| Topic: | Re:Re:Re:Reply | |
| Posted by: | Penny Ledbury | |
| Date/Time: | 21/07/23 21:11:00 |
| We still do. I run a business here in Devonshire Road and all but I think two of the business are run by their owners. I notice that some of the comments are not based on any real fact and instead are opinion. As a business owner here it is really quite difficult to read some of this thread because of the ill informed speculation. Devonshire is a wonderful road full of independent businesses run by dedicated, hardworking and resourceful shop keepers .We are ordinary people trying to support our families during a very difficult time for us all . If you stroll along Devonshire Road you will see so much effort from the shop owners to create a wonderful shopping street. We are all regularly in touch with each other to discuss matters that affect the street and talk to the relevant agencies should we need ( for example street cleansing etc) . I am completely aware that the traffic / parking situation causes divided opinion, but I can say based on the conversations I had with fellow shop owners that there didn’t to me seem to be a strong push to “ bring cars back to the road” , in fact most were happy with a compromise and indeed expressed that in a questionnaire. We had meetings and there was never from my observations a strong desire to have the road back to how it was in terms of traffic rather it seemed that the majority understood and appreciated that safer streets and less pollution was a no brainier but it was felt no one was listening to concerns shopkeepers had about how changes may affect their businesses. It seems very easy to condemn any business who dare suggest that a car may sometimes be needed to collect goods from them but I suspect anyone saying so has never ran a independent shop / family business and perhaps does not appreciate the problems / challenges that may occur. I really struggle to understand that there is on both sides an inability to see spectrum of issues. Behind these shop fronts are people trying to earn an honest living and like us all are facing a recession and cost of living crisis and so some uninformed opinions on this thread quite simply hurt. |