The Death Of The High Street - Is Your Town Dying Or Thriving?

[@FONASDeadlock]

The High Street needs a massive rethink. People's shopping habits won't ever go back to what it once was. We need to see more services delivered from the High Street - make sure the council buildings are in the city centre. The more services we can bring into the High Street, the more people have a reason to go there and you start to create passing trade. If that means you do away with business rates on these properties then that's fine. The High Street needs to be a socialising space with multiple uses, not just retail. If you ever visit Hamilton town centre, you'll see a massive waste of space.

[@Bi9Dre]

I would love to agree good sir, however the younger generation are not interested lol

[@LadyGagaLoveMusic]

Couldn't agree more with this. Unfortunately shops aren't doing it for the high streets anymore, but by having work/office spaces in the same area then you will get far more footfall and likely make the town much more lively and attractive to shop in

[@jamborino2940]

@@Bi9Dre the younger generation aren't interested because no one has given them a reason to be interested. Create reasons to go there and people will naturally flock to it, fill it with bookies/pubs it will continue to decline. Corporations have gotten away with stagnated and antiquated views on customers for way too long, what we are seeing is a result to the lack of evolution of public spaces. We have to stop this blanket generalisation of "younger generation don't use stuff", both yourself and the gentleman in this video outside the pub are both quick to blame them but haven't considered there is zero reason for them to use it.

[@peterbushby9009]

Need more bookies,more turkish barbers, coffee shops, nail shops as well ..and pound shops

[@Bi9Dre]

@@peterbushby9009 that’s not solving f*** all lad 🤣🤣

[@martineo9638]

I live in the Netherlands, down south near a small town. The city centre seems to survive because the counsel actively promote new initiatives and devellopers are being encouraged to turn empty space above and between exhisting shops into homes which both help to keep it alive. They also try and keep giant companies out of the centre (Like McD, Domino's, H&M and so on) we do have a few. I believe 2 the rest of them that we do have are miles out of the city near the highway. In the centre we have privat owned restaurants and take aways, the more normal shops as well as tiny initiatives like a very upscale flower shop and a vegan clothing shop. I think the local government needs to actively be involved and have a long term plan. Ever since I was young they were very involved and always looked at a balanced centre. It does get harder as time goes on but we still are alive and kicking! And indeed, an overabundance of tourisme kills towns.....the next town over is now seeing that and finally getting some tough regulations in place to prevent that. AirB&B is getting more and more restricted. It doesnt have to disapear but tourism has gotten out of hand and killed all livability in so many towns and cities..

[@A-world-of-My-Own]

NL customer shopping dynamic is totally different from that of UK and their Super-Supermarkets, The big five, Tescos, Morrisons, Sainsbury's, Asda, Waitrose. Which have basically killed off the smaller independent baker, butcher candlestick maker etc. This was tried in NL and failed. The Dutch shop smaller locally and more frequently, daily to twice a week, and cash is used much more.

[@itemushmush]

ive heard that tourism is a huge issue in amsterdam and the residents are pushing back HARD on this

[@pjdee5879]

It's not just shopping habits. Teenagers especially used to dress up to wander around town, seeing and being seen. They would hang out with their mates buying records and the latest fashion which was doing their bit for the shopping economy. Nowadays they stay home in their trakkies, playing games, texting and seeing much more than they used to on the phone. The parents are not much different and find their entertainment indoors online. People were once classed as odd if they stayed indoors all the time. Now it is becoming the norm.

[@wanderingturnip]

Yeah that is a great point

[@JI7NKJ]

Yes the good old days, unfortunately those days are long gone, buying your first record was a buzz, taking pride in your appearance, so much has changed and not for the better.

[@LifeofBrad1]

I'm almost 30. I used to dress up a bit when I was in my teens/early 20's, but now I feel like there's no point because everyone else walks about in a hoodie and joggers, so I do the same. Gets me less scowls from the people around my area. Only time I dress up now is when I'm travelling to somewhere that isn't a chav infested dump.

[@dansrandomvideos2515]

I would love to go out somewhere in my home town but if you don't drink or want to come home with ear ache from a club, you're goosed. I would also scrub up better for work but our uniform is unfortunately T-shirts.

[@fatty3383]

Completely true.. people live on their phones and social media..I think it would be soul destroying living a life that..

[@crazyhorse2542]

My missus is a geography teacher. The high street is a module covered in the coursework. She says there is a real shortage of good quality videos on the topic. Maybe worthwhile looking into what is covered in that module. If the Schools start using your content in their coursework, you could see a huge boost in your view count. Great video by the way. Both my missus and I love your videos.

[@wanderingturnip]

Hey thanks for this, I could probably benefit from you misses knowledge as well so I appreciate any tips, if you’ve got any send to [e-mail] In doing my research, I was also shocked at how little this is covered. There was a big look at it about 5 years ago, and then since then there had been nothing

[@wanderingturnip]

And thank you both for watching 😀😀

[@jennydawson1281]

My daughter is doing a level geography and I found your videos through the barrow in Furness video , which is where I work , she’s already looking at the topic and your videos are really useful , I’m enjoying the content as well .

[@harrydebastardeharris987]

The High Streets of Europe are open and vibrant…..?

[@NeilBurtonphotos]

If it hasn't been mentioned before it's also interesting to see how much of your high street is owned by offshore companies and landlords, who's primary interest is to make as much money off the premises as possible. This ties the prospective tenant store holder into feeding large monthly rents, despite fluctuations in monthly turnover. Over time the rent becomes unmanageable. Great videos by the way, keep them coming!

[@deborahcurtis1385]

They also get tax breaks if they keep the property empty. Tax policy changes are needed. They also should removate shops and turn them into housing, where possible. Like the ones with attached accommodation. In the US they're turning disused shopping malls into housing. It is possible but it needs imagination and not short term rent gouging.

[@peterd788]

I love how you are so unaware of how naturally talented you are. You will have your own TV show. I guarantee it.

[@millywood6801]

I concur with that, I think of Swede as our very own Simon Reeves., and I do hope he gets some funding for this project.

[@wanderingturnip]

Thank you mate that comment really means a lot 😀

[@royfontaine5526]

I’d rather he just stay on KZbin and hopefully continue to grow, than sell out to woke TV.

[@albondeb]

If you believe he doesnt know hes talented you are probably racist

[@bethanrumsey4634]

I live in Loughborough. It's a student town and does really well when they're here then struggles when they leave. It feels like shops pop up then disappear within 6 months sometimes. But there is always a replacement to the space that does insanely well upon opening. We are also a market town, open on thursday and saturday, and it is absoloutely thriving, bringing life to the town. Also, smaller pubs, resteraunts and indie shops do tend to do well as it appeals to the younger population. A lot of people complain about students, but the truth it, there would be no highstreet without them.

