Empty shops in Nottingham city centre to be blitzed in new drive by council

“It's all very well modernising the train station but visitors will probably only visit once when they've seen that the majority of shops are either mobile phone shops (especially on Clumber Street), or coffee shops, two run down shopping centres, not to mention the "castle", (and don't get me started on Slab Square and its's concrete slab "water feature"!). The city is in need of drastic and urgent rejuvenation. There are some redeeming features, e.g. the Cornerhouse cinema, but visitors arriving by rail are not going to have a good first impression.”

“So why the heck don't someone do summat about it then. I don't know what to suggest, I wok in Derby and their City seems to be doing alright and guess what I've noticed, they don't have parking meters absolutely slung all over the place. Or I might be missing them but when I get back to my car there's never a ticket slapped on screen.”

“Neo_MadBadger every time i come and read somethng on here you always seem to want to lead the conversation so how come every comment seems to be in the worst section of this thread. So if you know everything why don't you go into politics and we all could have the perfect world”

“It doesn't make sense for landlords financially to have empty properties, i know a few with commercial properties (my dad being one) and i do rent one myself, they hate having vacant shops.
Inofthered you make a great point about dealing with landlords direct 99% of the landlords are really negotiable people, it is the fat greedy agents most of the time, especially in the city center.
This subject is something that eats me up, anyway good look today Forest YOU REDS”

“Just been to York. Street entertainers even Vikings in town centre - apart from festival week, when did you last see Robin, Marion or friar tuck in the city centre entertaining the kids?
Broadmarsh? It's a disgrace! Knock it down, have nicely paved covered walkways with nice shops. A continuation of bridlesmith gate, rather than a shopping centre. Make it the 'posh shop' area and link it to the lace market.”

“If we're counting on trams making a difference, god help us- if people don't come into town on the bus now why will they come on a tram - complete waste of money. For years out of town shopping has been encouraged, free parking, good access etc. and now the council wonder why people aren't going into town - if you have a bustling town, then create numerous shopping options just outside the town, less people go into the towns. I'm not against out of town retail parks but i just cant see why the council cant see this - not the brightest bunch are they!”

“I wonder how many "landlords" actually negotiate with tenants themselves and how many use the services of Nottingham's property mafia, I mean agents?

A significant proportion of the empty retail properties also have residential accommodation on the upper floors so although there may be a void in the shop, there is still a revenue stream from other parts of the building.”

“That's exactly what i tried to explain to my Tory acquaintances, Rednote. They just fired back at me with talk of balance-sheet asset appreciation, taxation write-offs and increasing land values. It must make sense financially as a landlord to sit on an empty commercial property rather than lower the rent to secure a business tenant otherwise why would they do it? These people are businessmen you know.”

“Well hows a landlord suppose to make money with a empty shop? In fact they are loosing money as they now have to pay rates where as before they didn't on a empty shop.Rent and rates are simply to high in certain parts of Nottingham center i don't understand what your point is, these shops are empty and the center is declining rather fast.Obviously the current system isn't working and we need to do something to change it.”

“"Perhaps when Lines 2 & 3 of the Tram Set are in place, we'll magically get all the economic benefits that the Council said we'd get from Line 1."

The problem is, by the time lines 2 & 3 are complete, the city centre will be finished as a shopping destination. The retail decline (which is already obvious to all except the ineptocrats in Loxley Mansions) becomes a vicious spiral.....reducing footfall leads to retailers moving to more vibrant areas....which leads to fewer shoppers etc etc etc.

Simply removing the £1 evening parking charge will not attract people back as there is nothing to come back for.”