more shop closures

[smiler]

I see Derhams lighting in Kendal has closed down and I heard yesterday that womens clothing store, M & Co, on Highgate is also going due to the lease expiring.
There will be nothing left soon!
Has anyone else heard the rumours about K village being bought by a large retailer?

[Lakeuk]

Not sure a large retailer would buy the K Village complex, it's usually large pension fund companies that own these sort of things - ones that don't care if properties are vacant for long periods so long as someone will pay the rents they want in the end.

The Kendal rumour mill has thrown up a few things, rumour is that Tesco has an interest in two units at K Village, one for an Express (assume riverside so it can open late) and one for clothes.

Another rumour is that Clark's made alot more money when it was in it's temporary location in town than currently at K Village and would love to have a larger presence back in town, I've heard the lease on the small clarks shop in town is ending soon.

I'm hearing alot of talk on TK Max, mostly related to people seeing an escalator, Clark's missed a trick there.

Went to K Village this week, last time I went was Easter, all shops were quiet apart from Costa. For the first time managed to find some bargains on par with the old K Shoe days - bought some shoes from a small selection discounted by 60% - if they do this all the time with a larger selection sold at pre £20 and get the word out I'm sure the coach parties would return.

Parking is still an issue for K Village, we parked on a side street and walked in, didn't want to pay and feel the pressure of time ticking away. When waiting in the queue to pay for my shoes a women in front had spent over £35 was asked if she had parked to which she said yes, assistant asked for the ticket so she could give a refund on the parking, to which the woman reply she hadn't parked at K Village as she didn't want to park where she might have to pay.

Cost of parking does put people of, look at supermarket car parks, they're full alot of the time (especially Asda), people will skip or make trips to town/k village short and goto the out of town shopping around instead for pressure free shopping

[Snuggles]

M & Co have had the lease for sale sign up for yonks and more than one closing down sale in the last year or so.

I rarely go to K village now, only if I need shoes for the kids really. We are lucky being a 15 minute walk down the road to it and a bus stop opposite if we have stuff to carry home afterwards.

We have only once used the car park since the new place opened, when the old one was there we used it far more because we passed it often so often just called in.

I think there is always an ongoing wastage of shops closing and new ones opening, the time to worry is when no new ones are opening when old ones close.

[smiler]

I've been to K Village a couple of times in the last month.
Both times I saw no more than 15 people walking around the centre but probably 20+ in costa coffee, it seems the only place thats busy. The K factory shop also appears to have a staff shortage as there was no-one around to ask for help apart from a lady on the tills.

[Lifelong Experience]

I have not been to K Village yet - I just cannot think of a reason to go other than to see why it seems to be struggling - and I would not pay to park for that privilege!
.
Several of the businesses have outlets elsewhere - I have used the COSTA outside Elephant Yard several times, parking in the Booths car park on a Sunday for an hour.
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I go to make specific purchases from other outlets near by - and don't even use Booths to get a refund on the ticket, as I would simply be spending money needlessly to do so!
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There must be many more shoppers like me, who are the reason that the K Village is struggling. If they made the car park free, then they might attract people in who visit out of curiosity - but we would be unlikely to spend money anywhere other than in COSTA - so the choice of businesses, and the cost of rents must surely be the key to success - or the reason for their distress.
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[Snuggles]

Charging for parking is the issue I think but I seem to remember it was imposed as part of the planning permission?! someone correct me if I'm wrong on that point.

People used to park and wander, go in for a cuppa and they would then quite possibly spend money. I know we used to call in when passing but now only go down when I need something from there, almost always shoes.

Took my daughter the other day and it was pretty quiet as usual it seems. To me the place just has no character or atmostphere, it's all big and open and boring. The entrance right on the main road is offputting too.

[Lifelong Experience]

If you google most of the occupying businesses - Trespass for instance, you will find lots of other similar developments all around the country, each vying for business.

I wonder how many of them charge for parking...?
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[Lakeuk]

All the similar places I hear people going to I've check out their websites and they all say

Free Ample Parking

Freeport - Fleetwood
Gretna Gateway - Gretna
Cheshire Oaks
Trafford Centre - Manchester
Boundary Mill - Colne

[Lifelong Experience]

The googled centres broadly agree!
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[PaulDucksbury]

Its funny how people prefer to travel to an out of town shopping place and park for free, the local town planners just dont seam to get it do they

Round here their now bringing in residents on street parking at about £70 a year and putting parking meters elsewhere which are gradually creeping out of town towards the suburbs !

[Helmers]

It's also funny how people will spend as much, or even more on petrol to get to a place with free parking, & then think they've been clever & got a bargain.

[Lifelong Experience]

[Lakeuk]

[Helmers]

I've generally picked up on this from the periodic letters in the Gazette from people who appear to be vowing never to darken the doorsteps of Kendal again, so where they live, I don't know.

[obelix78]