone in the last week and it is more preva-
Itstimeforaction
lent than we were hoping it was going to be, it is getting worse rather than better. Jonathan Amoore, who runs fashion store Reef on neighbouring Lune Street, said he would welcome the cut in VAT - but believes that is just the tip of the iceberg. He says: Smaller businesses have felt persecuted from all angles PAYE, VAT, National Insurance, business rates - on the frontline we are not feeling this help. The only power they have is spending their money because the power is past on through scal exchange so unfortunately the only power they have is where they are deciding to shop. The trader would much rather see more done to protect independent stores like his own, which has a loyal customer base, from the creeping tide of out-of-town shopping parks and even supermarkets creeping into city centres. The British Retail Consortium yesterday urged the government to nd a balance between smaller and larger businesses. It has charged retail guru Mary Queen of Shops Portas to carry out an independent review of what needs to be done to support our high streets, but the BRC has urged its ndings not to penalise the countrys most successful retailers. Unsurprisingly, the plan of action put forward by the BRC - which inLOCAL LEADER: Preston Councils nance chief Coun Martin Rawlinson says he would love to see independent stores thriving on the citys high streets cludes keeping business rates down, deterring crime and having good, affordable parking - more closely mirrors the views found on Lancashires high streets than any conceived by party politics. However, Martin Rawlinson, the money man on Preston Councils cabinet, agrees with the sentiment on the citys high street - even if he does not have the cash in the coffers to make much of a difference. He says: We do not want our high street looking like every other high street in the country same shops or empty shops I would love to see lots of independent businesses on our high street with lots of variety. Jonathan Amoore believes BRC gures out yesterday which show the number of people going out shopping fell by 1% in the three months to July and that 11.2% of shops on the high streets and even on out-oftown shopping parks highlight the problem. In the north, that vacancy rate is 2% above the national gure and attempts to plug the gaps are a waste of time, according to this trader. Jonathan says: Why put time and money into something thats failed. Why not help those businesses who are still going: enough of these fake promises and initiatives that are too late. That is just shutting the door after the horse has bolted.
COMMENt ONLiNE Debate this story at lep.co.uk
ALAN Cullens believes Chorley Council has come across an ingenious way of getting rid of empty shops The authoritys executive member for partnership and planning is spearheading a campaign which will see entrepreneurs given cash to open up in vacant units, writes Danny Lee. It is offering a package of grants, including cash available for refurbishment, shop front improvements and business rate subsidies. Coun Cullens said the recent 8,925 grant it handed to business Ben Ani to open his cafe, Deja Vu, on Fazakerley Street in the town was a perfect example of how the scheme can work. He said: The council will be on hand to support the new business while it gets established and it is a great example of what the council is doing to reduce the number of empty shops, which local people say is important to them. The council is offering a number of grants to help attract new businesses to the town centre and it is great to see the rst one come to fruition. He said the authority had taken the measure to reverse the number of empty shops dotted around the town centre. Mr Ani, who has converted a pair of units which sat empty for two years, said the grant was the key to him moving into the town centre. He said: The help we got from Chorley Council helped to make the nancial side of things easier and we beneted from valuable business support advice. I would denitely encourage other people looking to set up business in Chorley to get in touch with the council and see what help is on offer. n For further information, visit www. chorley.gov.uk/business or contact them on 01257 515151.
Our new look

HAVE you seen the new Support Our Shops dot com website? It has been given a fresh new look allowing you to look back over the rst eight months of our campaign and get involved in our battle to support Lancashires high streets. You can read and add your comments to the latest blogs, nd out more about the campaign and see how you can support your local traders. Find out more by visiting our ofcial campaign website at www.supportourshops.com.
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You can show your support by visiting your local high street and supporting them with your trade. You can also follow the campaign: ON TWITTER: @SupportOurShops BY EMAIL: supportourshops@lep.co.uk BY TELEPHONE: 01772 838162 Dont forget to follow our progress through your lepbusinessweek supplement every Tuesday in the Lancashire Evening Post.
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Lancashire Evening Post, Tuesday, July 26, 2011
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A new look on the high street
NEW lOOK: Our ofcial campaign website has had a revamp - we want to know what you think OUR campaign website has got a new look - and we want to know what you think. The supportourshops.com website has been updated with news of forthcoming features, a look back at our previous editions and outlining ways you can get involved in supporting our high streets. We also want to get your views on a range of topical issues affecting your shop through a series of web polls. The most recent poll is asking whether banks are lending to small shopsand you can take part by logging on today and giving your view. There are details of the Support Our Shops reporting team and how you can get in contact. But, we also want to hear your opinions on the website and ways you would like to see it improved.
NEW STARTERS: Mandie Garside, left, and Natalie Pinder
Itsafamilyaffair
There are hundreds of family businesses on Lancashires high streets, DANNY LEE met up with some of them to nd out the secrets of their success.
from for months and when Magpies, a gift shop on Liverpool Road, Longton, they grabbed the chance. Her mother has no business background although Natalies step-father, estate agent Richard Garside, has been helping with the business but they all ensure their responsibilities are never too close to home. Natalie says: Mum does the buying, she not in the shop all the time so its really good, were more like friends and you have to work like that rather than as mother-anddaughter. Theres always this risk you might fall out or it might get too much together or you nd it too hard to work together, but it is easier for us to keep it different to everywhere else around and about us really. Ginni Cooper, who heads the family business team at accountants Moore and Smalley, believes that strength is what makes family-run rms unique. They have inimitable strengths, as well as problems which require a strategy that is different from other businesses, says the expert. For example, family businesses offer a number of benets that are hard to cultivate in other companies, such as greater trust between staff and stronger commitment to the success of the business. In times of hardship family members will rally round and offer sup-
Pictures: Ian RobInson and neI CRoss
Now look whos following us....

THE Evening Posts support for Lancashires high streets has got as far as Westminster. Today, the Labour Party is launching its own, Save Our High Streets, campaign calling for help for retailers, protecting jobs and giving people a say over their high streets - following the lead of Support Our Shops. Barbara Keeley, shadow minister for local government, said the campaign aimed to help the hardest-hit town and city centres in the North West, including Morecambe which has nearly a third of its shops empty. She said: The high street is not what it once was, they say. And I know many other North West MPs hear the same we want to put that right by reviving our High Streets. The campaign is calling for a number of measures including introducing a temporary cut in VAT from 20% to 17.5%, changes to the Localism Bill to give people a say in changing their local high streets and adding a competition test into the planning system.
MARTIN Wright was born to be a butcher. At the age of 12 he was working in the shop run by his brother who had worked in his uncles shop on Orchard Street in Preston city centre for years before that. We have been in it a few generations, I took on a Kwik Save franchise and employed a lot of youngsters, generally students, he says. But, when he took on the butchers shop on Longridge Road, Ribbleton a year ago, he decided to take on his nephew, Dave, in fact, it was because the shops former owners family did not want to take it on that the shop became available at in the rst place. Martin believes the secret to a successful family is having the hunger and has an interesting example under-pressure media mogul, Rupert Murdoch He says: Hes a do-er and done all sorts and then youve got (his son) James Murdoch, who has been brought up in a different environment completely it is a successful business and you still got to have the hunger, no matter how big or small, youve still got to have the hunger to be a success in my opinion. Teenage orist Natalie Pinder has the same appetite for success. The 19-year-old and her mother, Mandie Garside, have been hunting for a shop to side her oral designs
fAMily: Martin Wright, right, and his nephew, Dave port and nancial sacrices. rience. The Banks family has had its own John says: You are more intershare of ups and downs since George ested in what you are doing and who Banks set up their rst jewellers on you are looking after. Lune Street, Preston in 1935. But, despite his own positive exToday, the store is run by his periences of working with his family, grandson, John, who sticks to the Martin Wright says he would not enideals laid down by his father, also courage his son to be a butcher. George. The son of a metal-worker beHe says: We have always wanted lieves it is better to allow them to to sell products that are substantial make up their own mind. and practical, I think that is a policy He says: The casual work ethic left with me from my father and a that I had when I was young has way forward when things are thing. gone but I am trying to instil that So if there is ever a design or into my kids. something which we think is going You to work for what you get to cause us problems, we would not and unfortunately too many people want to have it. think you just have turn up to work If people have a bad experience and wait until the end of the day with a product they will not be com- in a family business you dont get ing back, so substantial and practi- that. cal are the products we have always stuck with. cOMMENT ONliNE He adds that working with the debate this story at family can have its moments but lep.co.uk believes it is a largely positive expe-
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You can show your support by visiting your local high street and supporting them with your trade. You can also follow the campaign: ONLINE: http://supportourshops.com ON TWITTER: @SupportOurShops BY EMAIL: supportourshops@lep.co.uk BY TELEPHONE: 01772 838162 Dont forget to follow our progress through your lepbusinessweek supplement every Tuesday in the Lancashire Evening Post.
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Lancashire Evening Post, Tuesday, June 21, 2011
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Bodyactive
WHEN THE MUSICS OVER: Phil Compton, who runs HW Music in Preston, admits its sales have been hit by the spending dip
IT was 18 months ago that the UK economy emerged from recession, but is the worst of the downturn over on our high streets? DANNY LEE talks to traders about whether the worst is over or yet to come?
YOU dont need ofcial statistics to tell Joanne Millington theres still a recession on. The number crunchers may say that growth is now back in the countrys economy, but on the high street, the dip driven by shoppers unease about the state of the nation makes positives difcult to see. When she took over running the Pamper Lounge on Lune Street in Preston city centre a year ago, the economy had technically been out of recession for six months. When I took over we were still in recession, she says. I had worked here for three years before, so I knew that there was more potential, then all of a sudden we sunk. Things got a litter better, but it is still a struggle. The recession of which she speaks is not dictated by Ofce for National Statistic figures but the simple number of customers coming through her door which has shrunk from those booking their next appointment at the end of their latest one, and instead just coming as and when they need too. Around the corner at the Miller Arcade, Kevin Barratt, store manager of sports specialists Monkhouse Intersport, recognises this trend. It was only two years ago that his store had a real question mark over whether it would stay open. Before we moved here, there was actually talk of whether we would survive, he recalls, it was around 2009, I think there was a real question mark as to whether this particular branch would stay. I dont think the recession has ended yet and, at the same time, all prices have gone up because of the cotton shortage. You can have a good couple of days and a bad couple of days. Everybody says the same. This difficulty is evident from the latest study by Intersperience, the consumer research think-tank based at Lancaster University, which shows one in three people are forgoing a summer holiday as they seek to tighten their belts. It also shows 72% of those quizzed describing the current economic climate as very poor, in spite of growth in the economy, but for think-tank chief executive Paul Hudson, the bigger concern lay in peoples response to the question of whether they were spenders. That showed on 20% describing themselves as spenders, a fall of 14% on the same study in the rst quarter of the year. That is a massive, massive fall, he says, in fact, I do not think we have seen a fall of that magnitude since we have been doing this poll, despite the fact that included when the country was in recession. People are being cautious now is all down to fears over what is yet to come with the cuts. Even though very few of us have actually felt what the cuts will bring, a lot of people are already reacting over what they think they will bring.
Feelingthepinch
GETTING BY: Joanne Millington of the Pamper Lounge It is this pinch point which Phil Crompton, the manager of HW Music on Heatley Street, Preston, is seeing in his sales gures. But, it has taken until this point for his business to feel it. Phil says: You think you are riding it out and its not affecting you and it comes further down the line. We can see in our gures when it hit. When you open a new business you expect to build on that business year on year and at the moment we are seeing we are staying the same. We are being counteracted by the recession. But, rather than allow the slip in spending to hit them, Lancashires high street is proving resilient. At Monkhouse Intersport, being the official retailer for Englands squash, badminton and Davis Cup tennis team has given a lift, whereas Joanne is getting more work from repairing peoples do-it-yourself attempts on their hair - not necessarily with the right result. She says: They will come in and go look what Ive done and you have to try and repair it. Even then, if people get into that mindset and therefore its worked out okay then theyll be doing it themselves, not the cutting part at least, theyll come to professionals to have that done. So, in a county where nearly a quarter of the shopping public relies on the public sector for their wage packet, can Lancashires high street can survive the cuts? Paul Hudson believes they can. He says: They can, but it is going to be tough anywhere that you have a high percentage of public sector employment. One saving grace for the North is that the government is looking to redress the North-South divide, but as long as people are seeing their wages frozen they are not going to spend. Those who are willing to adapt will always survive, but it is going to be a lot tougher.
HIGH street tness rm Bodyactive has found a way to get their customers coming back. The retailer on Friargate, Preston, which specialises in products for body builders, offers an instant 30% discount to customers if they sign up to get weekly email updates. The initiative has guaranteed the company repeat business from people seeking to buy a range of supplements and equipment. Customer Danny Lee, part of the Support our Shops reporting team who took advantage of the offer as a customer, said he found the discount to go a long way. He said: Supplements and equipment can be expensive. I experienced this treatment rst hand and when you see how much savings are to be made, it surprised me, too. Those discounts really can have that sort of effect on customers. n Are you a hero of one of Lancashires high streets? Do you know someone you think is worthy of the title? If so, the Support our Shops team wants to hear from you. As part of our campaign we are dedicated to highlighting the initiatives and enterprise of our high street traders. Let us know about your own experiences of high street service by emailing david. coates@lep.co.uk or telephone 01772 838162.
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YOU can keep track of the Support our Shops campaign and give your opinion on what is happening on your local high street through our online blog page. Visit the blog online at http://supportourshops.wordpress.com.
The family way

