Lerwick town centre

[shetlander]

If parking wasn't important and the street was so good, why did Safeway's relocate oot ower?

 

And now it's Tesco, with home delivery your errands are brought right into your home after a few mouse clicks

Because there weren’t – and still aren’t – any sites anywhere near the street big enough for a supermarket and all the space it needs. Unless they’re lucky enough to have sites in or near them that can be redeveloped, most old town or city centres are never going to be suitable for every kind of shop – big supermarkets, places selling furniture, big electrical goods, carpets etc.

 

That’s probably where Kirkwall has an advantage o’er Lerwick and I have no doot having their supermarkets so close to the town centre helps to keep it vibrant.

[The Cutty Sark]

What's this. A comment or a Tolstoy Novel  ?

The "large" grocery shopping areas are doing fine. But "Da Street" is unique and needs to be attractive and aimed at being a summer season area to visit. Give it to the pedestrians in the summer weekends.  Ensure all parking is kept free at the pier and surrounding areas, have the council put on weekend events down the street; a buskers competition, or a full time platform for "open mic" for local/visiting musicians to entertain at weekends (not just a temporary thing stuck next to the toilet), kids entertainments that will give some light relief for parents with bairns, a summer evening beer festival with the brass band playing.  Lets have more open market stalls down the centre lane in wider areas, not everyone can afford a "shop" lease through a whole year, have some of the squads visit and entertain for those tourists (or locals), that couldn't get tickets to a hall. Not saying these are particularly great ideas, but something that makes the idea of going down "Da Street" a little more interesting of a summers day. The council should have an entertainment plan for "Da Street" in the summer and it should be published and advertised.

 

LK's 'shopping' areas are divided in to three, the street, Tesco's and the Coop/Bolts, folk will not traipse around all three to do their shopping, they'll go to the one, or maybe two that where they can get the greatest majority of what they're needing at that moment in time. And with Tesco/Coop pretty much covering the grocery/weekly/monthly shooping lists of most folk/households, guess what, the street is always end of the queue. Folk are only going to come there when its something they cannot get elsewhere, or on a whim.

[George.]

The council should have an entertainment plan for "Da Street" in the summer and it should be published and advertised.

 

 

 

 

It's not the job of the council.

[The Cutty Sark]

Ok, scratch out "council" and replace with the organisation of your choice. The council give out the street trading licenses and entertainment licenses, they should encourage the use of both for the betterment of the street. Maybe it is time then that they take a more active role in the same.

 

 

 

The council should have an entertainment plan for "Da Street" in the summer and it should be published and advertised.

 

 

 

 

It's not the job of the council.

 

[Wheelsup]

There is the nub of the problem. "somebody" should sort it out. The council have no money and a lack of organisational ability. Living Lerwick is more or less out of it. It all takes money. Who is going to spend money on a failing enterprise like this? Unless "somebody" is willing to take this on and give "their" time and effort to apply for Government/Lottery/EU funding, and then try and persuade local trader to back them. Not me, said the little red hen.

[George.]

There is the nub of the problem. "somebody" should sort it out. 

 

It would be wrong for it to be done by the council, they are not a profit-making organisation and neither is Living Lerwick. The only peeps that would do it are businesses that are out to make money. If it is not profitable it won't be done.

[The Cutty Sark]

Council making a profit? No one has mentioned anything like that, (unless I missed that post so apologies in advance).

 

But it would not be wrong at all. Any council has a complete vested interest in both supporting and promoting business. Many councils around the UK have active help lines and walk in centres for businesses wishing to start up in the area.  Orkney has the Business gateway, the Rural shop improvement initiatives, funding to improve tourism, and offers assistance in setting up summer events and markets days to attract local people and tourism. They absolutely should be assisting in promoting these Islands.

  

 

 

There is the nub of the problem. "somebody" should sort it out. 

 

It would be wrong for it to be done by the council, they are not a profit-making organisation and neither is Living Lerwick. The only peeps that would do it are businesses that are out to make money. If it is not profitable it won't be done.

 

[suuusssiiieee]

Living Lerwick should be closely following this thread to give themselves a wake up as to why the street is on it's knees - but alas i guess they haven't the time to follow it given the meetings they attend and various businesses they are fleecing for cash.

 

Lots of sound ideas on here that doesn't have to cost a business a grand or more to be a part of surely.

 

As iv'e said before Living Lerwick should be wound up, it's not fit for purpose.

Edited March 6, 2018 by suuusssiiieee

[Urabug]

 

 

The number of folk passing through is irrelevant – 

 

I would have thought that the number of folk was very relevant, the more folk the more potential customers and what makes the street "vibrant" surely  it's "da folk" 

 

An empty place do'es have much appeal.

 

 

 

[Lerwick antiques]

There was a wife in my shop on Saturday that had come up here for a holiday. She said it has been 4 years since she was last in Shetland. She asked what has happened to da street, said she was shocked and saddened by all the empty shops and the general state of the place.

[BigMouth]

I don't drive so I am not speaking with any expertise on the subject, but is the paint near the speed bumps the type where you car rumbles as you drive over it? And is the paint wider on one side to suggest entering an area with likely hazards, pedestrians, and cars reversing onto the road from the pub? Is the paint narrower on the exit to suggest leaving an area with likely hazards? If so, it is well thought out.

[suuusssiiieee]

There was a wife in my shop on Saturday that had come up here for a holiday. She said it has been 4 years since she was last in Shetland. She asked what has happened to da street, said she was shocked and saddened by all the empty shops and the general state of the place.

 

This sums up what we locals can see everyday, to a visitor it must be twice as disappointing. 

 

Da Street is as run down looking as i can ever remember, and quiet - this afternoon was grim, hardly a soul.

[Lerwick antiques]

Some parts of the street is really a sad sight, but I am hoping it will be improved at some point this year. Once that place gets opened in the old Hydro place then it will look a little better. Da Noost looks terrible but hopefully the new owners will be getting under way with that at some point this year.

 

As I have said before, the worse is empty boarded up shops, if someone will get something in them regardless of what the shop might be then it will be a lot better.

Edited March 17, 2018 by Lerwick antiques

[Colin]

It costs a fair bit to stock up and open any kind of business and, when you try it, everyone seems to want a piece of your "arris".

 

Takes a brave soul to risk it when there is so little "footfall".

[Lerwick antiques]

Opening a shop has always been hard work and expensive. But if I can do it, anyone can. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.