Comments on: High Streets dying – not in Nairn

By: Brian Turner

Brian Turner — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 15:53:16 +0000

Was in Inverness today – take a look down any street from the main street, and it’s filled with To Let signs.

By: Paul

Paul — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 12:45:59 +0000

Maybe it’s because Nairn High street is different from many big towns and cities that all look the same these days, so it offers something different. Along with Forres, I find it refreshing to see small and different shops. Long may they survive.

By: Brian Turner

Brian Turner — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 17:44:48 +0000

Here we go:
http://nairnshire.blogspot.com/2009/08/five-town-houses-for-rear-part-of.html

By: Gurnmeister

Gurnmeister — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 16:55:33 +0000

That will depend on planning permission then. For five ‘town houses’ crammed into the area that now makes up the store at the rear of the building. Details on the Gurn.

By: Brian Turner

Brian Turner — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 15:16:50 +0000

Culverwell have told me that the old Woolworths building is currently under offer – looks like we’re going to get a more permanent resident, though I don’t know whether it’s going to be Wild Day, or another company setting up.

By: Brian Turner

Brian Turner — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 12:05:41 +0000

The point I was highlighting was the BBC report of 19,000+ shops closed just in England Wales over this year, and vacancy rates already being above 12% on average.

And yet Nairn High Street has only one single vacant premises, and retail premises remain in demand.

Despite the economic crisis, Nairn High Street is currently showing no real visible sign of it.

That’s what I was trying to cover.

By: Bill (Scotland)

Bill (Scotland) — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 10:01:36 +0000

Do we live in different towns? I do not think a Sue Ryder shop, however ‘worthy’ such an organisation may be, is any sign that the High Street is ‘flourishing’ or ‘healthy’. The opening of Sainsbury’s won’t damage the High Street much, in my view, because the greater part of most people’s weekly spend already occurs elsewhere; its benefit may be that people may no longer travel to Inverness/Forres/Elgin so their non-Sainsbury’s spend in Nairn might increase somewhat. As for the shortage of office premises resulting in possible conversion of residential apartments into business premises, one assumes this is not likely to increase shopper footfall there – so we are no longer talking about a thriving ‘high street’, but a business district – that may provide employment for a few people, which is good, but it does nothing for Nairn High Street as a place where people come to spend money.

I am all in favour of not succumbing to doom and gloom, but I must say I found your article amazing. Or am I missing something?

Best regards
Bill