ARE you one of Lancashires thriving high street family rms? Has working with your relatives helped your business or caused it problems? Support our Shops wants to hear from you about life keeping your business in the family. We will be focusing on the topic in the next of our monthly features - so get involved and tell us your story. You can get in touch by emailing us at david.coates@lep.co.uk or telephoning 01772 838162 with your stories.
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Lancashire Evening Post, Tuesday, May 24, 2011
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DavidCoates
Supporting you six months on

it is six months since the Lancashire Evening Post launched its Support Our Shops campaign to support countys high streets. in this time we have highlighted scores of businesses thriving in our shopping districts, highlighted issues facing traders and taken the temperature of condence on the ground with our fortnightly Business Barometer. Now, the campaign is moving to its next phase as we bid to deliver tangible benets to traders in these areas. We are working with local colleges to deliver free sessions to help deliver new skills and give advice to traders hardest hit by the spending slowdown and with other groups in a bid to improve the appearance of our town and city centres. the campaign will keep you updated on how you can get involved in these sessions and hope to bring benets to as many businesses as possible. Meanwhile, we shall continue the regular Support Our Shops features on a monthly basis through the Evening Posts lepbusinessweek supplement every tuesday. this will include the regular feature of a High Street Hero, highlighting the success of a local trader, and a monthly Business Barometer which will check condence levels among retailers. the Support Our Shops campaign is dedicated to supporting Lancashires high streets, so dont be afraid to get in touch to support your campaign. David Coates is business editor of the Lancashire Evening Post.
With around 35,000 students studying in Preston, the citys university is an economic powerhouse for local traders. But what happens when the students go home? SUPPORT OUR SHOPS found out.
THE far end of Friargate is a hive of activity for eight months of the year while the citys student population are studying. The problem, explains Jessica Hurst who runs The Coffee Shop on the street, comes towards the end of May when those students go home for four months of the summer. It is very difcult, it is like a ghost town around here, she says adding that only the staff at the BT site on nearby Moor Lane keep trade ticking over. Without them it would not be worth opening and it is not possible to mitigate the impact, you just have to try and get through it. We close for two weeks in the summer and I have to get family and friends in to help when they can to reduce the labour costs. I hope to get enough money between September and June. The cafe owner, whose parents own the property on the corner of Walker Street overlooking the Adelphi roundabout, estimates trade drops around 40% over the summer months and with trade slightly down from last year, the summer thrift seems inevitable again. The economic impact of the University of Central Lancashire is not reserved for those areas in the immediate vicinity of its city centre campus. The spending power of the universitys staff and 35,000-strong student population is estimated to be worth
Comebacksoon
250m to Preston. Retail analyst Shelley Bowker, who has worked for a number of investment banks and lives in Garstang, said the university had a twofold benet. She says: In any town or city there is a major employer without which the other businesses would struggle to survive, but the university not only has the benets its own workforce brings, it also has the students. If you can imagine an employer of 35,000 people shutting down for four months of the year, businesses would probably fold. I think because traders have been working with these peaks and troughs ever since the university has been there, they will be prepared for the downturn of business in the summer months. If theyre not, they need to get prepared quickly. However, there is no doubt, it is those which have come to rely on the student pound which feel the pinch the most. Ilyas Muhammed, who has run sandwich bar Three Monkeys on Adelphi Street for the last four years, agrees the impact on his trade registers in the region of 40% - but he insists his local trade keeps him ticking over. He says: The thing in Preston is you got so many takeaways: fast food selling pizza, burgers and kebabs. Our food is the healthy option,
IMPACT ZONE: The area of Friargate in Preston city centre where traders are feeling the squeeze of students leaving for the summer
Are you a hero?

FINE: Three Monkeys owners Ilyas Muhammed, far left, and Ziaur Rahman, far right grilled, no junk food, we just do our own thing, thats why we got so many customers. We have got a bit more business than everyone else, but when theres no students it does affect us. If you take the university out of Preston, thats it. With the student its busy, without them its tougher, adds manager Ziaur Rahman. But it isnt just those feeding the 35,000-strong student population which feels the pinch when summer comes, TJ Slater who runs hairdressers Head Gar on Fylde Road also feels it. She says: It is like a ghost town at this end at the moment. It is quite steep but it is quite a new business so it is all about getting known and doing all we can to get people in. Weve got new services now and we offer a lot more with the beauty side, so its not just hair. But this is the building block - so its going to take time. The salon owner admits she is fortunate to have a second salon, Style Times in Leyland, which does not feel any impact during the studentless summer months. It helps balance things out, she says, but without the other salons we would nd it a struggle here. When the recession kicked in we didnt notice the difference but recently weve done the books and weve noticed that the recession is kicking in now. Its happened a lot later than we thought. It is not that people are not spending, they are just spending less.
SUPPORT OUR SHOPS REPORTING TEAM: n Chris McBriarty n Danny Lee n Surya Jonckheere n Michael Morrison
ARE you a hero of the high street? Do you know a trader whose contribution is worthy of praise? the Support Our Shops campaign is seeking retailers to feature in the High Street Hero section of our coverage. if you know someone worthy of mention, email david.coates@lep.co.uk or telephone 01772 838162 and tell us why.
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The Business Improvement District is due to go back to the polls later this year as it seeks to be re-elected by Prestons traders. SUPPORT OUR SHOPS reports.
IT was three years ago with the word recession starting to form on peoples lips that Prestons Business Improvement District was voted in by the city centres traders. The deal saw all traders who pay more than 10,000 in rates sign up to a 1% levy on their bills to pay into a ring-fenced cash pot for spending on initiatives ranging from events to training and late night shopping to street washing. But, the BID won this three-year pilot from a turnout of just one quarter of the traders. This, admitted chairman Ken Williams, left it with a challenge to demonstrate to those who chose not to vote and the 27% of those who did bother and voted no in the poll that their money was being spent wisely. By the end of the three years of operation we will have achieved a great deal to improve the city centre as a great place to visit, shop, and do business, he says today as BID begins consulting with traders about what they think it has brought. We are already seeing more and more towns and cities go down the BID route. In a time of severe public sector cut-backs those towns and cities that already operate, or are planning to operate, BIDs will see their influence and achievements continue to grow. Whilst we might not be able to compete on an equal basis with the likes of Liverpool One and the Trafford Centre we can, at least, ensure that Preston provides a credible alternative.
Backtothepolls
BID goes on to list highlights including a programme of events which have brought in more than 150,000 people to the city centre, not least with the Rock in the Park event in Avenham Park in summer 2009, the successful launch of a late-night shopping campaign and winning Purple Flag accreditation which highlights the citys nightlife as some of the best in the country. James Kok, who runs his fathers Andrew Kok Lighting store on Friargate, feels the three-times-ayear Lancashire Market events has brought a long-term benet. He says: On the days it happens weve lost trade, but on the positive there are 8,000 or 10,000 not from the area people walking past who may come back another day. You do not know, its short-term pain but long term-gain for more footfall on the street which is what we are after. Down the street, long-serving orist Margaret Mason, who admits to having had concerns about the BID levy, agrees the markets have brought a wonderful buzz back to the street, which has suffered from being severed from the rest of the city centre by the ring road. The initial concerns of many were about the cost of the levy on already stretched budgets. This, says chef Paul Heathcote who runs a restaurant on Winckley Square, will be one of the toughest arguments BID will have to win as it moves towards its re-election bid later this year. He says: Everyone I talk with at
CROWD PUILLER: The Rock in the Park event brought thousands of revellers to Prestons Avenham Park in summer 2009
THE latest Support Our Shops condence barometer has shown condence among Lancashires retailers has dipped. Our fortnightly research showed the average condence dropped from 2.9 index points two weeks ago to just 2.2 index points despite an increase in traders condence of their local trading environment and ability to take on new staff.The average readings showed: l +0.4 rating of traders expecting to take on new workers; l +3.1 rating of traders expecting to boost sales; l +2.3 rating of traders condence in their own trading area; l +3.1 rating of traders overall condence in the market. l The Support Our Shops condence barometer asked a sample of small businesses to rate their condence in four main index areas between -10 and +10 index points.
Got your vote?

IN THE CHAIR: Ken Williams believes BID has been a success the moment is saying about having a good week or a bad week, whereas a few years ago we would talk about a good quarter or a good month. Things are far more short-term and that is why getting businesses to make a decision on a long-term aim like this is going to be really difcult. That is not the way it should be because, in a perfect world, we should all be thinking more longterm but it is difcult to think like that when things are as they are. The restaurateur, however, admits to being a supporter of the BID despite it doing little to lift trade for his business. I think these are things that we should be doing as a city, if we cannot do something to make ourselves different from the competition, then we shouldnt be in business, he adds. When the BID ran a poll of traders last year, it came back saying that 75% were pleased with the work it was doing, but that there was still work to do on parts of the main Friargate and Fishergate high streets. Andrew Kok would go along with that assessment. He says: I think collectively youve got more power rather than individual people trying to get people in. I dont think we have had the resources available to us as opposed to a pot of money the BID has. If its distributed correctly then it helps us because the Debenhams and other big retailers are contributing substantially more than ourselves. Ours is a small contributions in the scheme of things.
WHAT do you think of the Business Improvement District? Has it delivered on its promises over the past three years? Have events such as the Lancashire Market or the Rock in the Park event lifted your business? Tell us your view by emailing david. coates@lep.co.uk.
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MargaretMason
IF you talk to anyone about trading on Prestons Friargate high street, they will know Margaret Mason. The Freckletonborn orist has made the street her home for the last 50 years and seen her business boom beyond the connes of her cosy shop there. From the tiny slither of a shop she opened alongside the old Duke of York pub, she now has a huge warehouse at a secret location in the city from where she plans major events up and down the country. Margaret says: Its not just owers we do, it is all kinds of props, we have plants, pillars, balustrades, I even made a sculpture completely out of apples for one place. It makes me laugh, people come in and speak to us about our work and say cor, this is a real business, isnt it? I always say well, what did you think we did? Her clientele speaks for itself with events including The Queen, Bill Clinton and musicians such as Lionel Ritchie and Jimmy Young on the guest lists. But, while customer service is the key to the success of her business, you will not hear mention of customer service maximisation here. Its just looking after folk the right way, says Margaret in her familiar Prestonian accent. I love Preston people, they are loyal and they call a spade a spade. They dont like people who are jumped up. In fact you are honoured, I have not got my pinny on because I am talking to you, its not often you see me without that.
HAPPY HERE:: Butchers Paul and Joanne Gobin swapped the high street for the market two years ago - and never looked back
They are the oldest traders in many towns and cities, but how are Lancashires markets surviving the squeeze? SUPPORT OUR SHOPS hits the streets to nd out.
In more than four decades working on Chorleys historic market, there is not much John Brennand has not seen. The veteran trader believes that when the changes, battles and makeovers are put one side, the secret of a thriving market is looking after them. The problem is nowadays is that a lot of councils do not look after the market like they have done here in Chorley he says, it is like your own home, if you dont look after them, they start to fall down. Everything deteriorates and it becomes not worth anything. It goes hand-in-hand, you have got to do your markets up to make your customers want to come and buy and to attract new stallholders - that is the only way more people will arrive. He recalls opening his first stall back in the 1970s when the aisles of Chorleys market were so packed you could barely move. Today, he has seven stalls and opened a shop nearby to compliment them and was part of the group which helped fight off a bid from a private operator to take the market off the councils hands, and that was one of the best things they could have done. John says: We get on really well with the council, they have helped us put in new oors, lighting, ceiling, spotlights, all sorts. You walk in and its nice and clean looking, the council have really gone to town to really help us, and we really appreciate their help.
Growingmarket
On the same market, butchers Paul and Joanne Gobin have also seen an improvement since they swapped the high street for the market hall two years ago. Paul explains that setting up his stall as the recessionary winds swept around the retail world in 2009, was a gamble worth taking. He says: We took it on when we did was because if we could make it work then obviously when the economy picked up, people have got a bit more money to spend, things would get better and better. It was a calculated risk because we realised the markets are not as busy as they were 10 years ago, but we are busier than when we took over two years ago. We bought this business in a middle of a recession and we are managing to make a wage. Two years ago, a government report into the future of markets valued the UKs portfolio of markets, like the historic covered market in Preston and those in the traditional market towns of Chorley, Leyland, Garstang and Kirkham, at 1.1 billion. The investment into these markets differs from town to town, but in Leyland the council has unquestionably put its money where its mouth is. Howerd Booth, regeneration manager at South Ribble Council, said its latest investment was 300,000 in creating on street markets around the Hough Lane area which has breathed new life into the area. TRADING PLACE: John Brennand on his Chorley Market stall He says: Leyland is never going to build a Tithebarn like Preston wants to or even be a Chorley, so what we have tried to do here is enhance the feel of a small shopping street. Dianne Holder, who trades from a bakery stall in the indoor market, recalls when the towns outdoor market moved indoors. She says: It was quite slow in the beginning and it took a while for a lot of people new to Leyland to even know that there was a market in here. But gradually over the past 10 years we have built up, the regulars came back, so definitely we have made a mark here. The promise of regeneration has long been on the agenda up the road on Prestons covered market as part of the citys much-heralded Tithebarn regeneration project. That proposes a scheme which would see the market glazed in and come a more modern-looking feature. But, stallholder Peter Abbott, who has traded on the market for more than 12 years, believes the limbo surrounding the project has led to a steady running down of the market. He says: I think its the uncertainty of the Tithebarn project, because a lot of traders have already have left and with the different things that go on in the news, people actually think theres no market in Preston now. This end of town around the Fishmarket is just run down, theres been a serious lack of investment, and thats partly due to Tithebarn.
Are you feeling Merlins magic?

