News: Rotherham town centre deemed more resilient
Retail experts have highlighted a number of factors that should mean that Rotherham town centre will be more resilient to the impact of the coronavirus.
Local Data Company (LDC) is the UK's most accurate retail location insight company. The data firm physically tracks every retail and leisure business across the entire country.
In a recent blog post, the experts looked at the impact of COVID-19 on town centres with Government restrictions, temporary closures and staff that are sick or self isolating.
Whilst Rotherham is not one of the town centres with a low level of long term vacant units, that are expected to have a greater buffer to absorb the high number of store closures expected due to COVID-19, it does have other features of a resilient town, according to LDC.
For instance, Rotherham has a high percentage of essential retail and a lower percentage of leisure uses.
The LDC post, explained: "Other more resilient town centres will be those less exposed to the intense challenge leisure occupiers face by the prolonged lockdown. 15 of the top 100 town centres have an undersupply of leisure compared to the GB average (25%) with Peterborough, Swindon, Walsall and Chesterfield being the largest of the 15. Out of those 15 with an undersupply of leisure, Peterborough, Chesterfield, Rotherham and Enfield also appear among the top 10 towns with the highest percentage of essential retail which is still able to trade, which will add strength to these towns."
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Essential outlets include supermarkets and those selling household consumer products, which meant that the likes of Tesco, B&M Bargains and Home Bargains could stay open. The market also stayed open with shorter opening hours for essential goods.
Coronavirus has had a big impact on the hospitality and leisure sector, with venues not expected to open until July at the earliest.
Non-essential retail could to start to reopen next month, but only when and where it is safe to do so. Some food outlets are beginning to reopen for takeaways. For example, Miele Delicatessen on the High Street, closed since March 23, opens on Friday.
The football club, with its New York Stadium on the edge of the town centre, has also been hit. And even if the season restarts, games are likely to take place behind closed doors, without crowds.
It is also an uncertain time for independent retailers. Will the business rates discounts and government grants will be enough to weather another storm?
LDC website
Images: Miele / Facebook
Local Data Company (LDC) is the UK's most accurate retail location insight company. The data firm physically tracks every retail and leisure business across the entire country.
In a recent blog post, the experts looked at the impact of COVID-19 on town centres with Government restrictions, temporary closures and staff that are sick or self isolating.
Whilst Rotherham is not one of the town centres with a low level of long term vacant units, that are expected to have a greater buffer to absorb the high number of store closures expected due to COVID-19, it does have other features of a resilient town, according to LDC.
For instance, Rotherham has a high percentage of essential retail and a lower percentage of leisure uses.
The LDC post, explained: "Other more resilient town centres will be those less exposed to the intense challenge leisure occupiers face by the prolonged lockdown. 15 of the top 100 town centres have an undersupply of leisure compared to the GB average (25%) with Peterborough, Swindon, Walsall and Chesterfield being the largest of the 15. Out of those 15 with an undersupply of leisure, Peterborough, Chesterfield, Rotherham and Enfield also appear among the top 10 towns with the highest percentage of essential retail which is still able to trade, which will add strength to these towns."
Advertisement
Essential outlets include supermarkets and those selling household consumer products, which meant that the likes of Tesco, B&M Bargains and Home Bargains could stay open. The market also stayed open with shorter opening hours for essential goods.
Coronavirus has had a big impact on the hospitality and leisure sector, with venues not expected to open until July at the earliest.
Non-essential retail could to start to reopen next month, but only when and where it is safe to do so. Some food outlets are beginning to reopen for takeaways. For example, Miele Delicatessen on the High Street, closed since March 23, opens on Friday.
The football club, with its New York Stadium on the edge of the town centre, has also been hit. And even if the season restarts, games are likely to take place behind closed doors, without crowds.
It is also an uncertain time for independent retailers. Will the business rates discounts and government grants will be enough to weather another storm?
LDC website
Images: Miele / Facebook
11 comments:
Basically Rotherham isn't to badly effected, as there's little difference now to normal times most of its closed down and boarded up anyhow! 🤔
Rotherham has to accept it will never be a place people will come to shop it has to reinvent itself as an entertainment nightlife restaurant culture place. The council should be handing out alcohol licences like smarties get Forge Island up and running get the town centre accommodation built so people can Finnish work and have entertainment on the doorstep let Rotherham become known as the good safe town to have a night out
Well, as Bob Dylan said:
"When you ain't got nothing, you got nothing to lose"
Rotherham town centre was blown out by racist EDL marches. I remember every weekend. How could anyone take a family with such violence.
Shockingly rotherham town centre will flourish because of it's new university. Students and young trendy people will likely be the most customers. Well done
With attitude of this council I would be extremely surprised.
What about the racist groomers that caused it all.No racist groomers no demos! 🤔
I was born in Rotherham in 1961 as a teenager Rotherham town center was booming slowly but surely its all gone covid is low as the town is a ghost town even without covid its a ghost town I would say Rotherham town is totally rubbish the only places now are mainly fast foods there is nothing to make any one want to go to town meadow Hall and Parkgate retail have taken everything away
Wakefield became the 'merry city's.....a downward spiral.
Rotherham councillors have annihilated the town centre.. We lost too many shops and unfortunately decent ordinary people avoid it like the plague. It needs to be rejuvenated by enticing nice shops back by reducing rates to affordable prices. It's a real shame because All Saints Square where the parish church is looks so nice now the old buildings have opened the space up where the heart statue is looks really nice. And after all the wonderful efforts put in by Mr Hamby I dread to think how the High Street will fare. I've a suggestion about the old primark building I think it could be used as an independent trader food hall like the one where the old market is in Leeds with street food and unusual shops. Then again you need customers to visit... 🤔 🤔
Why didn't the demos happen on a week day outside council offices, the council let the victims down not the shops.
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