[@misscoutts6193]

People get grants to open up in empty shops by it there are not enough customers so shut down quick then it starts up again with someone else getting a grant.

[@spenno3997]

I also live in Loughborough and it's just continuing to decline. We are about to lose the Carillon Court shopping centre as it's completely dead. The council continues to build lots of student accommodation. Shops are closing left, right and centre. It just isn't the great town it once was. So sad

[@chrisdavies8202]

Great video as usual, mate. The High Street, sadly, has had a deluge of issues thrust upon it over the last 30 or so years: out of town/city retail parks, extortionate tax rates, car parking fees, development of online shopping, confusing street routes for drivers... Kept up the brilliant work, fella 👊

[@wanderingturnip]

Thanks for watching

[@c1p1moore]

You have a natural talent Mr Turnip 👍A brilliant presenter 👏A production company should snap you up 😘

[@darranhebert]

Totally agree 😀👍

[@deborahcurtis1385]

A suggestion: do a bit of reconaissance work and put flyers out asking to speak with people about the things you're talking about. Right now you're repeating yourself a lot, and interviews hold people's interest and flesh out the story. It then becomes more of a documentary. Do some research on each town as well and show us that. It's coming off as a bit lazy because you're not really prepared. Just blah blah blah at the camera, same old same old. We want to know what makes a place unique, and also contrast with what other places are doing. Talk to the council, ask them about their plans. It will create interest and engagement. JIMO.

[@garywayell7211]

I would love to show you the town i left 23 years ago,as i had foresight to see were it was going and moved only 18 miles away to another town,the diffrence is mind boggling,during the 70s the town i grew up had one off the wealthiest manufacturing in the country along with three working coal mines. Now 50 years later its a shadow of its former past,and thats putting it politely. Another great video

[@paulrowe9604]

I emigrated to South Africa 43 years ago and I left a booming thriving town called Grimsby which used to be the biggest fishing port in the world ! There were also chemical industries and all kinds of manufacturing ! There was so much work it was impossible to be unemployed ! It has ALL gone !!! Boarded up shops lead to the once bustling docks ! Dead as a Dodo !!!!

[@henitinker8808]

There's another youtuber I watched called 'Adam Something' who discusses urban planning. He often compares American and European urban planning, but I think some of the points he makes about the experience of driving a car vs the experience of walking around a town apply here. Basically, a lot of new urban planning is centred around cars. Like the Trafford centre, you drive there, shop, leave. It's not really about the experience of being in the place itself. Now, the market in Halifax is the kind of place you walk around and experience, but a lot of the boarded up buildings in the town were ones that were on main roads with loud traffic going past outside. Towns used to be less spread out, and people worked near where they shopped, went to pub, etc. But with cars, you can do your shopping out of town, (or online these days). There has to be a reason for you to go into town and if you don't need to go to the shops on the high street, the area starts to empty and the betting shops move in. People don't really want to walk around somewhere if it's all boarded up, lots of traffic going past creating noise and pollution, people living on the street, because it's depressing. I don't know if the answer is to bring back 'useful' shops into highstreets necessarily, because big supermarkets can always offer more variety and low cost for essentials. That's the reason a lot of the small shops like butchers, grocers, bakeries etc. shut in the first place. I think it's more about making highstreets into places that people actually want to spend time in. Somewhere you want to catch up with friends, that has a bit of nature and that isn't just full of traffic. I think Hebden is doing a good job of that- but as someone who also lives in a tourist town, properties shouldn't be turned into Airbnbs. It's got to still work for the locals, otherwise it will be a ghost town half the year like some towns in Devon and Cornwall. There's a fine line between regeneration and gentrification, too often they end up looking like the same thing.

[@Seb512]

Lots of good points there, though I think there are two extremes. If you make everything car-centric then it’s awful, but if you make everything reliant on public transport which isn’t provided for then you get dead pedestrianised high streets with no passing trade in cars, which has happened to many smaller towns where most units are now cafes or charity shops. The best solution would be to like you say make the high streets more enjoyable but still provide proper useful shops which will attract all kinds of users. If you see Turnip’s video on the new Bolton Market (posh, uninspiring shopping centre) and the old one (bustling market with everything you need) this is a real eye opener.

[@patrickboyle3065]

The Car thing and forcing everyone to drive all the time. Hate it. I like to drive sometimes, but don't want to get in a Car all the time for everything I do. I get sick of driving as I'm forced to do it all the time, even for simple, rudimentary things. I.think its disgusting as it has been purposefully engineered this way. Nobody was ever asked if they wanted this. It was actually pressed on us, we are tricked and fooled into it and its been totally undemocratic as to how we've got here.

[@leeswain]

I live in Lincoln and although its had money spent on its town centre, we have too many bookies and charity shops. A main railway line runs through the middle of the town. Lincoln University in the town centre is probably the only reason it hasnt fully died. Great documentary looking forward to where it goes

[@tracysmith245]

was going to put the same thing about Hanley used to be so busy in the 90s bunch of charity shops or gaming shops. greggs, and cash converters like they are trying to stop people from using cash I hope they do not push in digital currency be the end of the shopping center community is so important I do not mind not going out but so much will be lost forever

[@Lincoln_six_echo]

Same in Darlington. Bookies, hair and nail salons, vape and discount shops.. we do have a few independent businesses just about hanging in there, but how long for.. very sad

[@nathanio103]

Paid parking is a massive disincentive to every day people. Free, more accessible parking would rejuvenate a lot of towns and cities in my opinion!

[@Wondergirl82837]

You got a new subscriber from New York❤️❤️Love all your videos, i’ve been on a binge watching them all! And wow that lady at 2:46 shaking her head and laughing at you vlogging is so rude. This is 2023 where people vlog and it’s a public street which is legal, idk what her deal was.

[@Ponchoed]

In the US and London (what's the difference?), I've realized most of the more successful high streets have become almost exclusively 'food & beverage' on the ground floor... restaurants, bars and cafes. Plus services especially banks. There are very few true stores anymore and what remains are chains you can find anywhere. There's a lot of things at play... COVID impacts, online retail, work from home habits and wanting places closer to home, generic bland retail, suburban big box centers with free parking, in the US crime has become a huge issue with shoplifting during the day & store break-ins at night plus major customer safety issues like muggings, car break-ins, or being caught in the middle of a store ransanking. Retail is about concentration and each closure is less of a reason to visit a particular location. It also needs to be a pleasant safe environment since shopping in person now is more recreational. I would also argue there is nothing new in retail that is a draw - just the same stores as everywhere although dwindling due to mass closures and consolidations... remember when every high street had a music store, book store, toy store, and a handful of just one-off unique stores you'd only find on that street/shopping area? It's a lot harder and less fun to make a day or half-day event out of a trip to the high street or downtown like it used to be.