IT is now nearly four months since the Chancellor George Osborne promised to get Britains four biggest banks lending to small businesses. The deal, dubbed Operation Merlin, promised to make Royal Bank of Scotland, HSBC, Barclays, Lloyds TSB and Santander commit 190 billion of credit available this year. Of this commitment, 76 billion was available to smalle businesses - a hike of 10 billion on the money they lent in 2010. But, is this money coming through to your business? We want to hear from you about your experiences - good and bad - with the banks. You can call us on 01772 838162 or email david.coates@lep.co.uk.
keepintouch
www.lep.co.uk
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Thousands will go to the ballot box this week to vote in local elections. SUPPORT OUR SHOPS speaks to candidates and traders about the key issues being debated
WILL Bagley does not hold out a lot of hope that this Thursday will make any difference. The deputy manager of the Richer Sounds electrical store has been left disillusioned by watching the soul being ripped out of shops on Church Street where he trades and believes those in charge around the corner at Prestons Town Hall are to blame. He believes the councils policy to regularly increase parking charges while neighbouring districts, such as South Ribble and Chorley, have made them free is evidence of a lack of understanding of the plight of city centre traders. You can occasionally park for free, but I do not think councillors care any more, he says. We have people ringing up all the time asking where to park but theres nowhere. We have to pay for people to park and then take it out of the till. It is a view shared by Paul Wilson and Jason Brew, who run the PC Carpets and Beds store in the former Woolwich bank on the corner of Lune Street and Fishergate. Paul says: We park half-a-mile away, because there is no parking permits for businesses around here. Something like that would be ideal because it is a struggle. You should be able to get some sort of permit for working in the city centre, a free permit in one of the multi-storey car parks for ve days a week, 52 weeks a year. With savage cutbacks, the chances of such giveaways by whichever political party rules the roost at Preston Town Hall after Thursdays
Businessofvoting
vote seem unlikely. The citys Business Improvement District (BID), the body behind a number of initiatives including the recent introduction of late-night shopping on Wednesday evenings, recently managed to convince the council to offer a few hours free parking at its city centre car parks. The other big talking point among traders is the city councils ability to get the long-awaited regeneration of the city centre moving. The Tithebarn dilemma, currently stalled until June by the latest legal challenge to the 700m retail-led regeneration, is something they cannot wait to see. James Kok, who runs his familys Andrew Kok Lighting store on Friargate, says: That could give us the revitalisation that we need but at the moment we are losing trade to places like Manchester, they are positive and growing. He has praise for initiatives like the BID-organised Lancashire Markets, which brought 32,000 people to Friargate this Easter, but admits he and many other traders would swap such events for a bit of free parking, a rebate on some of its business rates or some new high street names coming to the city centre. Will Bagley agrees, saying: Shops are shutting on Fishergate and the biggest shop on the street is a charity shop, that says it all about Preston. I would like to know Preston was put on the map as a retail centre. The place should look like a nice place to come. losing TrAde: James Kok, of Andrew Kok lighting
eric Fazackerly, deputy leader of the Conservative group on Preston Council, said: We are very keen to do all we can to help business, not just to boost employment locally but also to make sure the city has an attractive offer for shoppers. Preston is ideally positioned on the motorway network, between two major cities and close to airports. It is imperative we get a Lancashirewide Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) going to take advantage of our position and take advantage of everything the government is offering. I also want to see more really high-quality ofce accommodation in the city. danny gallagher, leader of the liberal democrat group on Preston Council: We have to work with traders to support them wherever we can. That could be through reduced rates or through looking at improving parking provision in the city centre, but it has to be sustainable. Small traders have a huge part to play in making Preston a place people want to visit, live in and spend money in and we have to work with them to make sure that happens. I know people are frustrated about the delays over Tithebarn. One thing I can guarantee is that if we can overcome this next legal hurdle with Tithebarn, the developers are chomping at the bit to get started. John Collins, leader of the labour group on Preston Council: Businesses need our support now and we are working with a number of different people to ensure we can bring them that support. The council is working with the University of Central Lancashire to nd incubation units for start-up businesses in Preston and with business support bodies like Orvia and Shout Preston to be sure we are supporting them where we can. The governments cuts in public spending have hit us already and while we have worked to keep redundancies to a minimum, the fact is that people have less money and that hurts businesses.
TrAders: Paul Wilson and Jason Brew, from PC Carpets and Beds, claims parking is a major issue
THE Support Our Shops condence barometer has shown Lancashires high streets are positive about driving sales. Our fortnightly research showed the the average condence stands at 2.7 index points, but traders gave a rating of 4.7 points on their hopes for sales. But, the average condence fell on the 4.1 point we had a fortnight ago. The average readings showed: l -0.1 rating of traders expecting to take on new workers; l +4.7 rating of traders expecting to boost sales; l +2.0 rating of traders condence in their own trading area; l +4.2 rating of traders overall condence in the market. l The Support Our Shops condence barometer asked a sample of small businesses to rate their condence in four main index areas between -10 and +10 index points.
Are you a hero?

DO you put every hour into making your high street business work? If so, Support Our Shops wants to hear about you and your business, to feature in our weekly High Street Hero spotlight. Get in touch with us by e-mailing david. coates@lep.co.uk or calling us on 01772 838162.
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SUPPORT OUR SHOPS REPORTING TEAM: n Chris McBriartyn Danny Leen Surya Jonckheeren Michael Morrison
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Lancashire Evening Post, Tuesday, April 26, 2011
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highstreethero
ShaunLiptrot
SHAUN Liptrot combines passion with his business. His Rivington Bikes shop on Market Street, Chorley trades his reputation on his commitment and service to customers. His customers warrant a particular level of care, and in turn this commitment and attentiveness, be believes wins him customers, and has enabled him to trade for so long. For Shaun, it is not about making as much money from each customer. It is, however, getting the right bike, tailored for the customer, without having to pay more than they should have to, as he explains: We tend to help people by guiding them in the right way through measuring people up. We dont just sell a bike. When they come in, we spend quite a lot of time with them, especially on the road side of it, we stick them on the turbo trainers, measure them up properly and we get everything comfy for them. We are asking our customers questions constantly all the way through any sale. We spend a lot of time with people and nd out what they actually want, not just what we can sell them. At the end of the day, they can come in with 1,000 and go away with a 700 bike because they dont need to spend all that money the bikes has got to be right for them.
On Friday, the country will come to a standstill for the Royal wedding, but SUPPORT OUR SHOPS nds our local traders in a race to cash in on the big day.
IAN Kearney knows that when you are trying to prepare for one of the biggest days in history, you do not need kids running around your feet. That is why the owner of the Cheeky Monkeys play and party centre in Chorley is looking to open when the country comes to a standstill for the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton on Friday. He hopes that children visiting the centre can both use up their energy pretending to be the Royal couple for the day, and give their parents a chance to prepare for the rest of the day. Knowing how busy you are going to be depends on the weather, he says, and being an indoor environment most people will spend the Bank Holiday weekend at home or outdoors somewhere. The succession of bank holidays means things are a little disjointed for us, but watching the Royal wedding is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our customers, so we have to make sure we are open for them. It is estimated that Britons will spend 163m on souvenirs with onein-ve adults expected to buy something to mark the day with an average spend of 17 each. A number of retailers - including the Lancashire manufacturer of a dog poop scoop - have been stocking souvenirs for months with huge high street budgets blown on marketing and advertising stock related to the big day. But, Longridge trader Leslie Siodiak, who celebrates her birthday on Friday, is not convinced that people
Crowningglory
will part with their cash for souvenirs, but believes the wedding could still benet the high street. The owner of accessories shop Hush on Berry Lane says: I think what it will give me or give all of and us is the feel-good factor and that feel-good factor encourages people to spend and that is where it will benet us. Her products actually strike similarities with the wedding and she says she is not treating this event any differently to any other family occasion. Browsing over a combination of romantic and patriotic items on her shelves, she adds: Put them together and you have the Royal wedding. I think it will help sales, I certainly hope it well. There is less optimism from Kath Briggs, who runs Swifts Hardware just down the road on Berry Lane. She says the shop is hoping to benet from the little Royal stock it has on offer, but admits: We havent much to benet from it. It is affecting the business because for the fact that we have to give the staff time off so we are running with minimum staff, but we are open the wedding. It is estimated nearly 10,000 people will travel down to London from the North West to join more than 600,000 people expected to descend upon the capital. RSM Tenon, the accountancy firm which has offices in Preston and Chorley, believe the cost of the lost man hours could top 6 billion - putting the overall cost of the April
MONKEY BUSINESS: Chorley businessman Ian Kearney is one of a number of businesses looking to cash in on Fridays Royal wedding
Use them or lose them

