LIVING THE LIFE

As you know we have three shops, all in wonderful places and staffed by lovely people. In these troubled time we try to make your visits to the shops as pleasurable as we can. The nice thing is that most of our customers are people with a story to tell and also generate energy as they move around. Why on earth should we walk around with a face like a slapped kipper? Yet people do and that simply isn’t fair is it?

So here is the message: come and see us and smile! Positive energy is what we all need to share, so let’s share! Don’t be beaten down by the harbingers of doom. Get up and go!!!!! Lots of new stuff arriving now and at the moment we are still offering 25% off all ladies clothing and 25% off all shoes! That should raise a smile.

The picture at the top of this blog is taken by Exeter staffer Pete Buxton and takes you to a very vibrant Harbour Sports Exeter. We’ve just sent a copy of this photograph to John Harvey, the Exeter City Centre Manager, in the hope that (a) it will show that there is life in Exeter’s Western Quarter, and (b) that he may want to use this lovely photograph for Exeter promotional stuff.

……………..and the other good news? The days are getting longer and the dawn chorus starts before six!

PARKING : FIRST HOUR FREE

A headline in a local South Devon paper caught my eye this week. Traders urged: ‘Vote yes to BID scheme.’ Apparently hundreds of ballot papers have been sent to businesses in Paignton asking them to vote YES for Paignton Business Improvement District matched funding.

BID schemes have been popping up all over the place in response to the deterioration of town centres and the increasing number of boarded up empty shops. The BID schemes require businesses to contribute toward the improvements which then attracts government funding.

Two thoughts come immediately to mind.

The first is the question whether in point of fact we are all, as they say, singing from the same hymn sheet since last summer we had one part of our local council making people welcome and another part making them unwelcome. The photograph at the top of this blog partly makes the point.

The second thought seems, to me, a blindingly obvious way of attracting people back into the town centres in the hope of generating community focused local shopping. MAKE THE FIRST HOUR OF PARKING FREE. All motorists would need to do is print a one hour ticket from the parking meter which would give them a little latitude when shopping, visiting the bank, nipping into the local church for a bit of quiet meditation and generally making contact with the local population.

You can do what you like to beautify the landscape but if the town isn’t car friendly people will automatically drift the out of town cathedrals of consumerism where ample parking is provided with a convenient shopping trolley to prop visitors up as they shuffle around the aisles dazed by the lights and mindless music.

Please spread the word! Support your local community and push for FIRST HOUR FREE PARKING in Devon town centres.

frank