[@jrewillis]

Really interesting series. New sub here. I'm from Dudley West Midlands. Out of town retail parks (merry hill) killed the high street. Now those centres are also struggling and the high streets are full of bookies, charity shops, Greggs / knock off Gregg's, cash converters - it is just depressing. It's very much pushing me to buy online rather than go to the hassle of trying to find something in a declining centre. Public transport isn't good enough to get into town. I can order pretty much anything now and I'll get it within 24 hours. Sometimes less. Online shopping has shown a level of convenience that can't be matched on a high street.

[@wanderingturnip]

Hey thanks for watching. Yeah you make some very relatable points there. I'm going to do a whole episode on online shopping

[@simonbeasley989]

I look forward to the online shopping one, but will the Turnip be Wandering or will he be sat at a desk? I am in Colley Gate, 10 mins bus ride from the aforementioned Merry Hill so really convenient for me.

[@wilfulsprite555]

I really don't know what people have against Greggs...if they were eating the same stuff in a nobby coffee shop, they would think it's acceptable.

[@chrisamies2141]

at least I'd actually want to go to a town centre. Merry Hell has no appeal.

[@tobyjackman3212]

It also represents modern day slavery for many of its employees 🤙

[@lisaodd3196]

I love your videos! You want to see a dead town? Look no further than Great Grimsby. I lived there for 40 years and it's now completely dead, broken, lost. If you want to see a good high street, visit Driffield, I can do all my shopping up the high street and it's still a thriving town.

[@LadyGagaLoveMusic]

Yes, Grimsby is not very nice unfortunately😢 It's getting worse too I think just like Barrow in Furness

[@wanderingturnip]

Thanks I’ll get it added to my list 👍

[@Jonnym78]

Funny I was going to say visit Grimsby too! I have recently moved here from Lincoln and what a difference! Really feel for this town as it feels lost and well underinvested 😢

[@ScouseJazmin]

Its worth looking into Sheffield - the vast majority of locals are convinced that the city centre is dead, while the council is putting a hell of a lot of money into making sure that doesnt happen. Even if some of the plans (like a recreation of londons boxpark) really don't work out, they made some really good markets, and kept a decent balance of unique retail

[@wanderingturnip]

I’ll have to come check it out nice one 👍

[@NoelHarrisonfan]

Go to Northampton. The high street is now basically a homeless camp with tents in all the empty shop doorways. It looks very sad.

[@Dublinireland5]

Thank you for your lovely comment I know Northampton I used to go there a lot it's very sad to hear that there are a lot of homeless people every where

[@lisaodd3196]

Another town visited by Iain Nairn. The beautiful arcade lost because the town planners wanted to put a road where it sat.

[@wanderingturnip]

On my list cheers 👍

[@brendanfearon7677]

I am originally from the North of England but I now live here in Eureka (Northern California). Small town retail struggles here . There is a reason that Bezos Amazon) is one of the wealthiest men in the USA . Folks prefer to sit at their computer and order "on line". The concept of walking from store to store (shop to shop for you folks in the UK) seems to be a dying habit unfortunately.

[@valuetraveler2026]

in the UK you have an extra level of greed called city and local councils who did not adapt to the changing habits of consumers. There are plenty of up and coming businesses that would benefit from lower rents in such places

[@brendanfearon7677]

I would say that Eureka is “challenged” rather than depressed. We have a few boarded up store fronts but there is retail activity and at least a dozen good quality local restaurants ( not chains ) . This area was dependent on the red wood mills . However since de industrialization this area has revived invented itself .

[@LadyGagaLoveMusic]

Never been to America but I can imagine that online shopping is likely even bigger there as its home to big companies such as Amazon. The US is also full of chains and outer city industrial shopping areas which are cheaper for big companies to maintain and also often easier to access considering that the majority of American houses are detached and far away from city centres.

[@North49191]

parking in a downtown is also a big issue.

[@wanderingturnip]

Oh nice to hear from someone in your part of the world. I might have to come visit there (if I get the funds)

[@jennyleigh8891]

I work in Stratford upon Avon and over the last 20 years I have seen tourism to the town increase massively. This means a lot of useful shops have closed to be replaced by cafes and restaurants. There has been talk of BHS and Debenhams becoming hotels. Luckily M&S is still hanging in there despite having a Simply Foods M&S up the road in the retail park. I agree with you in that I find retail parks ‘soul-less’ and avoid them, much preferring the older buildings of the traditional towns. Whenever I go to less wealthy/touristy towns though I find myself feeling depressed at the level of homelessness and social deprivation. One change to retail I have appreciated is the rise of charity shops - I think we should all buy more second hand items where possible as it is more environmentally friendly. Really enjoy your videos and look forward to the series.👍

[@wanderingturnip]

Yeah great points! I agree with you on the charity shop front as well. I actually really love having a few near by, I’m totally happy buying most of my clothes and trainers second hand. I can’t remember the last time I bought a pair of shoes new. Thanks for watching 🙏👍

[@chrisarcher5573]

The M&S boss stated that, on average, rent in a retail park is about 3 times cheaper than a high street. This has encouraged them to close our local high street branches and move to a far bigger store on a retail park.

[@daveanderson70]

I live in Northampton and the council commissioned a report to determine the future of a once thriving centre. What made this report different from those previously done and it was fascinating to see that prior to WW2 the town centre was mixed residential and commercial. Like a lot of towns post WW2 there was a shift to brutalist car centric architecture. Seems the future of the town is return to its roots and this is starting with the regeneration and repurposing of the market square.

[@wilfulsprite555]

I actually think the market square was fine as it was. Every time a council 'regenerates' a market place, it seems to be destroyed by it. See Kettering for example. Prior to WWII, most people worked locally because they didn't drive and there wasn't widespread public transport. It was a far more environmentally friendly way of life - but shopping, leisure and work has been displaced 'out of town' leading to the levels of traffic we have now, and dormitory towns.

[@FTFLCY]

@@wilfulsprite555 Born and bred in Northampton. Left home at 18 in 1978 for London and never looked back. Visited an old mate in Northampton a year ago and was astonished at the sheer desperation in the town centre. Nothing to go in to town for anymore. Tragic. The state of high streets does depend on the local wealth. Wanstead High St in east London is booming and mainly with independents. Likewise where I live now, Bath where there are closed units for sure, but not as overwhelming as most and new places regularly opening.