THE Support Our Shops campaign is approaching the six-month mark and we have already highlighted a number of issues facing our high street, celebrated some of our most entrepreneurial traders and, hopefully, given you an interesting read. But, has our campaign got you wanting to hit your local high street and support your local traders? The latest update on our Support Our Shops blog asks whether you are ready to do you bit for the high street. It says: It is easy to walk past these shops on your way to the supermarket or retail giant, but these places rarely offer the same service as your small shops. You cannot put a price on personal expertise either, something our high street heroes offer. Do you agree? Disagree? Or think we should be looking at something different? We want to hear what you have to say about our campaign - so join the debate by visiting our blog. You can keep up to date with the campaign by visiting our online blog at: http://supportourshops.wordpress
HAPPY COUPLE: The wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton is expected to draw 600,000 people to London bank holiday period to in excess of 30 billion. Carl Jackson, head of the companys recovery division, said: We havent ever seen a flurry of holidays so close together, outside of December, before and it will effectively mean that certain industries will close for business for the second half of April. This news shouldnt take businesses by surprise and there is still enough time to effectively mitigate against UK plc closing down. Businesses cant rely on thinking that everyone is in the same boat and not take action. It is vital that business owners maintain their cashow in order to protect the nancial stability of the business. But, retail consultant Anna Webster believes that businesses should view the national day of celebration as an opportunity rather than a threat to your business. She believes the day is more of an opportunity for those businesses trading outdoors. She says: If the weather is as good on Friday as it has been for the last few days, there are bound to be a lot of people wanting to go out and enjoy the day in the sunshine. That is a huge opportunity for the cafes, bars, ice cream vans, anyone who trades outdoors. If you ask me, the worst thing a retailer could do on Friday is take the day off. We are in the middle of an economic dip when people need a bit of feel good factor to shop.
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Lancashire Evening Post, Tuesday, April 19, 2011
www.lep.co.uk
EileenHardacre
highstreethero
IT is only 12 months since International Aid Trusts Eileen Hardacre opened a charity shop in the Lane Ends area of Preston and already her neighbouring businesses are seeing a lift in trade. The lure of selling clothes and hard-tond items, including wedding dresses, has lled a niche in this area of city and brought knock-on benets to the area. Eileen says she has no intention of slowing down despite working six days a week and managing eight charity shops across the county for the Much Hoole-based charity, which helps people in some of the worlds most deprived corners. She says: Most of the shops I run are in areas where they are not in the town centre, so they are in the community. The money we raise from the shops goes to help the poor and needy and we try to put them in areas for people who cannot get into town, some people who shop with us cannot even afford the bus. I have worked with charities for 40 years and for the big charities shops too, but when I have had shops in town centres and you do get a lot of opposition. We attract a very with a different sort of customer which benets the area we trade in, we bring people to areas which otherwise might not have come here. That has to be a benet not just for us but for our neighbours as well.
MAKING HAY: Shaun Wiggnall runs The Prestonian hot food stall on Prestons historic Flag Market - when the suns out
keepintouch
Keeponshining
As Lancashire shapes up for a scorching Easter weekend, SUPPORT OUR SHOPS talk to traders about how they are making sales while the sun shines.
shaun Wiggnall insists he does not know any sun dances, but he certainly worships every day the sun shines on Prestons Flag Market. he runs The Prestonian hot food stall on the historic square and admits that without a bit of sunshine, he would not be in business. The weather does have an impact, if we had no summer we just wouldnt exist, we would have to close down, he says, when the sun is out we do a lot more business because there are more people outside. We do not even open when the weather is bad. If you dont even make enough to cover your wages, there is just no point in being here. he was one of a number of business owners across Lancashire which welcomed temperatures, which topped 20 degrees Celsius this weekend, and cannot wait for what promises to be scorching Easter weekend to come. The Met Ofce is predicting the weather will top 20 degrees again making it hotter than some parts of the Mediterranean. nick Walters, another stall-holder on the Flag Market with his runs his eatt.co.uk drinks stall, has even put up gazebos to keep the heat off his customers. he says: Last week when it was really warm we were rammed all day; especially with the cooler drinks such as milkshakes and smoothies. On nice days we get regulars and new faces which is great. We stay open during the winter because the regulars keep coming back to us, but the amount we take is minuscule in comparison to the summer. sue Post, who runs her familys ice cream van which has been serving the local community since 1920, is another business which is beneting from the good weather. she adds: Last weekend was brilliant because it was the rst nice weather of the year and kids had broken up from school, but now the weather has gone a bit cooler people notice it more and so hopefully the weather picks up again this week and into Easter. The British Retail Consortium (BRC) estimates that warm weather can double the number of shoppers visiting the average uK town or city, bringing with them twice as much spending power. But, as Louise Coupe, the coowner and manager of the Old station Cafe in Longridge admits, you do not have to run an ice cream van to make the most of the valuable opportunity the good weather provides. she has recently introduced a new menu to welcome in the summer and made a few more additions to try and get people through her doors. Louise says: We are looking forward to an early summer, so we have just invested in some outdoor furniture when we had the beautiful weather and I have got a new ice cream freezer in. Down the road on Berry Lane in the Ribble Valley town, the co-
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DRINKS ON ME: Nick Walters of eatt.co.uk owner of The shoe Gallery, alistair sheret, believes that Lancashires high streets have bigger sh to fry. he says: Weve been more cautious because of the general business environment and the fact that retailing is going to be quite a tough gig as was witnessed by the gures that just came out which showed that Marchs sales fall was the largest in history. however, he does recognise the benet of having a good summer, he says: Last year, the summer started very strongly for us in sales term, we had very good weather in May and June. as soon as the kids broke off for the holiday, it all turned to rain, people are generally not going to wear sling-back sandals when the streets are dripping with rain. In Chorley, come rain or shine, Rivington Bikes can handle allweather and terrains whether he is selling a BMX or mountain bikes. Owner shaun Liptrot says the weather doesnt help but they do sell their products all year round. We need the nice weather so people start riding their bikes. We do get a lot of road racers and pro riders around here because of the circuits and what they can do round here. While the rest of us throw on a skirt or a pair of shorts and head out under the baking sun, remember the plight of the business owners who have survived the harsh winter and rely on it to keep fighting for another year so go buy a pair of summer shoes, a meal, drink and ice-cream, and enjoy summer and support our shops.
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21
The spending squeeze may have tightened things up on the high street, but SUPPORT OUR SHOPS nds plenty of entrepreneurs looking to take up the ght.
STARTING up in business during the kind of spending squeeze might sound like a job for a masochist. But, for Helen Cairns helping co-found her Label independent fashion shop on Cannon Street in Preston city centre was a painless experience. We only opened two weeks ago, she says, We looked around for premises but thought this was the best place for us. It is nearest to the high street and its getting busier down this side street. But, just next door at alternative gift store, Kaelia, the going was not quite so good for owner Kathryn Littleton when she was relocating at the end of last year. The opening was hampered by delays and hopes of signing a lease in early December quickly disappeared. She says: We didnt end up signing it until middle of December; so we werent able to be open in time for Christmas. But, unlike her neighbour who hailed with the Preston Business Improvement District (BID), Kathryn simply made a call to the citys council to sort out paying her rates. Dealing with the council was actually fairly smooth, she recalls, It took a few weeks but they came in to take some measurements and a few weeks later I ended up with a bill on the door. The pair are one of a growing number of independents which are lling some of the voids on Lancashires battle-scarred high streets.
Ourstartupstars
One of the countys best-known start-up stars believes that these vacancies, which Support Our Shops reported has left more than 100 empty shops in Preston alone, are an opportunity to enterprising retailers. Kirsty Henshaw, who was born and bred in the city, rose to fame when she secured backing from tycoons Peter Jones and Duncan Bannatyne on hit television show Dragons Den to launch her frozen dessert business, Worthenshaws. She says: Its all about having the right mindset, you have to be positive or it is never going to get off the ground. Inevitably you have to look to speculate to accumulate, so it might be that you have to be able to afford to lose a few pounds in the start-up stages. Then you just have to go for it. Business management consultant-turned-successful retailer Sue Jackson, who runs Papillon Lingerie on Cannon Street, believes that it is possible to set up in business without having a huge budget of your own. The shops co-founder, who was able to nd the money to set herself up, thinks that a solid business plan can still win over even the toughest bank manager into providing nance. She says: You need a sound business plan and then you have to stick to it throughout that start-up process. You have to revisit it month after month and change things as and when you need to. DRAGON SLAYER: Kirsty Henshaw now talks to groups about her success as well as running her owjn business These foundations are crucial to help get a business started, adds independent retail specialist Carol Jackson, but ultimately the trader will live or die on the strength of the idea behind it. She has assisted a number of small traders in the Leyland area to get started and believes Lancashire is proving a fertile breeding ground for new start-ups. The former university lecturer says: I have had six or seven people come to me in the last couple of months who have found themselves out of work and wanted to start up their own shops. You tend to find that because they have spent so long in the safety of employment they have gone a long way towards developing the idea, but not really thought about the nuts and bolts of getting nance and starting up. That coupled with landlords being a bit more exible about renting out properties because there are that many more available on the high street means that there are opportunities out there at the moment. Friends Joanne Wilson and Melissa Jordan took one of those opportunities when they found an empty shop close to Prestons university district on Friargate Brow. They admit that they followed their dreams when they got the cash together to set up small fashion store, Wonderland Vintage, Joanne says: It is really nervewrecking, weve not done anything like this and were just going to try really hard. Ive worked in shops, but nothing on this scale.
STARTING OUT: Best friends Joanne Wilson and Melissa Jordan are among a growing number of shops repopulating the high street
TRADERS remain condent in their ability to drive sales and improve their businesses, according to the latest results of our Business Barometer. Our poll showed an average of 4.1 index points recorded for companies condence in improving sales with 6.4 points for overall condence levels. But, few businesses felt condent they would recruit new staff with a negative rating of -1.6 index points the average. l -1.6 rating of traders expecting to take on new workers; l +4.1 rating of traders expecting to boost sales; l +1.6 rating of traders condence in their own trading area; l +6.4 rating of traders overall condence in the market. l The Support Our Shops condence barometer asked a sample of small businesses to rate their condence in four main index areas between -10 and +10 index points.
highstreethero
KirstyReader
AN arts supplies shop is showing off what its customers are doing with their purchases. Granthams on Corporation Street in Preston is encouraging people to submit artwork which will be displayed on the shops walls with the best in class receiving a prize. General manager Kirsty Reader said: It was a combination of getting customers through the door so they could see what we do and show other customer and different visitors to the shop what they can do with the different products that we sell. People come in regularly but we have never had the chance to see what they are producing until now.
www.lep.co.uk
Lancashire Evening Post, Tuesday, March 29, 2011
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Promoting your business is key to the health of the high street, today the SUPPORT OUR SHOPS team looks at how Lancashires traders promote themselves
BRITAINS biggest businesses spend hundreds of millions of pounds on advertising their products every year. Whether it is adverts through local newspapers, television, radio or the internet, the cost of advertising campaigns is light years away from even the dreams of traders at the end of Church Street in Preston city centre. But, for Peter Lord, who sells rare collectible items such as stamps and cigarette cards from his Philatelic Gallery, that does not mean advertising is any less important. I am the only shop selling stamps in Lancashire, people are buying stamps as investments, he says. Though, with the exception of passing trade, how do such potential investors know this eclectic cubbyhole tucked away down the end of one of Prestons most neglected streets know his shop is even there? Its word of mouth, mostly, says Peter, Im on the internet and in the Yellow Pages, but Ive not done that myself. I rely on word of mouth to tell people where I am because theres nowhere else to go. You cannot get these items anywhere else. Two doors down at travel agents Cloud 9 Travel, Ebrahim Dedat, has grown from an internet business from a box room at home into a high street hit in just four years. He believes the secret of his success is not being shy. Every couple of months we will leaet the whole of Preston thats the best way for us to attract the
Shoutingoutloud
most attention, he says. The company has also embraced the new phenomena of advertising through social networking websites, most notably Facebook, and is already seeing the benets. Ebrahim says: We get a lot of people who find us on Facebook and call us back and we get a lot of honeymoon bookings through it. We do advertise in newspapers too and that works for us. In Chorley, Lance Catterall who runs his self-named menswear store Cheapside is also a strong advocate of Facebook, but goes a step further by texting his customers to chat. He says: Were quite successful at the moment with Facebook when we put new products on it jogs their memory. We put specic things on for certain people and then they can tell other people. Emma Martin, a director at marketing rm Stage 9, said it had seen a boom in the number of its small business clients embracing the power of the internet. She says: If you can hold a conversation on your market stall, in your pub, shop, church or sports club you can get involved. All you need is internet access, an open mind, and a few basic dos and donts you can grow your business through it. But, the Facebook generation is not for everyone. Steve Boyes, the co-owner of Raymond K Boyes on Poulton Street, Kirkham, said he preferred to stick to more traditional means of spread the word about his picture framing DYNAMIC: Cloud 9 Travels Ebrahim Dedat embraces social media and dolls house specialist shop. We cant spend the time experimenting on whether something works or not, were all about word of mouth once weve got customers, we hang on to them. They recommend us to others, we never get any complaints. When people ring up and ask how much something costs, we have 450 different colours and we cant really explain that on the phone. The businessman is ercely proud of the quality of the range of products he sells and believes a small advert in a specialist magazine to promote its range of dolls houses is what it needs to succeed, and Sue McNulty agrees. The owner of fashion store Pretty Woman on Station Road, Kirkham, believes you cannot get better than word of mouth and traditional newspaper advertising. She says: Ive been here 18 years and advertise in the local paper because I like to support my local community. And, as for the internet, the shop keeper isnt keen to convert. I cant even get online at the moment, she says. Whether it is time-served local businesses advertising in the local papers or trade magazines or trusting long-standing customers to spread the word about their business or the likes of Ebrahim Dedat at Cloud 9 Travel using bold, dynamic advertising campaigns, it is clear you cannot afford not to shout about your business at the current time. Simon Turner, of marketing agency Freshfield, says it often advises many of his clients to push on advertising even when times are tight. He says: I always tell businesses to spend more time in your business than on it, nd out what makes your business different and never miss a chance to impress or an opportunity to sell. Marketing communications is not a dark art, it should be a simple process. Have a message, have a plan, talk to your customers and tailor your methods accordingly.
ITS GOOD TO TALK: Simon Turner, managing director at marketing agency Fresheld, believes effective promotion is crucial
OUR latest Support Our Shops condence barometer has shown a fractional rise in positivity is on the increase on Lancashires high streets. Our fortnightly research showed the average condence rose from 1.55 index points to 1.6 points this year with condence in their ability to boost sales rising to an average of 3.5 points. The average readings showed: l +0.7 rating of traders expecting to take on new workers; l +3.5 rating of traders expecting to boost sales; l +0.9 rating of traders condence in their own trading area; l +1.3 rating of traders overall condence in the market. l The Support Our Shops condence barometer asked a sample of small businesses to rate their condence in four main index areas between -10 and +10 index points.
highstreethero
VittoriaDefelice
VITTORIA and Melania Defelice have every reason to celebrate. The sisters have enjoyed so much success with their boutique Coco Boo on Cannon Street, Preston that they have just opened a second store in Halifax, West Yorkshire. They have even devised a new pay of paying the two new employees they have hired. Vittoria says: Our Saturday girl, Michelle, likes to be paid in stock because she cannot always afford the clothes. It helps them and it helps us and we dont have to worry about paying 45. If we could do it with everyone we would.
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paul heathcote
Get out of the bubble

