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Lerwick Pet shop closing.


Sukibind
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^ They require their set up costs, losses, exceptional running costs, future investment etc as appropriate to be wholly financed by outside source(s) aka. subsidised. Their "profit" is measured in the benefit of their existence that provides some sort of service etc to recipients. These are not conventional business enterprises but public services that are proportionately self-sufficient.

 

I would be extremely surprised in a pet shop type enterprise would be seriously considered as a suitable enterprise for that kind of thing in its own right, only if it was also providing "profit" in benefits to its employees/suppliers such as the COPE one allegely does/did?? Even then as we have recently seen with COPE such "profit" can vary in value and affect the continuation of any such business depending on the surrounding economic climate. An enterprise of this type is arguably considerably more unstable than a conventional purely for profit one dependant on the laws of supply and demand and market forces.

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The need to "profit" seems to be to some the only way to survive. Anyone who gets involved in some parts of the real world would see that is not quite right,.

 

Again, you are wrong, you do not need to profit to continue a viable service. Though I see how you stretched the profit meaning to include the need of your argument. Still, you are wrong.

 

Setting up a CIC is the best thing any company, who are local can do. Stops community monies getting shipped elsewhere.

Sadly, it seems one or two are contented with monies leaving Shetland to pay for others way of life else where, in order to show profit.

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The need to "profit" seems to be to some the only way to survive. Anyone who gets involved in some parts of the real world would see that is not quite right,.

 

Again, you are wrong, you do not need to profit to continue a viable service. Though I see how you stretched the profit meaning to include the need of your argument. Still, you are wrong.

 

No stretching on my part Peat, I think you need to visit your local library and consult a half decent dictionary.

 

Definition of PROFIT

 

intransitive verb

 

1: to be of service or advantage : avail

 

2: to derive benefit : gain

 

3: to make a profit

 

transitive verb

 

: to be of service to : benefit

 

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/profit

 

Profit is necessary to every enterprise Peat, if there is no benefit or gain to anyone it is a pointless dead in the water exercise which no-one will have the remotest interest in.

 

Setting up a CIC is the best thing any company, who are local can do. Stops community monies getting shipped elsewhere.

 

Sadly, it seems one or two are contented with monies leaving Shetland to pay for others way of life else where, in order to show profit.

 

A CIC has its place, but if no-one derived any benefit or gain and profited from it there would be no point. If you would kindly detach your "profit = financial gain" blinkers for one moment and view a CIC in an objective and unbiased manner, you might just see that the community which owns the CIC profits from it as they gain benefits from it. How that is so radically different to a private company where the benefits profit the shareholders and/or directors I completely fail to see. The model in use is virtually the same.

 

Unfortunately in a place like Shetland a significant proportion of the community's money will always have to be shipped elsewhere due to the very limited range of products and raw materials the isles themselves can successfully produce economically. The trick to coming out ahead of the game is to develop markets for the products and raw materials we can successfully produce economically, which provide an income in excess of the sum of community's monies leaving the isles to import goods and materials we cannot produce economically locally.

 

However, do carry on Peat. I realise that as a confirmed Socialist any hint of Capitalism in any form, however strong the argument for it is, will always be "the devil's work" which you could never possibly entertain as having even the slightest merit.

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Even before the days of online shopping, folks were bringing goods up here via mail order; ordered from catalogues and newspaper ads. It is just the way it is and the popularity of online shopping is prevalent throughout the UK and not just the outlying communities.

 

If traders want to open and maintain shops, in the face of such competition, then they should know, as businessmen, there are profitability risks involved. If their gamble fails, then so be it.

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The need to "profit" seems to be to some the only way to survive. Anyone who gets involved in some parts of the real world would see that is not quite right,.

 

Again, you are wrong, you do not need to profit to continue a viable service. Though I see how you stretched the profit meaning to include the need of your argument. Still, you are wrong.

 

Setting up a CIC is the best thing any company, who are local can do. Stops community monies getting shipped elsewhere.

Sadly, it seems one or two are contented with monies leaving Shetland to pay for others way of life else where, in order to show profit.

 

It depends how you define profit. Whatever the source of your income it still has to exceed expenditure or you go bust. There is a sector of the economy that is described as not for profit, that merely means that all profits are reinvested, not distributed to shareholders.

 

The COPE pet shop is a community enterprise.

 

http://www.cope.ltd.uk/businesses/cope-pet-supplies

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This sorta implies something different....

 

insufficent profit to make it worth the bother indefinitely.

 

I certainly do not think folk could no be bothered.

 

Many associate profit with surplus, but, it can be used to describe other "benefits", a word which would be far more correct than profits.

 

Oh, what swimming pool are you on about?

 

This one?

 

http://photos.shetland-museum.org.uk/image.php?i=151518&r=2&t=4&x=1

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This sorta implies something different....

 

It does. What?

 

insufficent profit to make it worth the bother indefinitely.

 

I certainly do not think folk could no be bothered.

 

If profits are insufficient to make folk think it is worth their bother, they will not be bothered to be involved. Its common sense, borne out on a daily basis by the rise and fall of numerous entities.

 

Which bit is it that you're not understanding?

 

Many associate profit with surplus, but, it can be used to describe other "benefits", a word which would be far more correct than profits.

 

Which is exactly what I said it meant in the quotation from the Dictionary above, after you'd previously told me it didn't.

 

Profit/benefit/gain etc, they are all terms that describe pretty much the same thing.

 

Oh, what swimming pool are you on about?

 

This one?