[@OutRAjious]

ie abolish usage rules … let people do what they want to do where they want to do it

[@lordbungle6235]

Also in Northampton and had to laugh, This sums up the area. You looking forward, One looking Back, and One "It's crap moved out "etc etc etc. Myself I moved here 10 years ago from London because London was out pricing it's self (The area I grew up in £4000 a month rents are starting to appear and in some cases £4000 a week 🤯) Northampton has some very good things going for it, My main concern about the developments in the town centre are around the quality of them, We are seeing lots of "Student" flats getting built, but the Uni and Colleges in the town say there is no need for Student flats. A student flat is not considered a permanent residence so is built on a small footprint to a "Flat". So a town with pokey small flats isn't an answer. The Market Place is very historic but the current plans don't seem to appreciate this, it seems to be "Look we are doing something" exercise rather than what needed to be done, like advertise the market properly, get a larger selection of stalls involved, have things of interest. Last time I visited the market it seems to be 3 or 4 fruit and veg stalls all selling the same produce at the same price, a phone repair stall, a workwear stall and a stall selling oversized ladies underwear. All very good if that's what you wanted, but no pet supplies, no non worker or large nickers stalls etc. Today the council have announced they are going to start looking at what to do on the old bus station site, They are going to spend £250,000 on developing plans for it. Why they have waited until 2023 to think about what to do with a building they flattened in 2015 sums up the struggle in the town.

[@misscoutts6193]

Repurposing to.what 🤔. Our outdoor markets were destroyed to make car parks.

[@tommy6006]

Great film yet again . I live in Bristol. We have lost a Debenhams, Marks and Spencers and many town centre stores . In place are pop up shops and market and second hand shops , all temporary. In contrast where I live in Bedminster which was a working class area in the past has now become more and more expensive to live . Local business is beginning to grow as developers have decided this is an area to make a financial killing . There are numerous high rise developments being built as I make this comment . The estimate is a 44 percent population increase in the next 2 years . There are no more Schools , GP Surgeries, Health Centres, Dentists planned for Bedminster. Green spaces are being sacrificed for housing . There is no parking planned for any new developments or new residents. Thankfully I am a cyclist and that won't affect me . If you walk down West Street to the Church on Food Bank days you will see long queues of people all ages , sexes , backgrounds, children , desperate. What a divide . It just reminds me of when I lived in The States . Abject poverty , no health care vs extreme wealth . Talking about shopping I am with you ! Every Lidl Helps ! Aldi , Poundland , Super Savers. Keep filming

[@LadyGagaLoveMusic]

Places like that have huge divide between classes and are generally not actually that nice to live in despite being all gentrified. You can't just build homes but no public services or parking or green space. It just makes people stressed or unhappy.

[@wanderingturnip]

Thanks for this mate. I have a few pals down there so coming down in July so I will have to bring my camera down. My email is [e-mail] if you have any other tips for when I’m down. Nice one and cheers for watching 👍👍

[@tommy6006]

Ok I will have a think over next week or two and let you know . If there are any specific ideas you would like to explore let me know before your planned trip . Two areas that never really get addressed are Bristol's homeless and the drug and alcohol problems that have such an impact for the people who end up on the street. I will take pictures before I email and attach them . Would be good to know which parts of Bristol you will visit

[@markgrehan3726]

It's a shame that developers seem to avoid building the much-needed infrastructure to make an area work but they somehow manage to fit in more tiny apartments.

[@markgrehan3726]

Bristol does seem to be doing a lot of building in the center and on a lot of Brown sites but a huge amount of it is linked to the university and students' accommodation.

[@carlyonbay45]

Online clothes shopping is a nightmare - the sizes and fabric are never like the photo online - i hate it - id rather try stuff on before i buy it ....also Christmas time the big window displays are amazing - you cant get that online . Its a shame .....i also think one empty shop can ruin the look of a town - its that broken window theory - everything starts to look scruffy and the place takes on a grim atmosphere .

[@wanderingturnip]

I agree, I hate buying clothes online. Never works out.

[@misscoutts6193]

If they are from China you can't send it back. They offer you a discount to 'gift' it to a friend.

[@bertiesworld]

One reason Primark does so well. Even in Scunthorpe, which was a very sad place to go shopping last time I went - so many empty shops, Primark's store sticks out. Grimsby is much the same - devoid of good shops. Lincoln is sort of doing OK but even here, Debenhams and Wilco falling over have left big holes that need revitalising. But high streets all over the place need looking at. Maybe make them user friendly. Like put in seats etc.

[@nigelw512]

Very interesting video. Being from Hebden and now Halifax as I was priced out of buying a house in Hebden which was annoying years back I preferred it as a industrial town where everyone knew each other and yes it was busy. Now if I go back its just full of rubber necks ( People aimlessly wandering around looking everywhere except where they should be and knocking into you). But that's what they wanted so fair dos. As for Halifax I think moving the town down from Bull Green to the bottom end killed a lot of shops off years ago. But like you said just look up now and then and see the amazing architecture, one of my personal favourites is the old Burton Art Deco building now MacDonalds. Now in my sixties I find myself going in the market for fresh food rather than the supermarkets and yes it costs a bit more but worth it and its more pleasant walking round than a boring supermarket. As for the Piece Hall I am not a big fan but it serves purpose and we are lucky its still there I'm sure I'm correct that back in the 70s and 80s when they were developing the bottom end of town they wanted to demolish it and it was only saved by one vote at a council meeting.

[@peteri8924]

I am from Halifax too and use the market for fresh food, lots of people moan we have nothing but we will have nothing if we don't support business. The Piece Hall was going to be flattened for a Tesco but thankfully never happened

[@michellenorris211]

I live in the Blue Mountains, Australia. Within two hours of Sydney so it was settled early 1800. It's really a string of towns, each with their own high street shops, some very small, some medium sized. The high streets are going great, with no vacant shops. I think what has made the difference here is two fold, there are no big Westfield like shopping centres and it is also a heavy tourist area. We have a combination of shops such as chemists and bakeries, quirky arts and crafts, cafes and restaurants etc. Loving your videos.

[@UnseenPlaya]

I used to live in Elland my childhood was in Halifax was such a buzzing town back in the day 20+ years ago i remember a tina turner lookalike did a concert in the middle of piece hall on a stage had everyone dancing and singing and the local shops were amazing i really miss it when i moved over to lancs

[@MaryGillespie-e9w]

I remember when I was young there was a shop on the corner of a load of houses. Usually for sweets, paper and drinks. Then up the road on the high street was all the separate shops you needed. Butchers, Fruits, hair dressers, coffee shop, wallpaper shop, Bread and cake shop. ECT. Supermarkets came in and most closed.