I WAS down in London last weekend and when you look around the bars, shops and restaurants even the mediocre ones it is easy to see why the government paints such a rosy picture. The boom in tourism in the capital paints something of a false picture which you simply would not nd anywhere outside the M25. I am sure they get all the gures to tell them things are somewhat different, but when you see the same thing ve days-a-week and then go back to their constituencies at weekends just as trade picks up, it can create a gut feeling. If the Chancellor George Osborne paid a visit to Preston on a weekday morning or Clitheroe on a Sunday afternoon, for example, he would see a very different story. This context is something which I think he could really do with seeing before he stands up in the House of Commons to deliver his Budget tomorrow, but the chances are any venture to the North will be to the prosperous parts of Manchester or Leeds where the rosy picture will be reinforced. There will be a lot of things that people will be looking for from the Budget, whether it is pub landlords after a freeze in beer duty, estate agents after changes to stamp duty or the rest of us holding our breath about putting tax up on a litre of petrol. One thing I really cannot see changing is the rate of VAT, which I expect to remain at 20%. I have heard some interesting theories about how you can uctuate the level of VAT, for example for hairdressers or the tourist trade, to stimulate growth in certain industries. It is an interesting theory, but I think it would simply be too complicated to implement and regulate. I would argue that if we are going to change the VAT rate, why not change it to give the rest of the country outside London a lower rate than those in the capital? Then again, turkeys dont vote for Christmas.
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Hoping for a lift out of the red box

Themanufacturer
SimonHancox
There are a number of things I would like to see the Chancellor talk about in his Budget, some specic to the manufacturing industry, others more generally business-friendly. No further changes in the VAT rate unless they are going downwards, further support for apprenticeships and development of skills and some real support for the new Local enterprise Partnerships his government has set up are something I am sure we all agree would be IF duty goes up on beer, it could be catastrophic for pubs which are already feeling it after the VAT increase. I have not put my prices up from the VAT increase, because I am waiting for what comes from the Budget before I have to reprint my menus and reset all the tills, so it could be a treble whammy for me. Customers are not bothered why you are putting up prices, but if a pint of bitter goes up from 2.60 to 2.90, they are going to vote with their feet and that is what Mr Osborne has to think about. Before he became Chancellor he was telling us all about the importance of the local pub and now is his chance to prove he meant it and start taxing the supermarkets which are riding roughshod over every business instead. You can get beer in the subeneficial. For the manufacturing industry, which we have heard the government talk about placing at the heart of its rebalancing of the UK economy, a continuation or even a speeding up of the reduction in corporation tax he started in last years emergency Budget, and no further reductions in capital allowances for plant and machinery investments. All manufacturers recognise the reduction of these levels from 20% to 18% provides a disincentive to investment when manufacturing machines can be anything from 50,000 to in excess of 1m, which cannot be permarkets cheaper than water these days and yet for every four-pack of lager which is sold in the supermarket, the government is losing 20p-a-can in VAT it is not collecting - how can that be right? If instead they got a grip on the supermarkets and started taking back that 80p in VAT for the four-pack, they would be able give us a break. Super-strength lagers which people drink in their living room are the real problems, lets tackle them rather than a pint of bitter. If the duty stays as it is on Wednesday, I will breathe a sigh of relief, but if it doesnt, Mr Osborne isnt welcome in my pub anymore. Graham rowson is landlord at The Saddle in Lea Town, Preston
Whatthe expertssay
As the country awaits George Osbornes Budget tomorrow, Lancashire business community tells DAVID COATES what they are hoping to hear from the Chancellor.
healthy. On top of this, a few more specic things on my wish list would include a review of the reduction of Annual Investment Allowance from 100,000 to 25,000, no further reductions in the special rate allowances and the continuation of support for the Manufacturing Advisory Service. It would be nice to see Mr Osborne talk about all these things in tomorrows speech, but I think many of us would settle for some of them. Simon hancox is managing director of Techni-Grind (Preston) Machining.
heart: martin Wright MARTIN Wright, chief executive of the North West Aerospace Alliance, said companies in the key industry will be looking for the Chancellor to keep his promise to put manufacturing at the heart of a commitment to a new balanced economy. He added: We will also be looking for the Government to show its support for small businesses, both nancially and through the reduction of regulation. We need to increase commitment to long term, high level skills development programmes in science and technology, to ensure we have the right skills at the right time in the areas of real wealth creation, technology development and manufacture.
hoPe: simon hancox
BoX oF tricKs?: George osborne will deliver his rst full Budget to the country from 12.15pm on Wednesday role in providing employment and supporting exactly the kind of enterprise that the government has been talking about ever since it came into power. Mr Osborne needs to continue giving more opportunities for businesses to give jobs to people across the country as rising unemployment is a real concern for everyone. There will be plenty in the Budget for us to digest when the Chancellor sits down after tomorrows speech and I just hope that his promise of pro-business, pro-enterprise reforms are no hollow. Nigel Dunnington is a franchisee operating McDonalds restaurants in Preston, Leyland and Blackpool.
Thepublican
GrahamRowson
Thefast foodboss
Nigel Dunnington
DUtY: Graham rowson
Boss: nigel Dunnington
ALL we can hope for is that the Chancellors talk of the most pro-business, pro-enterprise Budget for a generation over the last few weeks come to fruition. I think he has to look at steps to reduce the impact of high fuel prices which are having a massive impact on everyone, whether you are just a single motorist or a business which operates a lot of vehicles. There is obviously fuel duty due to go onto prices on top of increases by the retailers, the recent VAT increase and previous duty increases, so there is certainly an opportunity there. Also, an an employer of more than 550 people at my restaurants in Lancashire, I believe that businesses like mine can play a signicant
The property expert

Georgina Cox
call: Georgina cox
YOU can usually tell what is going to come in a Budget by the whispers leading up to it, but one thing that has been noticeable by its absence is any talk of the property industry. This is perhaps because the Chancellor realises that there is not a great deal within his gift to be able to make any real difference except to get the banks lending again. I do not think any further mentions of how the government aims to get banks lending in tomorrows speech will make any difference, it certainly hasnt up until now, but that remains the nearest thing the property market has to a silver bullet. That applies not just to the mortgage market but also lending to businesses,
Im looking forward to the Chancellor putting freezes on tax on things like diesel, but it would be good to get some news on the mortgage front People are being very careful of what they are spending on. Omar haz of homewares store Fabriks in Leyland.
I would like petrol prices to come down. We travel from Chorley to Liverpool every morning, have deliveries around the local area which adds another 50 miles a week, so lower petrol prices would save us a fortune. Brian Petie manager of Fresh and Fruity, Chorley.
Id like to see the VAT reduced back down to 17.5%; because all the companies have put their prices up the VAT has gone up more than 2.5% anyway. Im not hopeful anything will come from the budget though. Joanne White of Strictly Dancing on Cannon Street, Preston.
I would like to see encouragement for councils to be allowed to let out any building it owns at the lowest possible rent so that somebody will take it up rather than have row upon row of empty shops. Joe Gosney, owner of Kaelia, in Cannon Street, Preston.
VAT is costing us a fortune at 20% and we have had to absorb it because we cannot put our prices up, so to bring that back down again would help. Business rates relief has been a huge help but more grants for small businesses would help. Vittoria Defelice of Coco Boo in Preston.
The government talks about how entrepreneurs will take us forward, but theres never been a worse time to invest as theyre removing support like Business Link. They need to do more to stimulate the economy. Matt Forrest is chief executive of itzamuzik. com in Preston.
As everyone will tell you, VAT at 20% is too high and that has a knock-on effect to everything you purchase. It reduces your buying power so in our store, so buying stock, basically for every 1000 we have only 800, it makes a big difference. Patrick Boye of Label of Preston.
AS a country, we need to get more Britons staying in places like Lancashire for their holidays and attracting more here. At the moment, ve go out for every two that come in and that is costing us 9 billion as an industry every year. The biggest reason for this is that we are one of only two countries in the european Union, together with Denmark, which do not have a preferential rate of VAT for tourism, so while France has a 5.5% Georgina Cox is managing rate for its tourist director of estate agents trade, we have 20% serioUs: nick Varney Moving Works. You can chart the fall in the UKs position among the top destinations for tourism against the emergence of VAT and all it takes is a bit of enlightened government scal policy for the industry. Tourism is one of the few industries which can create a lot of jobs and do it very quickly, we are not waiting for technological breakthroughs or Abolish rates 4 all small emerging markets, we are ready to go now. businesses or provide The research shows that there are 80,000 jobs start-up/expansion grants. ready to be created if you just move the VAT. Both would help the One of the biggest age groups employed in leieconomy. Wishful thinking! sure and tourism are aged 16 to 24 years old, who from, Goldilocks Babywear, are among those which need jobs and opportuniPreston (@goldilockbaby) ties more than perhaps any other age group. If the government is serious about tackling this recognise that the higher problem and serious about tourism playing a key the fuel price is, the more role in Britains economic future, it has to get everything else costs serious about this millstone round the industrys bring fuel costs down! - from Denise Gerrard, Chor- neck. ley Cake, Chorley (@chorleycake1) Nick Varney is chief executive of Merlin The Support Our Shops campaign reporting team is: entertainments, a global leisure group which operates 63 attractions in 14 countries including n Danny Lee (@JournoDanny) Madame Tussauds, the London eye, Sea Life n Chris McBriarty (@Chris_McB) Centres and recently took over operations at the n Surya Jonckheere (@talk_that_smack) Blackpool Tower. n Michael Morrison (@takingthemicky)
particularly small businesses, which we all know is still not happening. One thing which George Osborne could look to change in his speech would be to extend the stamp duty exemption beyond the 250,000 mark it is at now. That was intended to boost the rst-time buyers market which it has done to an extent and we have recently experienced selling seven houses in seven days which we have not done for a while, but the market remains subdued. If stamp duty was set to 1% for transactions between 250,000 and 500,000 rather than leaping to 3%, that would help.
The leisure chief
NickVarney
TAX expert David Bennett believes the government will have to give in to pressure to bring down fuel prices. The partner at Preston-based accountants Moore and Smalley predicts that the Chancellor will introduce a fuel duty stabiliser in tomorrows speech. He said: Manufacturing is likely to be hit especially hard so I would welcome a reduction or rebate of fuel duty for manufacturers and a deferral of the forthcoming 1% increase in employer National Insurance to help reduce the impact of price rises. But, any action taken on fuel prices will limit the Chancellors ability to introduce measures to encourage growth, such as greater incentives for capital investment. It is capital investment the country needs to get the economy going again, and yet we have seen reductions in capital allowances in recent Budgets. DAVID Kitson, director of tax at accountants RSM Tenon which has ofces in Preston and Chorley, believes a reduction in personal tax could help the North Wests wealth creators feel more condent. He is urging a reduction in taxes on the middle classes as soon as is nancially viable. He said: The 50% tax rate band must only be a short term measure in todays difcult nancial climate to ensure it doesnt destroy the UKs entrepreneurial spirit. REMAINING positive about growth and creating long-term foundations for companies to prosper are top of the North West businesses agenda, according to a local nance expert. Martin Newsholme, managing partner at KPMGs ofce in Preston, said: Decisions made now will have a huge bearing upon whether the region will be able to grow its economy in a way that secures long term prosperity, and with so much at stake, local businesses will be watching the Budget closely.
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FRESH THINKING: Ellen Young believes supporting local growers and suppliers is the key to survival in the current climate
With one in every four pounds spent at Tesco alone, buying local has never been more important. Support Our Shops looks at how traders support each other.
THE Equator Cafe in the heart of Prestons university district proudly boasts its Fairtrade credentials. But, the idea of ethical trading goes closer to home than just supporting farmers in Third World nations; it also prides itself on sourcing produce locally. Menus in its Adelphi Street premises read: Most of our produce is bought at the Preston Market, helping the local economy, supporting small businesses and reducing our carbon footprint. Owner Louise Harlow explains: Almost everything except for things like sauces, so all of our meat comes from local suppliers, all our vegetables. I try to use local business wherever possible, even if I am buying cranberry sauce I am trying to use my local shop instead of a supermarket. People should go out there and see whats at your local shop, wheth-
Workingtogether
er they are running a business or not, especially as Preston Market is great and not much more expensive. If you go and you want a piece of sh, but you want something thats a little bit cheaper, they are willing to offer alternatives for you and have that relationship as a customer. But, Louise admits it is difficult to nd local suppliers these days; a point echoed by a fellow independent bistro owner from Preston. The operator, who asked not to be named, said that while some of the products served to their customers were home-made, the majority of the stock came straight from a wholesaler. They add: At the end of the day, everyone gets what they want. It only takes a wander onto the market to realise why there is a shrinking number of local suppliers. While the traders are providing exactly the kind of service they claim to with advice on which cuts of meat to have or what vegetables will go best with tonights tea, the number of customers appear to be dwindling compared to Industrial & Commercial what they might have been in the markets heyday. Property To Let But Michael Clarke, who runs butchers W + H Clarke, disagrees. I wouldnt say things have increased or decreased. It might have changed their buying habits when theyve come, he says. PRESTON Small Unit & office to let. 07791 425654 Fellow trader Kath Ball, a OFFICE TO LET Bamber partner in K + H Ball which Bridge, 07624 277 432 is one of the many suppliers LOCK UP GARAGE Leyland of The Equator Cafe trading Suit Business/Private Tel 01772 433492 on the market, believes comHAULAGE/COACH DEPOT petition with supermarkets is TO LET 24 HR Access definitely making it tougher South Ribble 01772 750202 BUYING LOCAL: Louise Harlow at The Equator Cafe for these suppliers/traders. They can obviously take a lot more customers because it is under one roof and theres free car parking, she says. But at the end of the day, our produce is fresher because its locally grown straight from the producer to the store. It is through this somewhat unique business model that her own business operates. Kath, who chairs the markets traders association, explains: We are growers ourselves. Its the same with the butchers, and their meat is the same, its all local. Produce on the market is much more local and its fresher because it comes straight from the grower. Such is the competition for business both from the general public and suppliers, that you have to wonder what the future holds for such traders in the current spending squeeze. BBC TVs The Peoples Supermarket, a show which put the spotlight on a social enterprise trading opposite a Waitrose in Central London where employees work for discounts on their purchases rather than cash, suggests a Big Society approach to the future but is this sustainable? Speaking with traders in Preston, it would appear the more traditional methods have kept independent traders and suppliers afloat in the face of competition from supermarkets and wholesalers Ellen Young, who runs the famous Matthew Wade Banana King fruit and veg stall on Preston Market, believes this is the case. Because we talk to our customers and its the same as the butchers, you talk to the butcher, he cuts exactly what you want, its not in a packet its all fresh, she says with passion. They tell you how to cook it, they have recipes on the counter, and they get to know everybody, all the customers. They know them, they give them good advice. Were all helping one another, the growers, the farmers, the customers, were all helping one another and I think thats worth a lot.
THE third Support Our Shops condence barometer has shown a drop in positivity is on the increase on Lancashires high streets. Our fortnightly research showed the average condence fell from 2.96 just two weeks ago to 1.55 index points with condence in each category we questioned traders on also down. The average readings showed: l +0.7 rating of traders expecting to take on new workers; l +1.8 rating of traders expecting to boost sales; l +0.9 rating of traders condence in their own trading area; l +2.8 rating of traders overall condence in the market. l The Support Our Shops condence barometer asked a sample of small businesses to rate their condence in four main index areas between -10 and +10 index points.
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KenWilliams
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THE manager of one of Prestons biggest shopping centres has found a novel use for an empty shop unit. Ken Williams, general manager at the citys St Georges Centre, gave up the unit in the centre to a three-day exhibition staged by fourth year fashion students from the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) last week. He said the centre had decided to make the offer to cement its role at the heart of the local community. The manager said: We are a community shopping centre and therefore we should we working with various groups within the community in order to use the facility as a meeting place and venue where it is appropriate to do so.
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Gain while you train up your staff