 

http://photos.shetland-museum.org.uk/image.php?i=151518&r=2&t=4&x=1

 

I'm not, and wasn't. That's your attempt to be obtuse about something, and I really can't be bothered to care what.

 

BTW how far off topic do you plan on going?

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This stemmed from your original post, so not really "off" topic, though, you have gone to great pains to vary it after. Perhaps a different word from profit should have been used. Though, as the swimming pool has not been there for over 20 years, and you mentioned it and its access as part of the demise of Lerwick, I was right to question it. As for the ferry moving away from Victoria pier, I do not see how that contributed to the demise of the pet shop many years later. High streets need to re-invent themselves as folk are not really interested in actually supporting shops when there is greater profit in shopping out of town. I am sure Tesco will provide greater profits as do internet suppliers.

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^ Peat for someone who claims to have lived in Lerwick you seem rather unfamiliar with the place. It was in the middle of a sentence addressing carparks, did this not give you a clue? The "Swimming Pool" and "Pool" became terms in common usage for the carparks to the east and west of the old pool at the Hillhead virtually as soon as it was built, just because the old place is long gone and tarred over for additional parking and its been extended a bit in bye the back of the Grand as well the common usage names haven't changed, any more than the terms "Bressay Slip" or "Steamer's Pier" haven't changed despite neither anything to do with Bressay or a steamer having been near either for over 35 years.

 

There were empty shops and shops which had been turned in to offices on the street when the Clair was still docking at the pier, it was not the booming throughfare it once had been, the boat shifting to Holmsgarth was rapidly followed by a significant number of businesses either following it, or vanishing entirely. After that initial flood subsided that exodus has continued at a slower but steady pace ever since, and continues to this day. If I had a penny for every time I've heard mainly Lerwegians, who remember the Clair docking at the pier say "Whin da boat gud oot wer, da toon gud wi er" I could retire comfortably.

 

Frequent regular purchase consumable "essentials" are what draws footfall to an area allowing other businesses to profit from passing trade, with the recent demise of Malcolmsons I can only think of one shop on the street that still fits that bill, and if last weeks paper is anything to go by, it will soon be gone too thanks to the SIC's latest bright idea in traffic management. The fewer "essentials" products available and the more difficult access becomes, the fewer and fewer folk will bother to go there for only "luxury" purchases, so more and more shops will close, resulting it yet fewer bothering going there. That can only end one way, and the street is well on its way there.

 

Whether the street has tried to reinvent itself or not, I really wouldn't know, the fact of the matter is it hasn't reinvented itself. Whether it can remains to be seen, however having sunk as far as it has gone, further casulaties would not be unexpected between now and any successful reinvention taking place.

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It would be really sad if the COPE pet shop closed. However, has your Auntie tried Harbro? Granted, it's not on the Street but it is a lot closer than the Scalloway vet.

 

You are right it is closer than Scalloway but Harbro is right on the outskirts of town, not practical for an old lady who doesn't drive.

 

I know that the Fishbowl sells pet stuff.... If you can afford their prices!! Plus they don't stock all the stuff the Cope Pet Shop does.

 

There were a few suggestions that my Aunty buy things online, well, firstly- she doesn't have a computer, and wouldn't want to have anything to with them, like quite a few older Shetland folks. Secondly she has always bought from Shetland shops.... Next you'll be telling her not to buy her knickers at Smiths!

 

Everyone I have spoken to who has a pet, buys stuff from the pet shop, I think there is a real need to keep a dedicated pet store on the Street.

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... I think there is a real need to keep a dedicated pet store on the Street.

And? I'm not clear on what you are wanting done. You see such a facility as being important, but say it is closing. What can be achieved here? Given your clear support for such a service, perhaps you might be well suited to filling the gap in the market.

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As a pet owner I'd shopped there quite a few times, but unfortunately I have bought inferior products at inflated prices!! .. ie a cat basket/transporter that my cat escaped from!!

 

I have found it is cheaper AND better value for money to go to the Scalloway Vets for whatever I need.

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It would be really sad if the COPE pet shop closed. However, has your Auntie tried Harbro? Granted, it's not on the Street but it is a lot closer than the Scalloway vet.

 

You are right it is closer than Scalloway but Harbro is right on the outskirts of town, not practical for an old lady who doesn't drive.

 

I know that the Fishbowl sells pet stuff.... If you can afford their prices!! Plus they don't stock all the stuff the Cope Pet Shop does.

 

There were a few suggestions that my Aunty buy things online, well, firstly- she doesn't have a computer, and wouldn't want to have anything to with them, like quite a few older Shetland folks. Secondly she has always bought from Shetland shops.... Next you'll be telling her not to buy her knickers at Smiths!

 

Everyone I have spoken to who has a pet, buys stuff from the pet shop, I think there is a real need to keep a dedicated pet store on the Street.

 

There may be a need, but if the existing business which does supply "at the right price" cannot be viable and survive, that should tell you something. Folk are either going to have to fork out more for their purchases or travel further to source local, as there isn't adequate trade to sustain a more favourable to the consumer option.

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I would buy from local pet shop if they stocked enough range in grooming aids to include thinning scissors and more variety of brushes and combs etc and vetbedding at a reasonble price if they can't stock certain items for whatever the reason I'm forced to buy online and its usually cheaper to with added advantage I can also on the same order get any Frontline or Drontal, hibiscrub etc that I need.

 

I can understand some elderly folk not liking computers or indeed going online perhaps a friend or relative could order online for her and she will get her products to her door and she can just pay her friend/relative however she want to pay .

 

Not perfect but at least the person concerned will get the products she requires delivered her address quickly and she has paid friend/relative how she feel most comftable.

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