[@misscoutts6193]

Our parents had it best.

[@mel4856]

I remember too. Simpler and happier times in my opinion 😊

[@person.X.]

I grew up in north London and the high streets there generally thrive particularly in the higher income areas. Partly this is down to the fact that people have relatively more money to spend but an important reason is population density and people using their local shops rather than driving everywhere because London was never sacrificed to the car like so many other urban areas of the UK.

[@llanieliowe794]

Halifax Is still a very a beautiful town despite the issues it has and it seems to be dealing with its problems much better than a lot of other Northern towns/cites, with it being on the up mostly unlike other places with have their centres in big decline. Hebden Bridge, the hippie capital of The North is also so beautiful... I hope that it stays like this and always thrives💚

[@hardlines2635]

Halifax is a few years behind Bradford, hard to get car insurance in Bradford, they have more chop shops than chip shops.

[@llanieliowe794]

@@hardlines2635 Bradford in my opinion isn't as nice as Halifax, it feels more run down and low in investment, I'd say that Bradford is behind Halifax

[@tellmemore8837]

@dimfm9710 Judging by your comment Maybe it's you that don't integrate.

[@tellmemore8837]

@dimfm9710 Yes they are most welcome. It will bring trade to the towns.

[@tellmemore8837]

@dimfm9710 You are obviously stuck in your backwards mentally.

[@insertnamehere5146]

The only London boroughs high streets outside of the posh ones that are doing well are the ones full of rampant money laundering operations like endless barbers and minimarts . Other than that, its bookies, estate agents and money shops.

[@danbee415]

i love my suburban town, perfect view with curtains down. bleak curtains, but one more gregs will turn it down. cex trade my phone for half a can of monster. kzbin.info/www/bejne/pXqtpo2YjbGNm7s

[@Chalks38]

One thing i notice is all the bookies still around in the deprived areas and on high streets often 4 or 5 close by 🤔🤔 can’t think why!

[@wanderingturnip]

Yeah sad that isn’t it

[@simonbeasley989]

I passed through Weoley Castle in Birmingham where I used to live last week. Castle Square, the local shopping area used to have a toy and cycle shop, a car spares shop and a big shop selling TVs, washing machines etc. All gone. I had a few mins between buses so walked round and counted 10 fast food takeaways. Walking through nearby Northfield that used to have a Woolworths, a Burton's, Foster's (a bit like a Burton's till 80s) a record shop, a Halfords and many more I repeated the exercise. 17 fast food takeaways!!!!

[@ynysmones3816]

Hey! Big fan of your channel here and I think this is a brilliant concept for a series and am looking forward to seeing where you go with it. I would like to point you towards Swansea as an interesting case study. The city centre was blown to bits in WWII and lost a lot of the architectural grandeur and harmony of it's industrial heyday. Dylan Thomas famously remarked "Our Swansea is dead" upon seeing the bombed out ruins. Regardless of that blow it was rebuilt and thrived all the way through to the 80s when deindustrialisation throughout South Wales brought on a drastic and quite sudden decline. Ever since then the collective idea of the city amongst native residents has been that's a dive, somewhere that's been failed - fatally and with little to no chance of recovery - by successive local and national governments. You know, the typical post-industrial British nihilism and despair. People have good reason to believe this, and with the impact of the internet on shopping habits and the resultant shutdown of big chains, along with a very visible rise in destitution and drug use, it's easy to create a narrative of decline. However from my perspective Swansea is massively improved from when I walked around there as a kid (I'm guessing I'm about the same age as you are). The local council has done, in my opinion, quite a decent job of regeneration. They have introduced a lot more greenery and trees, pedestrianized the main nightlife area, attracted workspace/office developments into town, attracted developers to repurpose and save derelict heritage buildings brought the main library/civic space into the centre, built high density housing (yes, including student flats) in key neglected corners of the city centre, built a new Arena and urban park, and more. There are so many more projects on the way, and the fact that Swansea has such a spacious and inconsistent built environment gives it so much more space for growth than cities with dense heritage cores. Alongside all this I've noticed a growth in independents around the city. I've noticed that a lot of these businesses are spreading out into developing areas just outside of the main shopping streets - and in this I see a future where city centers aren't based around the extreme density of shop after shop on a crowded "successful" street, but become larger areas hybridizing leisure, parkland, high-density housing, and service industry, as well as niche retail. In a sense more of the city becomes "centre", with an improvement in pedestrian, disabled, and bicycle access. All the good 15-minute city ideas that conspiracy theorists hate. The change hasn't quite come on yet - the city centre can still feel like a ghost town at times and there are some big infrastructural issues that have to be worked around (the large arterial road that divides the centre from the beach being a large one) - but I think it's on the cusp, and hopefully in a few years other towns and cities will be able to look at Swansea that turned things around. If you're interested in doing a work on Swansea or just want to know anything more about the city I'd be up to help in any way I can. Thank you so much for your content!

[@wanderingturnip]

Hey thanks so much. I’ll get it added to my list to come check out. Also, my email is [e-mail], if you have any other tips to shoot across and we can chat further there 👍👍

[@Wildcat220]

Great video as always, I like the different stuff you are doing. Same here in Scotland, the town I was bought up in is full of vape shops, charity shops and bookies, with the occasional Wetherspoons thrown in for good measure. I moved to St Andrews three years ago because I can work from home. What a difference, butchers, fishmongers, bakeries, cafes, good pubs. Areas with a bit of money seem to support the local businesses but if people are struggling then this is what happens. Councils should help with repopulating the high streets with low business rates for consumables shops and free parking. Only way forward. Love your channel.

[@wanderingturnip]

Cheers for watching. Thats good to know that St Andrews in doing well. I might have to come check it out

[@wilfulsprite555]

Councils don't set the level of Business Rates - they only collect it. It is set by central government. It's simple- areas with well paid middle classes are thriving - minimum wage towns are not - they are like dole towns.

[@harrycheng9348]

Interestingly, many of our historical "town centres" here in Australia are thriving. In fact they get so busy, shopping malls are usually much quieter.

[@vinnieriley7227]

I hope the Main Street revival continues. The shopping mall experience doesn't compare favourably.

[@debsmith5520]

@Wandering Turnip, I suggest you do a couple of things. Look down at the paving & street furniture, it's a really strong indicator of council efficiency. Have they spent a fortune on fancy materials? Have they maintained them? Also, observe how far you walk before the potholes and cracked paving start... The other thing is rents, business rates, and vacancy rates..

