Newcastle town centre is dying, says boutique shop owner
BOUTIQUE shop owner Karen Shaw is to close her town centre business after 16-and-a-half years trading.
The 38-year-old is currently selling off her stock and even the shop fittings in a closing down sale at Galerie, in Newcastle.
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CLOSING: Galerie owner Karen Shaw.
She is blaming her decision on Newcastle's parking charges, the rise of online shopping and the popularity of out-of-town retail parks.
Karen even tried to persuade Newcastle Borough Council to lower its parking charges.
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But her pleas were rejected – despite councillors agreeing to freeze parking charges this year.
Karen, of Stone, said: "I opened Galerie in 1996 when I was 22 and built it up from scratch.
"It's really sad that I'm closing and leaving Newcastle but I'm ready to move on from the town because I don't feel as though it will turn its fortunes around.
"I contacted the council over the parking after noticing how much cheaper it was to park in some other areas. But I was told the council wouldn't consider lowering its parking charges, bringing in free days or adjusting the hours.
"People's retail habits have changed and eventually we will find that there will be very few small town centres left and all we will have left is retail parks and malls. That will mean that the cafes won't survive as there will be no shoppers going for lunch or coffees. It will have a knock-on effect.
"I am looking around for somewhere else to open up but it has to be right. Eccleshall has a good range of independent retailers in the high street and a positive vibe or Shrewsbury has a nice balance of shops and a park and ride."
The decision to close Galerie comes just days after Stoke City shut their Newcastle shop in the town's Roebuck Centre. Club officials also blamed the rise of online shopping for the decision.
Fellow trader Magdalena Jermakow, aged 33, of Longport, who owns the Studio Effect beauty salon, in Newcastle, said: "There have been a lot of shops closing around here.
"It's very hard to sustain a business in the town centre. The high parking charges stop people coming into town and the parking situation is bad for everyone.
"It's definitely worrying that less and less people are coming into town."
Shoppers have also raised concerns over the parking charges.
Mark Smith, aged 68, of Newcastle, said: "The parking charges put people off from coming into town.
"A lot of shops have shut in the town and I've heard there are a few more closing as well. Soon, there will be no shops left in the town centre except for charity shops."
James Tildersley, aged 22, of Longton, said: "I work in the town and parking really is a problem. A lot of people who I work with park in the estates because it costs so much for us to park here."
Parking charges in Newcastle range from 70p for up to 30 minutes to £4.25 for up to four hours.
Galerie's closing down sale will run for the next few days. For updates, visit www.facebook.com/galeriewoman.
9 Comments
by Anon_mow_cop
Wednesday, January 30 2013, 9:18PM
“Dying, it was coughing up blood years ago. Last time I had to go to 'Castle on business all I saw were low-life hanging around Cashconvertors and the dole office next to it.”
by Churros35
Wednesday, January 30 2013, 5:02PM
“Councils will never learn but when they do try to do something to help everyone is quick to give them a verbal bashing so either way they cant win. Online retailing is 95% of the time much better price wise as they have less overheads so people need to move with the times. Spend some money on a good quality web page and hosting , nice photographs etc and you can still make a profit with lower overheads and most prob more business.”
by Pinchofsalt
Wednesday, January 30 2013, 4:00PM
“Just like its clueless neighbour Stoke on Trent City Council, Newcastle BC uses parking fees as a form of taxation, lacking any form of creative thought or imagination. If these clowns thought it through, free town parking is possibly the only way to entice shoppers away from the internet and into the local shops.”
by mowcopman
Wednesday, January 30 2013, 2:16PM
“The councils are all obsessed with raking in money from parking. They should seek to significantly cut parking fees and cut rates. They have done virtually nothing to boost Newcastle town centre which is a shame. They don't seem to understand that as shops close down new ones aren;t replacing them which means no rates.”
by WebMonkey1
Wednesday, January 30 2013, 2:09PM
“stokeandvale - I know :) - honestly though, I work from home so never have money in my wallet so that's also plays a part.”
by stokeandvale
Wednesday, January 30 2013, 2:02PM
“WebMonkey
"CHEAP SKATE".........lol”
by Y_A_nickname
Wednesday, January 30 2013, 2:01PM
“Wonder if things have been worse over the last 12 months, Free parking up Queen street for 2 hours was repplaced with 70p for half hour and everyone who parked there would have had to take the subway and more than likely walked past (Or into) Gallerie. There was also a baby shop next door that closed before Xmas, coincidence these are struggling at the Subway exit from Queen street? Will the council listen.. Nope!”
by WebMonkey1
Wednesday, January 30 2013, 11:24AM
“Ever since Sainsbury's moved out I've hardly been. It had affordable parking charges (which would be refunded when we did a bit of shopping there) - call me a cheap skate, but that really helped.
Ok, so it's not a massive walk from sainsburys now, but with 3 little kids and britains weather, it is a major turn off.”
by WebMonkey1
Wednesday, January 30 2013, 11:22AM
“Ever since Sainsbury's moved out I've hardly been. It had affordable parking charges (which would be refunded when we did a bit of shopping there) - call me a cheap skate, but that really helped.
Ok, so it's not a massive walk from sainsburys now, but with 3 little kids and britains weather, it is a major turn off.”
by jackdawsson
Wednesday, January 30 2013, 11:16AM
“Another nail in Newcastle town's coffin, but who can blame her!”