BUsINEssEs in Lancashire are being offered free money to help train up their staff to boost business. Training experts at Leyland-based CXL are tapping into a government cash pot which will pay towards any training by a company employing between ve and 250 staff in the county. Julie Gelder, head of workforce development at the group, said the money was there to pay for a range of different training aimed at boosting companys productivity. she said: It is anything from basic IT prociency courses through to bespoke sales training, we can help to fund any training that will help a business to grow or develop. We urge businesses to get in touch before the funding runs out, as all training must be completed by July. If you want to get some of the money, visit www.cxl-uk.com/funding or call 01772 642415.
Arguments rage over parking from one end of Britain to the other. The SUPPORT OUR SHOPS team looks at the issue in Lancashire
N the side of the multi-storey car park in Avenham, Preston hangs a sign advertising spaces for sale. The offer is for contract parking whether for people working in the city centre or those employing staff and, if Bill Shannon has his way, it could well become the shape of things to come in the city centre. The deputy leader of the authoritys Liberal Democrat group, which has an ad hoc coalition with the ruling Conservative administration, believes the time has come for a debate about how the council charges for its parking spaces. Our view is pretty clear, he says speaking for his political party. And it is in the best interests of traders, shoppers and those providing entertainment to have shortterm parking free or as cheap as possible. One or two hours is enough time to go and shop and if you are coming in for any longer, then take the bus. The councillor describes his vision of being one like Oxford where a procession of park and ride buses ferry motorists in and out of the city centre to avoid city centre parking fees. But he admits Preston Council has to boost its park-and-ride provision if that prospect is ever to work here. The debacle of the park-and-ride
Just the ticket

Debate: Coun bill Shannon who wants a review of how Preston Council charges people for parking
at Bluebell Way in Fulwood and the failure of Lancashire County Council to add to the Portway and Walton-le-Dale facilities so far makes the prospect a more long-term ambition, and it is not the only thing traders are pointing the nger of blame at their political leaders for. John White, who runs clothing store Whites of Garstang, saw his trade hammered by 10% when the authority decided to put double yellow lines down on the towns high street. That led to a battle with Wyre Council which has ultimately led to the introduction of marked bays for free 30 minute parking. Its been a long time coming, says John, but the idea has not been universally accepted. David Brewin, owner of Sweets in Garstang, said: It needs a much greater emphasis on the small businesses rather than the supermarkets - otherwise we are going to have even more empty shops. He mentions Kirkham and Chorley town centres where the Town Halls offer free car parking in support of their local traders. In 2005, a bid to introduce pay and display parking in the town centres was halted after a more than 5,000 letters of objection were put forward after a campaign led by Business Group chairman, Elaine Silverwood. The owner of Silverdell Books,
High Street Heroes are under cover

LIKE many hidden gems on our high streets, Papillon Lingerie is tucked away out of the hustle and bustle of Prestons main shopping street. Friends sue Jackson and Kaye Whenmouth decided to embark on the enterprise adventure inspired by their respective battles with cancer. They now specialise in underwear for women who have suffered breast cancer, and they offer a service where woman who have come through cancer can nd the correct-tting lingerie. Youve got to have the stamina, the qualifications and the backbone to be able to get out there and make it work, sue explains. For sue and Kaye, they are constantly looking to grow their business driven by the desire to help as many women who found themselves in a familiar position as possible and this desire already has them looking at expanding into the Isle of Man, which has no lingerie shops which cater for cancer patients.
StaMINa: Papillon Lingerie boss Sue Jackson
vIewS: John white of whites of Garstang
It is in the best interests of traders, shoppers and those providing entertainment
recalls: I got statistics on Garstang, Poulton, Leyland, Southport and Lytham St. Annes, showing what it had done to those high streets when pay and display had been introduced. She added: Kirkham high street is like a corner shop. People pop in and out a few times a day, whether its to use the bank, or just pop to get a loaf of bread.
If they were to introduce pay and display we would lose those customers overnight. The result, says Paula Gemmell, the co-owner of Pink Tree Parties in the Fylde town, is that customers can park in a well-lit car park within walking distance of the town centres. She says: We looked at premises in other places like Freckleton, Lytham and St Annes - the car parking was certainly one of the reasons why we didnt set up there. Back in Preston, the councils recent budget agreed to increase tariffs at some of its car parks on top of recently added 20p hikes on certain stays. But, Gavin Brooks, of Audio T on Friargate, believes capacity is the biggest issue facing the city rather than parking.
Is free parking sustainable? Can towns and cities afford to give valuable spaces away for nothing or do we need to hit those looking to park longer in the pocket? Join the debate on the support Our shops blog at: http://supportourshops.wordpress.com.
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VATS THE WAY TO DO IT: Kevin Hunt believes a few pence extra on a packet of cigarettes will not scare off his customers
It was billed as a tax which would rock Britains high street but, two months on, what impact has the 20% VAT rate had? Support Our Shops talks to traders.
FOR Kevin Hunt, the biggest headache about the New Year VAT hike was not its impact on his customers. It was having to change price tags, receipt rolls and promotional posters on items up and down his chain of 29 Spar stores across the North West. For smaller goods it is only a marginal price rise, says the managing director of Lawrence Hunt and Co, if a packet of cigarettes has gone up a few pence, people dont like it, but it wont stop them buying. I would imagine the big car showrooms or people selling white good will be the ones which have felt it so far. But, it was an enormous task to getting everything repriced, that was quite an under-taking. That picture appears to be occurring on high streets up and down the country. The British Retail Consortium recently reported that VAT increase for non-food goods, those which were more heavily affected by the rise from 17.5% to 20% from January 4, accounted for just 0.2% of the overall 2.5% ination rate. It argued that the increase was likely to hit people in the wallet with household budgets, however, 75% of people taking part in an online Lancashire Evening Post poll last week said they had not bothered to try and beat the increase. Phil Garlington, a professional photographer based in Longridge, response to the increase remains the
WecantakeVAT
same today as it did two months ago; he is rolling his sleeves up. He says: We cannot let it bother us; we are trying to be more proactive and do what we can to get the work we do out there. That means showcasing his work not just in his Market Place shop but also on the internet through his own website and via the rapidly-expanding number of social media networks available online. We are still getting business off the back of that. Chris Davison, the owner of clothing shop Scene on Fishergate in Preston, has done the same by launching his own loyalty card to keep shoppers coming back. But, it would be wrong to say the mood of optimism about the impact of the VAT hike is universal across Lancashire high streets. One trader on Lune Street in Preston city centre said he was having to put on sales to make his products desirable. Alan Robinson, who runs a small electrical shop in Leyland, has seen the same, he says: There was denitely a bit of a lift before the VAT went on at the end of last year and now it is at. I think the big electrical places would agree with that, a lot of them did not have a great Christmas so they were able to offer VAT holidays in January which we could not afford to do. It has flattened out a lot in the last couple of weeks and I guess we will just have to see what people do PICTURE PERFECT: Phil Garlington with their money from now on in. As the Chancellor George Osborne gears up for his rst Budget announcement since taking over the Westminster coffers, the pressure is racheting up to uctuate VAT rates on different items. The latest is on petrol, which his shadow Ed Balls this weekend called on him to drop Januarys 2.5% hike on, although industries from pubs to hair-dressers are also turning the pressure for similar uctuations. Janine Finlinson, a retail analyst who works for a number of the major investment companies, believes there is no reason this would not work. She says: It works in other European countries, for example, in Sweden the VAT rate on takeaway food is only 12% and magazines and newspapers is just 6%, but the overall rate is 25%. In this country there are a lot of things, like healthy food, which the government levies no VAT on, so it can be done. The big question is whether it would cost more to administrate and regulate than it would actually save, that is probably the argument the government would give. But, she adds that the story of the VAT rise may not yet be told with one of the high streets biggest success stories yesterday revealing it had noticed a squeeze on peoples spending. The analyst says: I would be surprised if Primark are the only ones, it is going to take a few months before we see the full impact.
THE second Support Our Shops condence barometer has shown positivity is on the increase on Lancashires high streets. Our fortnightly research showed the average condence more than doubled from 1.3 index points a fortnight ago to 2.96 points, with condence in every category also up. The average readings showed: l +1.35 rating of traders expecting to take on new workers; l +3.15 rating of traders expecting to boost sales; l +2.85 rating of traders condence in their own trading area; l +4.5 rating of traders overall condence in the market. l The Support Our Shops condence barometer asked a sample of small businesses to rate their condence in four main index areas between -10 and +10 index points.
A twit to tweet?
DO you have a Twitter account or a Facebook page for your business? Ever thought about what life online could do for your sales? Read the latest update on our Support Our Shops blog for a few reasons why you should. The campaign has its own blog available at http://supportourshops.wordpress. com
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Lancashire Evening Post, Tuesday, February 22, 2011
21
Steve supports his shops