[@wanderingturnip]

Yeah very interesting points. I’ll be sure to think of this whilst filming other episodes

[@EnvyPower]

I live in Norfolk and my nearest high street is Gorleston, and although it's nothing special everything is always open, and if a shop does go up for sale due to small businesses struggling etc. there is always someone else coming in to fill in the gap.

[@llanieliowe794]

that's surprising because I always though Great Yarmouth was quite a run down place... I know that Lowestoft is full of run down boarded up shops on the high street but good to know Yarmouth is doing well

[@thisperson5294]

​@@llanieliowe794Yarmouth is tatty but not doing too badly. Lowestoft has suffered far worse.

[@mischamatthews-hill252]

You should visit Totnes in Devon, especially on market day, to see an incredible thriving independent high street!

[@wanderingturnip]

Oh nice I’ll check it out thanks 👍

[@simonbeasley989]

My favourite memories are of Woolworth's in my childhood in the early 80s. It was a day out, they must have sold tens of thousands of different things including records. And Tandy, and rather later a bit of a successor, Maplin. More recently sad to see Debenhams go. I can see why many electrical shops have gone in general including opposite me where it's a coffee shop; 35 years ago a reasonable washing machine was £400. Today a reasonable washing machine is £400 but it costs far more now to run a shop. 35 years ago a coffee was 50p, now its £3.00!

[@wanderingturnip]

Yeah great points there. I paid £4 for a coffee the other day 😂😂

[@charlottem5686]

Love this channel. I'm from Ipswich, where the town is sadly so dead and empty of people. There's no sense of buzz at all really. But I now live in Norwich, just up the road, and the town centre is one of the busiest and most thriving I've seen outside of London. Just down the road the difference is so big, I would love for you to do an episode on these!!

[@llanieliowe794]

Ipswich is improving I think Lowestoft is much worse

[@FnXMusique]

​@llanieliowe794 I've lived in Lowy and I'm hoping the 1st Light Festival helps to revitalise it. That said, it's a vast improvement on Llanelli, where I'm from. That town centre has been destroyed by the council concentrating all efforts on out of town shopping whilst allowing high rents in the centre to remain. The dead town is DEAD. Heads should roll.

[@llanieliowe794]

@@FnXMusique Port Talbot is far worse area and high street than Llanelli if you go Swansea way. I don't think Lowestoft is the worst in the UK just the worsted in the Suffolk Norfolk area for me Cumbernauld is the least nice place in the country.

[@FnXMusique]

@@llanieliowe794 Not familiar with PT town. If it's worse than Llanelli, then it shall remain so. I've never a reason to go to Llanelli as it is. Now living in Ammanford, which has a selection of boutique type shops and vintage retailers. It's not great but I'd consider shopping there. Not Llanelli.

[@thisperson5294]

​@@llanieliowe794What has happened to Lowestoft is terrible.

[@alanminnock8040]

Mate, i have been watching your channel for about a month amazing stuff.. keep up the good work.. big love from ireland

[@wanderingturnip]

Thank you I appreciate it 😀

[@wanderingturnip]

Also, I’m thinking of heading to Ireland to make some films. If you have any tips let me know 👍👍

[@michaelcorleone7598]

The High street is dying but retail parks seem to be in a healthy state. It’s free to park and easier access for people

[@Floortile]

A little bit ‘off piste,” I know, but I was born and raised near a really posh area of central London - Sloane Street. In those days, there was macfisheries (excellent fishmongers) and Cobb the butcher, with sawdust on the floor. Nowadays, it is all frou-frou ladies’ clothes shops, where a pair of knickers costs a four figure sum. My point is that, in days of recession, how long can these shops, of no community value, last - and wouldn’t it be a good thing if they didn’t?

[@garysmith1477]

3:46 the stunning architecture you mention was constructed by African slaves. Liverpool was a hub for the slave trade. After auctions, stock was distributed to wealthy plantations where the slaves were used to construct the ornate buildings which require too much labour to reproduce today. It’s amazing what you can do when you don’t have to pay for labour, eh?

[@wanderingturnip]

Yeah good point. I guess Dubai still follows those building procedures…

[@Rik77]

London is a city of "villages", each village has managed to do ok, the high streets might be messy but they are busy with lots of life. I think it is because each high Street is surrounded by a mixture of housing and apartment blocks, and they are well integrated into the transport network. The high streets in London are full of young people, they live in walking distance of the town, and many shops. So I think there are some lessons to learn here about how a town is structured and what people live there. That doesn't mean there aren't problems, there are still shut down pubs and shops but its not as acute as smaller towns.

[@wanderingturnip]

Yeah good point there. I should make a stop to London on this series, it’s just hard to compare it to anywhere else in the UK as it really does just have its own economy

[@Rik77]

@@wanderingturnip thats true. And I suppose you could argue that its the density of all groups of people (young old and families) living around town centres that helps the high streets, naturally. Which of course is difficult to replicate in smaller towns. And of course since the very centre of London is less populated (at least with ordinary people), Oxford Street has been struggling as a high Street. Thinking of successfully English towns, Reading town centre is very lively and doing well with every shop along with cafes and bars. I've no idea how they've managed it.

[@thepvporg]

Towns that are struggling is down to one simple thing, rent cost and business council tax rates are too high for people to trade or compete with big stores that get special treatment and relief and incentives to keep them in the town.

[@Sazilla]

Interesting topic for a series, everyone seems to off-handedly mention the decline of the high-street, nice to have some long-form content on the subject. I'm sure everyone would say this about the places around them, but Swansea is truly Betting/Vape shop/Cash only barber central

[@ksweet696]

That was the story of Main Street America with the advent of "The Mall" in the late 70s into the 90s. Now the malls are dying and the main streets are rebounding! BUT...not in a lot of small towns. Many small towns are dead or dying.

[@user-s1o3nr532]

Authorities always seem to underestimate the aesthetics of a town on its general sense of positivity and wellbeing. Luton has a history of smashing up its beautiful buildings: corn exchange, old market, theatres - can you believe even its Bodlean Library? all demolished. It looks for the most part grim as and I'm sure much of its bad reputation comes from how bleak it looks. Hemel Hempstead is a bit of a shocker too. It vastly expanded its shopping area just as the high street started to decline and is a model throughout of how not to plan a town. What a mess.

