| Topic: | Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:The long slow decline of Devonshire Road | |
| Posted by: | Tom Pike | |
| Date/Time: | 26/07/23 07:36:00 |
| Jeremy, two of the three businesses for which I have figures were convinced that the removal of parking hurt their business (that’s why they had disclosed them in the first place) while the third had a more open mind. I think you should be more cautious in assuming that retailers themselves are able to accurately assess the effect of parking. I’d be interested to see what developer wanted “the largest car park possible”. There will always be a balance in partitioning space between retail and parking in any development. In Westfield’s case that balance has shifted significantly away from parking compared to the initial business case. Of course there are occasions where loading space is necessary, but when proprietors use the parking outside their own shop fronts to leave their own cars for a good portion of the day, you do wonder how essential they themselves feel such customer parking is to their business. You say you want to hear the views of shopkeepers, but then you ignore what they have said! In Penny’s opinion your original claim that Devonshire Road is in decline is exaggerated, but more could be done to realise the potential, not just the return to the status ante you suggest. |