BUSINESS boss Steve Johnston has given his backing to our Support Our Shops campaign. the owner of Preston printers Paper Innovation has donated 200 campaign posters which will go up in shop windows across Lancashire from this week. Steve (pictured) says: It is more important than ever that we all do everything we can to support our local businesses. Whether it is a clothes shop on Leyland or a sandwich bar in Preston, we have to back them. that is why I am happy to support the Evening Post in its campaign.
Join the debate

YOU can now join the debate in the Lancashire Evening Posts campaign to Support Our Shops. the campaign has its own blog available at http://supportourshops.wordpress. com
Acaseforcharity
WELCOME IN: The rst shoppers arrive into the new YMCA shop on Fishergate, Preston, last week
highstreethero
JoeHall
It all started 78 years ago with Joe Halls grandfather, Joseph, who started out on a business venture that, through the decades, has been built to last. Joe Hall is responsible for the day-today operations of the award-winning family bakery Halls Bakeries. It boasts a portfolio of three stores in its home town of Chorley, but is its eet of vehicles which feed customers in ofces and on retail parks across Central Lancashire which are its real winner. Joe explains: We have got a reputation for giving great food and great service to people in Chorley and Leyland and we simply said that now we can take that to them, rather than them coming to us. the result has been that 40% of the companies growth, which saw them rack up 1m of sales for the rst time last year, came from the vans. Joe adds: We also do a lot of catering for things like pie and peas nights or reworks night which we could not have done before we got the vans. We could not even look at doing food anywhere more than 15 minutes away because the food would be too cold by the time it was served. Now the vans keep the food warm.
As a charity shop arrives into a prime spot on Prestons high street, the Support Our Shops campaign asks whether they are a good thing for our high streets.
THERE are few safety nets when it comes to setting up in business these days, especially if you are on the high street. But, if the business you are setting up happens to be a charity shop there is no doubt you are better covered. Every charity shop is guaranteed an 80% discount on their business rates and benet from being staffed largely by volunteers to sell donated goods; although the vast majority of these shops survive purely on the generosity of the public. We do not get anything from the government and do not have any other business behind us, explains Maureen Nickson, now the business development manager of DebRA which raises funds to help children suffering with a rare skin condition, but previously well-known for her work with St Catherines Hospice in Lostock Hall. She believes thriving charity shops do both high streets and property landlords a favour by filling longstanding voids like the one now lled by the YMCA in a prime position on Prestons Fishergate high street and saving landlords cash. This saving comes from how landlords pay rates which, as of last April, saw any discount they were offered for having an empty building scrapped. The shift was intended to be an incentive for landlords to fill their shops and Maureen Nickson believes it is working. She says: I drive round the country now and there are so many town centres which are just like ghost towns and you wonder what there
would be if there was no charity shops. You have to remember that while they do get relief on rates, a lot of charities pay the same rents as anyone else now and this is the only way they can make money to go towards the causes they support. I think with the way things are going at the moment, we are going to see more and more charity shops popping up. Claire Eccleston, a surveyor at commercial property agents Robert Pinkus and Co, believes the arrival of the YMCA on Prestons main Fishergate high street is a case in point for the argument for having charity shops. She says: That shop would remain empty otherwise because it is simply not a realistic proposition to get the kind of retailers which have been linked with it in at the moment. For the kind of rent that the landlord is seeking it will not be achieved easily and it would be left as a dark, empty unit bang in the middle of the prime high street. But in Kirkham, where six charity shops have popped up in recent months, book shop owner and head of the Fylde towns business group, Elaine Silverwood, believes that a proliferation of charity shops is not good for the town centre. She says: I am not anti-charity, I am not even anti-charity shops, but what I am anti is when you get a proliferation of these shops, I would say there are over 12% of our shops which are charity shops. People say that it is better to have something in there than nothing, but
FuNdINg FINdEr: Maureen Nickson often I dont think it is once you start getting larger numbers of them. The owner of Silverdell Books believes the problem lies in how the government offers mandatory rates discounts to charity shops and argues there is no appetite to level the playing field for small independent traders. It is this inequality which threatens to cause friction between traders and charity shops, a feeling which was all too prevalent when the Support Our Shops team toured town centres in Lancashire and one only exacerbated by the removal of empty property rates relief. Charles Bell, of commercial property agents Morgan Martin in Preston, says: It is not a level playing eld because there are tenants which could even sit next door to one of these charity shops on the high street which will pay much higher rent and rates for the same size or sometimes even smaller shops. Landlords are being forced into this situation because of the absence of any rates relief offered on empty properties and that is why we are seeing more charity shops on our high streets and probably will continue to do so. In Preston, where the council offers a further 20% rates discount to charities which benet the citys residents. Caroline Howes, the regional shop support manager for the citys latest resident, YMCA, believes this is the best case scenario for a shop like the one it is in on Fishergate. She explains: This is a temporary shop, so if the landlord gets someone who wants to move in here, we have to be out within 48 hours. There have been cases where we have had leases taken off us before we have even opened. It is clear that charity shops provide the benefit of keeping seats warm while the high street awaits the arrival of independent and the high rollers, but it begs the question why the benets delivered to charity shops cannot be offered to other small traders.
keepintouch
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21
lepbusinessweek
THE rst Support Our Shops condence barometer has shown Lancashires high streets feeling upbeat. Our research shows retailers condent in their ability to grow sales and in the state of the areas which they are trading. The only negative reading from our study came showed businesses unlikely to take on new workers. The average readings showed: l -0.9 rating of traders expecting to take on new workers; l +2 rating of traders expecting to boost sales; l +1.4 rating of traders condence in their own trading area; l +2.8 rating of traders overall condence in the market. l The Support Our Shops condence barometer asked a sample of small businesses to rate their condence in four main index areas between -10 and +10 index points.
FAMILIAR SIGHT: For sale signs are springing up across Lancashires high streets as empty shops numbers spiral
Runningonempty
As a new study shows Lancashires among the worst in the country for empty shops, the Support Our Shops campaign team speak to businesses about how they are coping
walk into Preston city centre from the end of Church Street cuts a depressing picture. Once a bustling high street, it is now littered with empty shops, the skeletons of family firms long since past and ignored by the hundreds of shoppers who pass on their way to the city centre. These deserted buildings can be described as nothing short of rotting, but Preston is not alone in its suffering. New national trends revealed the shop vacancy gap widened by 2.5% in the last six months to 14.5%, but the north seemed to be hit hardest - accounting for 16.5% of all vacant units. Research out today from The Local Data Company reveals that small and mediumsized towns in the North West topped the charts for the largest number of vacancies. The situation improves as Church Street becomes Fishergate, but even the main high street remains pockmarked with empty units. Not many people walk down this street anymore because theres now nothing really down here, says Laura Harrison, who works for salon, S2, a salon on Cannon Street. Down the street at Strictly Dancing, mother-and-daughter business team, Kay and Joanne White admit it does nt look good: People come to us anyway because were a specialist shop but the empty shops do not really look nice and it does still affect us. The shop next door to us is terrible, its an eyesore and another just down the street bAckInG: Liberal Democrat president Tim Faron backing our campaign
high street hero
Chris Davison
FROM humble beginnings 14 years ago, entrepreneur Chris Davison opened his rst business. Not many people were willing to take him seriously and its hardly surprising, he was just 17 years old when he opened Scene, stocking a range of skateboarding equipment. But he has turned it into a success upgrading from working from home into his shop on Friargate, Preston. Chris said: We had been there four years and there came a point when we had outgrown the shop, outgrown our ideas for the shop, and we needed to move on and develop. When the recession took its toll, Chris came up with another initiative by expanding a discount scheme he offers to students to all his loyal customers. He said: When you buy something from the store, its logged on the card, and if you ll the card which is seven visits we add up the total youve spent and take 10% of that off your eighth purchase. If you look after your customers, they will look after you.
closed last year after only six months, the owner just said she wasnt doing very well. It is clear our high streets are facing an unprecedented challenge to keep themselves looking appealing against the tide of shop closures driven by a number of things, not least the squeeze on spending. Another factor driving the decline is stalled developments. In Preston, it is the 700m Tithebarn scheme and in nearby Chorley it is the extension of the towns Market Walk Shopping Centre which last week secured outline planning permission, although both are still far from fruition. Peter Malpas, the executive member for planning on Chorley Council, argues that the town is holding up well. He says: There are empty shops in all towns, but in Chorley we are bucking the trend, we do not have as many. Chorley tends to buck the trend compared to similar sized towns. Tim Faron, the Prestonborn party president of the Liberal Democrats, believes the unfair upper hand held by bigger retailers is a big part of the problem. He spoke during a visit to his home city last week of the governments commitment to giving Town Halls more powers to support small shops through the Localism Bill. For example: you are Tesco; you are paying rates on the building but youre not paying rates on the car park around it, and thats been the case for 30 years, he admits. Supermarkets need to be paying a fair price for their
land. If you were a small shop, people are parking somewhere where they will be paying an hourly rate or on-street parking - if they are very lucky. In the end there is that disadvantage of small shops around trying to tip the balance. But, Town Hall bosses in Preston insist there is help at hand with the citys council deputy leader, Eric Fazackerley, insists it is doing all it can to help. He says: Particularly for the small shopkeepers, we are looking to help them by relaxing out enforcement on paying
SUPPORT OUR SHOPS REPORTING TEAM: n Surya Jonckheere n Michael Morrison n Danny Lee n Chris McBriarty
business rates and extending the period they can pay rates from 10 months to 12 months. We are always looking for ways to help if we can, but what we cannot help is outside inuences like the economy or the rents people are paying. Outside Lancashire new answers are emerging, with a community group in Dover, Kent offering prospective tenants an empty shop to rent for 1 per year if they agree to refurbish it and virtual shops being beamed into empty units in a bid to lure people to the North East town of Redcar. Such answers have been oated in Preston for several years but fallen at the hurdles of finance and red tape, only by overcoming these obstacles will our high streets thrive again.
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A few tips to stay on top.....