[@LadyGagaLoveMusic]

Luton is practical but not pretty. The only reason a lot of the people live their is due to it being close to London, the place is depressing though and completely lacking character. Despite this it still has a fare amount of investment, but is probably worse to live in then many Northern towns with far less money

[@user-s1o3nr532]

@@LadyGagaLoveMusic Luton has had, and still does have, a planning policy that is wholly unsympathetic to the aesthetics of the town. Historic buildings can still be torn down with remarkably little resistance and the new buildings that go up invariably look cheap and nasty. The planning department also continues to get the basics wrong; e.g. the newly paved area in front of the town hall is a cold light grey whereas the town hall itself uses a warm cream stone. Peterborough on the other hand chose a colour that matched its prominent architecture when it repaved its main pedestrian area. It's not hard to get that kind of this right you would have thought, but Luton manages to consonantly make basic design blunders to this day. Then there is a huge private landlord problem in Luton, where a lot of the housing stock is owned by lazy and disinterested absentee private landlords resulting in its visible deterioration. Although Luton has had some investment, a lot of money is also taken out of Luton; for decades now its biggest business have been owned outside of the town and so that's where the profits go.

[@wanderingturnip]

Thanks for all this. I’ll have to come check it out

[@catherinekostov1952]

Even London's Oxford st is dire to what it was 10 years ago. Huge five floor flagship stores Debenhams and House of Fraser gone. Loads of fashion shops gone. And nothing has replaced those huge stores just boarded up. My home town Uttoxeter is the same all the little individual shops have gone and we had 2 markets every week also gone. Just bland carpark surrounded by tesco home bargains etc at the edge of town.Its very sad but I guess folk have different spending habits nowadays..Lots of nail bars and barbers but I guess that's another story! Interesting video thanks for uploading 😊

[@TheWitchInTheWoods]

Worksop is sadly declining. All boarded up and a few shops left near the car park. Out of town supermarkets, pedestrian walkways, and ring roads in my opinion, just took the trade elsewhere. But it's a bit mental for all these buildings to stand empty when people can't afford homes.

[@wanderingturnip]

My sister in law is from there, I’ll have to come check it out cheers!

[@paulpaine1014]

Nottingham has 2 shopping centres. The broadmarsh was always a bit second rate and there were plans for developement for years. Westfield didn't get round to it and sold the centre to Intu, who began work renovating it. Then Intu went bust leaving a partly demolished shopping centre in the middle of the city, thats had a knock on effect on shops nearby. And gives the city an opportunity to reinvent a space now folk don't buy stuff in physical shops.

[@hummuswithpitta]

Brilliant work. Very informative and engaging. Would be mega if you could try arrange speaking with ideally the local MP or at least someone from the council to see their views on the situation (and why they're happy to grant licences to more and more bookies!!).

[@wanderingturnip]

Hey thanks for watching. Yeah that’s what I’m hoping to do with future episodes. I want to get into as much detail as I can so keep an eye out 👍

[@EnriqueC71]

Turnip, great videos! I recently did a road trip on America's route 66. At one time very historic, very prosperous and so full of life. A lot of dead towns are very much to what you show on KZbin in the UK. So many Americans fled to big towns and cities and left the small towns abandoned. All the simplicity of small town life is gone. In America, I believe it's now just overcrowded big cities that cannot manage a population and in turn the homelessness is just pitiful. Big media companies love spinning the yarn that is just too dangerous to live in certain areas because it's not suited to their high standards however, it just takes a few good people to start a thriving community. Those inexpensive homes and blackpool can really turn around quickly. Keep up the great work!

[@elwanderer7903]

Nice to see a thriving market. Years ago ours was listed in the top 10 best markets in the country. A long history of being an ancient market town, first they moved the outdoor market off it's original square and it dwindled a handful of stalls that aren't great. The High Street started dying. Now our indoor market has been turned into a fancy eat and drink feature where no one can afford the prices. 16 miles up the road the next town has a fantastic traditional large market just like ours used to be. I've watched your channel for some time now. Thank you for the interesting uploads and facts, always enjoyable 😊

[@constancemeijer7]

Darlington?

[@wilfulsprite555]

It seems that every time councils 'regenerate' the market places, they destroy them. They should leave them alone.

[@serifini2469]

Nice idea for a series. Some towns seem to have been cursed by being relatively wealthy in the 60s due to local industry. Councils used that money to tear down a lot of interesting old buildings and replaced them with concrete monstrosities. Now the industry has gone, those buildings are crumbling, making the whole place look down at heel and deterring new businesses. In contrast, nearby towns that were not as well off previously hung onto those older buildings. They're now renovated and make the place look attractive and welcoming with thriving retail scenes pulling a lot of that business their way.

[@johnsaunders9636]

The big names like Woolworths, Debenham, Bhs and C&A leaving the high street have a massive affect, they brought people into town. Now my local City Southend is full of phone shops,fast food places and pound shops. It will never be the same, we used to have a thriving market place. It got knocked down ,replaced by large expensive store.

[@wanderingturnip]

I’ll have to add it to my list 👍👍

[@otakarkuby3926]

You should remember it was the industrial towns that destroyed communities forcing people to live and work in the factories, who's wealth was essentially built on endentured labour. the posh version of slavery (which is still in situe and working well to impoverish). You can equate the decline of community, family and individuals with Cinema, TV. and now Mobile's. people have a complete doorway to a further disconect to what being a human means, with family, in a community. Its currious to mourne something that was essentially built on suffering, when what we have now by comparison is only going to get worse. Governemt/corporations want dependancey and exclusivity, they pretty much have it but unless everyone makes an informed choice, then we'll get "support" whether we want it or not.

[@blackstonejimmy]

I don’t know if you’ve been to White Rose recently but I was there the other week and it felt like more than half the shopfronts were boarded up. Real ghost town compared to how it was 5-10 years ago.

[@wanderingturnip]

Oh really that’s interesting. I’ll have to go have a look 👍

[@aman8086]

Yeah it is boarded up! It’s just depressing there used to be so much more choice, it seems a bit more quiet there now, and there’s lots of unused stalls in the middle.

[@florence2095]

Brilliant 👏👏👏 I’m living in Australia 🇦🇺 now. So it’s nice to keep up to date with what’s exactly happening over there. I hear you when you talk about the Tourist Dollar. This is what happens when we decide to live in tourist destinations 😂. Our property prices go up & so do our Council rates 😢 I grew up in the Medway towns in Kent. My first job was working at Maidstone market on a Saturday & freezing all day. I was only about 13-14 then 🥶🥶🥶🥶🐨🐨🦘

[@sandrafinbar]

Glad you are having some nice weather. Sad to see this on your High streets. People prefer to buy on line. Don't know why really. I don't. A bit of retail therapy and getting out and about used to be great thing to do. Maybe most don't have the money now with the cost of living crisis. Cheers from Brisbane Queensland.

[@wanderingturnip]

Do you have boarded up streets like this over where you are?

[@6079SmithW]

I used to love going to Our Price on a Saturday afternoon to buy a single vinyl. Then maybe to McD's. The McD's closed in Rochdale over 10 years ago. Our Price died way before that but for good.