PRESTON College tutor Helen Crossley is used to retailers voicing their fears about the threat posed by supermarkets and online shopping. The former retailer, who has run a number of major high street franchises including fashion chain FCUK, offers a few tips on how to get one over on the big boys: n Look at the lay out of your shop and think about how shoppers move around. Are you making it easy for them to nd popular items and displaying your products in the best way? n Look at the products you have on your shelves and ask yourself if you are getting the best value for the product you are offering? If something has been sat on your shelves for weeks without a sale, is it worth continuing with? n Dont class your neighbours as rivals, in tough times small businesses can achieve much more by working together than apart. Can you team up with another local business to do something better? n Keep following Support Our Shops to get your free taster session to a Preston College course designed by televisions Mary Queen of Shops Portas.
With supermarkets marching back onto the high street, the Support Our Shops team looks at how local high streets are competing.
T does not seem like a fair ght to pit small, independent traders against an international retail giant with big budgets to spend. But that is the battle that many small businesses on high streets across Lancashire are facing up to, whether the opponent is one of the Big Four, Tesco, Asda, Sainsburys and Morrisons or a smaller chain. The reaction of traders in Chorley to plans by Asda to open a huge new store in the town centre next year is fairly typical of the response of many. Chris Marsden, who runs butchers Marsdens of Chorley on Chapel Street, admits: It could go one of two ways. It could bring more people to the town centre or it could move the town centre towards Asda and leave the rest of the place a ghost town. We have livelihoods to look after and there is no doubt it will have a mixed impact. Pat Duckett, who manages the towns Market Walk shopping centre, agrees that while the former QS Discount site earmarked for the development needed to be redeveloped the fear of pulling shoppers out of the town centre remains strong. But, Jose Hampson, the owner of Hampson Toys and Nursery World on Market Street, says she is right behind it. It will join the town up, she insists, people will walk from Asda up to the market area. The question of whether the markets big names are a footfall provider or not is at the heart of this David-versus-Goliath battle. On Friargate in Preston, Aziza
TakingonGoliath
FRIEND OR FOE: Traders are facing up to the challenge of supermarkets on their doorsteps including this one-acre Asda in Chorley
highstreethero
ElaineSilverwood
WHEN Elaine Silverwood opened her Silverdell Books store in an old second hand clothes shop on Poulton Street, Kirkham, no-one had heard of it. Eleven years on, her name is in the contacts book of every major book publisher in the country with celebrity authors including Sir Michael Caine, Katie Price and a host of childrens authors all desperate to get their book signings on the high street. I do not just think about my business as being just these four walls, she explains. The shop now regularly takes authors to local schools, hosts major events at venues which attract hundreds of avid customers and sells ice cream from its in-shop dairy. Elaine says: Some people do it online, I go out and physically stage events which benets everyone. If we are having a quiet week in the shop, I am earning money through these events, plus the school or venue we are at benets from having these events with them. It has taken a lot of hard work and dedication to get to where we are today, but I would urge any retailer to think beyond the connes of their business if they are looking to grow.
Writer, whose family runs two Best One convenience stores just yards from where a Tesco Express is opening before the end of the year, fears the buying power of the supermarket giant will be too much to compete with. She said: If I did a straw poll of the people we employ on Friargate and asked them whether they would buy a packet of cigarettes at my shop for 5.50 or Tesco for 5.25, I can guarantee the majority would pick TWO WAY STREET: Chris Marsden and assistant Nichola Whittaker Tesco. They buy products like that in may not be exactly what you want stang in Bloom. bulk and there is no way that we can but if the weathers bad, people are Maxene Eley, who runs beauty compete. not going to look elsewhere. shop Beautify on the towns high However, her wrath is reserved for A spokesman for the family- street, agrees that supermarkets and the manner in which the retail giant owned chain, which has branches in high streets can live together and behas arrived in the former Bello res- communities across the North, said lieves the answer lies in team-work. taurant opposite one of her shops. its arrival on Cherestanc Square She says: In a smaller town like They have bought the building had doubled the number of visitors Garstang, if larger stores were to which already has the necessary per- to Garstang town centre since it have big open days they could get mission needed to trade as a food opened. independent retailers involved so store, therefore not requiring a new She says: The new Booths store we can work together to help both planning application. in Garstang offers a larger range of companies. Aziza says: The first we heard products, which provides customers They have got a lot of advertisabout it was in the Lancashire with more choice of grocery lines, ing space so why dont they help the Evening Post, no-one from Tesco bigger and better counters, fresh sh smaller retailers promote themhas been in touch. and hot food, plus a destinational li- selves through their stores as well? That way we would have pre- censed department and caf. In a smaller town its going to attract pared for it, but I know ourselves The number of customers to more people if we work together and the other off-licence on the the new store has doubled, which more. street are worried about what is go- means more people travelling into Money is tight so any small reing to happen. Garstang, which in turn benets all tailers would love the backing of Over in Garstang, the arrival of businesses. a larger business to help promote a new Booths store the quarter of Cherestanc Square has enhanced their own. the size of a football pitch last year the look and feel of the town and has left some small traders feeling is used by the community for local less optimistic. events. SUPPORT OUR SHOPS REPORTING One trader says: The location Booths has always played an TEAM: of the car park has stopped people active part in the local community n Surya Jonckheere coming to the centre of Garstang. and as well as sponsoring local or- n Michael Morrison If you are in a large store like that ganisations is a member of many n Danny Lee and you see a little bit of what you local groups including the Chamber n Chris McBriarty want, youre going to get it there; it of Trade, Garstang.net and Gar-
keepintouch
20
Lancashire Evening Post, Tuesday, January 25, 2011
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Lancashire Evening Post, Tuesday, January 25, 2011
21
paul heathcote
Thesurvivalfightbackstartshere
Lancashires high streets are shaping up for a tough 2011 as they reght against hikes in VAT, cuts in public spending and rising bills. As the Lancashire Evening Post launches its Support Our Shops campaign, DAVID COATES looks at the challenges ahead
N the last 12 months, high streets across the country have seen a shake-out of weaker stores which have not survived the economic turmoil. Matt Dunham, a partner at North West insolvency experts Grant Thornton, has been at the heart of many of these closures, and he believes that, while the coming 12 months will continue to be tough, the worst could be over. It is very difcult to predict this recession, because it is not playing out in the same way as any previous one, he says. But there is no doubt that the high street has really felt it. I think there will be further insolvency problems for retail when the impact of the spending cuts starts to lter through, and the answer is to support our local traders. People need to look at their high street, and think about what makes it different to any other town or city across the country, and then go out and support those traders that make the difference. The fact is unless we all start doing that, these shops will not be there much longer and they will not come back. Those gures were backed up the latest Red Flag Alert statistics, revealed by insolvency experts Begbies Traynor yesterday, which showed an increase of 1,499 retailers going to the wall last year, compared with 12 months earlier. Executive chair-
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Mother of all problems

SINCE the coalition government which now rules us was formed, Nick Clegg has not been the bearer of much good news. He must have thought news that they were not only going to follow through the previous governments promise to overhaul the maternity system was an opportunity to bring a little cheer last week. Sadly, he will not have raised many smiles among Britains business bosses by not only doing this but also talking of allowing parental leave to be taken in a number of chunks, rather than a single block and additional concessions of use it or lose it leave. I am not saying that employers should not have responsibilities to their workers and, as a parent as well as an employer, all businesses should give fair terms of employment, working conditions and all the rest of it, but do we really have to be our employees parents as well? First of all the government was telling us that we have to make sure they save for a pension, now we are being expected to do above and beyond what I class as reasonable to sort out their childcare arrangements. The system we have is complicated enough, I just fear that if we tinker with it like this we are going to make it complete unmanageable. The fall-out will come when businesses go to the wall because of the latest ingredient in the coalitions recipe to hammer us and what about those people expected to take on extra responsibility when people are on maternity/paternity leave? Are they just expected to step in, and then step aside? If the government wants to extend the length it gives people for this kind of leave, then they should ensure that the support both nancial and advisory is in place to make sure it can happen. The only justication that I have heard from Nick Clegg so far is that this system has been pioneered successfully in Iceland. Well, what has Iceland given us? A banking disaster and an ash cloud. Very reassuring.
COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE at lep.co.uk
MEETTHETEAM
The Support Our Shops campaign has enlisted the help of a team of journalism students from the University of Central Lancashire. Danny Lee, Surya Jonckheere, Michael Morrison and Chris McBriarty have already started talking with traders across Lancashire about the challenges facing them and how they are overcoming them. You can contact them by emailing supportourshops@lep.co.uk.
EXPERT HELP: Helen Crossley is a retail training adviser at Preston College
How we can help you buck the trend...

THE Evening Posts Support Our Shops has teamed up with the Preston Retail Skills Shop, at Preston College, to offer traders a path towards improving their business. We will be offering free taster sessions on its range of courses, designed by televisions Queen of Shops Mary Portas, to offer advice on mobilising and building a vision for the future of their stores. There will also be a number of free events, including major networking events, advice sessions and opportunities to put traders in touch with people offering advice and support on issues, including nance, marketing and tips on how to build your business. Helen Crossley, who delivers the course, said it would help traders look closer at what they can offer to their shoppers. She said: Independent retailers are the heart and soul of the high street, they prevent our towns and cities from being carbon copies of each other, and inject a bit of personality and diversity. Unfortunately, the current retail climate can make it very difcult for a small businesses to survive, and independent stores owners have to contend with rising costs, and competition from the major chains, supermarkets and the online market place, who may have greater buying power. These courses aim to show business owners what they can give their customers that the big stores cannot, like unique products, specialist knowledge or one-to-one customer service.
OUR TEAM: From left, Michael Morrison, Surya Jonckheere, Chris McBriarty and Danny Lee, the team of UCLan students working on the LEPs Support our Shops campaign man Ric Traynor pointed the nger at greater pressure on consumers disposable income, brought by everything from the rising cost of living to tax hikes and job cuts. He said: With recent evidence of falling house prices, we expect a combination of deteriorating consumer condence and nancial resources to result in an increase in business failures in the sectors most exposed to discretionary spending as we move through 2011. The head of one of small businesss most powerful bodies believes
the Evening Posts Support Our Shops campaign can be the catalyst for a revival on the high streets, by encouraging Lancastrians to start spending but said the real power lies within the corridors of power. Gary Lovatt, the regional chairman of the Federation of Small Businesses in Lancashire and Cumbria, said that hikes in fuel prices and VAT since the turn of the year were further pressures being piled upon small rms. He said: I know one business who is paying an extra 120-a-
day on petrol, and putting an extra 10,000 of costs on his bottom line every year, just because of the increase in petrol prices. When you add in the increase in VAT, it is a double whammy, and these are the kind of problems our businesses are facing up to. Getting out there and supporting our local traders is one way of helping, but the real answers can be solved by the government at a national and local level, providing the conditions within which these businesses can ourish.
SUE JACKSON
MARGARET MASON
MATT FORREST
Youve got to work with what youve got. You have got to put in the extra bit and I think we are well on track. I always expect to nd a challenge because thats what keeps me on my toes. Youve always got to keep ahead of the game. Margaret Mason, owner of Margaret Mason Florist, Friargate, Preston.
JULIE BABB
PETE GRONBACK
I think this year it is going to be tough; it is going to be quite negative. I do think you have to give that bit extra to get those customers. I think we have something thats quite different. Because were a bit more unique, I think that will see us through. Julie Babb, owner of Steeley Lane Lighting, Steeley Lane, Chorley.
ALISON JENKINSON
Im not sure how its going to pan out for us. Theres the VAT increase after a really bad winter where trade denitely went down. Our rates are high and a small tax relief would keep small businesses like us going. Alison Jenkinson, owner of Green Living Gifts, Thomass Court, Garstang.
SHARON PARKINSON
JOSE HAMPSON
I dont know what the effects will be. The thing I dont look forward to is an increase in business rates. We have got a lot of things in the pipeline. We have just gone into bridal lingerie. I deal in lingerie for victims of breast cancer, too. Sue Jackson, coowner of Papillon Lingerie, Cannon Street, Preston.
Our main challenges will be getting consumers to spend money during this fragile economic recovery and to make money out of the music business when music value is at all time low. To do this well be launching some innovative products. Matt Forrest, chief executive of itzamuzik. com, Media Factory.
I think the outlook is really positive. Were looking to double in size in terms of our sales turnover, so were looking to deliver 1m this year. Were nearing capacity in terms of how much we can operate out of our Chorley hub. Pete Gronback, operations director at Halls Food Group, Eaves Lane, Chorley.
Like every other retailer, its whether customers can afford what we have to sell. There are certain products theyre going to cut down on. In a shop like this, and in an area like Garstang, the personal touch makes all the difference. Sharon Parkinson, proprietor of Stitches of Garstang, Market Place, Garstang.
People need to look at their high street, and think about what makes it different to any other town or city across the country
PAUL ATKINSON
STEVE LILLEY
With the new shops coming into Leyland were looking to keep steady by keeping the consumer market. We have a big customer base because weve been here 34 years and were hoping to build on what weve got. Paul Atkinson, proprietor of Atkinson Jewellers, Hough Lane, Leyland.
NEIL WATKINSON
My expectations are to do as well as we did last year but get the message across that we do more than people realise. They (people) have a mindset of going a bigger store (where theyre) dropping prices to the point where theyre not making any money. Neil Watkinson, proprietor of PC Academy, Towngate,
Were being positive because weve a new ASDA opening up on Market Street, and we believe that will be a big improvement to the town because it will join the town up. Were all independent stores, but we all buy together so we can keep the prices low. Jose Hampson, proprietor of Hampsons Toys & Nursery World in Market Street, Chorley.
I dont think the VAT will make a huge difference.The biggest thing will be petrol. Weve got a partnership with Fylde Borough Council and Lancashire Enterprises, and theyve contributed 50 percent towards our shop improvements. Steve Lilley, proprietor of Grundys Ironmongers, Poulton Street, Kirkham.
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Our new look

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Lancashire Evening Post, Tuesday, July 26, 2011

A new look on the high street

NEW STARTERS: Mandie Garside, left, and Natalie Pinder

Pictures: Ian RobInson and neI CRoss

Now look whos following us....

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Follow our blog

The family way

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Supporting you six months on

Are you a hero?

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Use them or lose them

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Get out of the bubble

Hoping for a lift out of the red box

hoPe: simon hancox

DUtY: Graham rowson

Boss: nigel Dunnington

The property expert

call: Georgina cox

The leisure chief

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TEL: 01772 422242

INCLUSIVE RATES IN THE LEYLAND AREA

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Gain while you train up your staff

Just the ticket

High Street Heroes are under cover

StaMINa: Papillon Lingerie boss Sue Jackson

vIewS: John white of whites of Garstang

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Join the debate

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