[@austinallagro]

Great videos thanks. York is one of Englands most visited places but still has the usual struggles. Major high street stores are closing in the city centre (to be replaced by more bars?even though the locals hate drunk people)yet more shopping parks open up on the outskirts. The most interesting thing to me about York is called Spark. Have a look it’s shipping containers creating a unique space for startups and seems to be full of cool kids trying hard. I think you have opened the right can of worms here chief 👊🏼

[@wanderingturnip]

Ah nice one for this. My brother lives in York, im going over soon so I’ll go investigate that. Nice one 👍👍

[@crochetomania]

York is 40 minute drive from us. It has a big artistic community yet no art shops…Most shops in town centre are selling identical tourist junk made in China. Way too many coffee shops and restaurants in town centre too. We go to York often but not for the shops anymore. Even the Shambles marked is all about eating out instead of actual shopping.

[@SimonPeterson-s7o]

I live in Hastings and St Leonard on sea . I was born here, and over the years, I've seen the council completely turn its back on the locally born population and cater for the new money flooding my town who use the town as a weekend break or new hipster hang out as they couldn't afford London or Brighton. They have no interest or sense of history of this town. All they want to do is shape the town in their own desired and designed image

[@RachLZelda]

Have you heard of Ian Nairn? He was an architecture and urban design critic in the 1960s, and he loved the north. There are episodes on youtube, including one about Halifax. I really recommend it, and it should give you food for thought to compare his experience 60 years ago with yours today.

[@wanderingturnip]

Oh nice one. I haven’t heard of him but I’ll take a look cheers 😃

[@RachLZelda]

@@wanderingturnip you're welcome! I think you're really onto something with these videos, and I'm looking forward to see where you cover next. I think having that conversation with the local man was a lovely touch as well.

[@MamaRebelle]

In my local (Gosport Hampshire) town. It’s dying. The shops are few, mainly charity shops and the few surviving chains. In my opinion it is because needs are changing but also 1) the buildings are owned by large cooperations as hedge funds and they don’t care about the town. 2) shopping needs have changed, people need enticing back. The market has died 1 of 2 stalls only 3) pedestrian areas need reopening, places with successful high streets have cars driving through, this means people actually see the shops. 4) businesses rates are ridiculously expensive

[@wanderingturnip]

Thanks for this, I will get it added to my list. And solid points there as well.

[@ThomasMottershaw]

You really need to make a video in Barnsley. The town centre has gone under massive regeneration and the footfall is increasing over time. It's a good place for property because there is easy work in warehouses like Aldi, ASOS, Evri etc.

[@beemoh]

I used to live in Reading, and last time I was there (Late 2019, so pre-pandemic) its high street seemed to be doing well. The interesting thing about the place (literally the only interesting thing about the place, if I'm honest) is that it has a 'proper' shopping mall, called The Oracle, but it's right next to the high street. In fact, it's basically the next street along, just indoors. In there you've got your fashion and tech stores and if you move away from the high street there's all the restaurants on the riverside, which is a pleasant enough place to be. The result then is that drags people to Broad Street, the actual high street, where all your more normal shops are- bookstores, chemists- and on to Friar Street where you'll find the fast food takeaways and smaller shops, especially if you duck down the alleyway that has the fishmonger down it that you'll smell a mile off. It's still kind of all chains (and I certainly don't recall seeing an Ironmongers) and Broad Street has its own, more utilitarian mall, but when I was there it was still doing alright. On top of that, you've also got your 'pubby' pubs like Wetherspoons and O'Neills in one part of town, a short walk away from all the more bar-like pubs and things that are trying something more interesting which are all together, close-but-separate from the bouncier places and the nightclubs, which are themselves quite together, and the whole thing is just up the road from your amenities, like the council building, the job centre and the theatre. There's another channel- 'Adam Something'- that does some very opinionated videos on town planning which often covers stuff like this and pointed out that the US tends to make this big out-of-town malls which siphon footfall away from town centres which causes both to eventually fail, compared to Europe where often the big malls are right in the middle and that has this symbiotic relationship where people come to one and stay for the other. You have to consider the whole town, not just the high street, and I think that's what Reading has done.

[@robertwason1906]

Love watchiing your videos, your enthusiasm is great. I live in Qld in AUS now but I'm originally from Truro in Cornwall. I loved the town centre but it is slowly declining now and the shops are all shutting up. I would love you to visit it as it has so much history, but is also suffering like so many towns there.

[@wanderingturnip]

Do you have any of the same problems where you are now? Thanks for watching mate

[@mindcache5650]

Also look at the nice towns with their pretty boutique shops: Then count how many people are actually inside them and buying ( like Hebden Bridge). You'll be lucky to see more than a couple of people in each of them. I've been there from York.

[@wanderingturnip]

Yeah that’s true. There’s a few shops in Hebden that I have no idea operate, but have been there for years

[@mazz3736]

Same down South. Highstreets with charity shops and bookies!! Horrendous! I used to be able to walk to my Highstreet, 30 min walk, and get anything I needed from a pair of socks to TV! Always had a Woolworths. Now you have to get a bus and go miles just to get a tin of paint or whatever. Shame ☹️

[@brasseye25]

😢Hi. Loving the videos and also enjoying some of the insightful comments. You need to pop over the border to Colne. A town that is well and truly booking the trend. 26 pubs, 3 theatres and 2 bookshops as well as a wealth of interesting and creative people. It's a gem of a place and the only place in the country where there are 3 micro pubs next door to each other! Live music most days, great working mens clubs and some fantastic shops, both useful and interesting. A cracking little place that gets better by the month.

[@wanderingturnip]

I actually did some labouring on a house in Colne not long ago, remember thinking it looked good. And the views and surrounding hills are immense. How accessible is it via train from big towns?

[@wanderingturnip]

I say this as we were driving over

[@brasseye25]

@@wanderingturnip There's a train route to Preston and most of the country is reasonably accessible as a redult, but the Colne to Skipton railway was closed in the late 60s so access to places like Leeds and Bradford is not great at all. A lot of talk recently about reopening the line, but to be honest, there's been talk for decades! Its changed so much since I was a child and especially in the past 10 years. Well and truly bucking the trend and the best kept secret in The North of England, but not for much longer I reckon. Nelson and Brierfield are, by contrast, looking pretty sad and dilapidated. Very sad..

[@gavjlewis]

It's nice walking around the local shops when the weather like this. But when it's wet and cold it's better to go to places like the Trafford centre or Meadowhall. The big change I think is transport. Most households only had one car and the bread winner took it to work. So you either walked to the high street or took the bus which all went to the town centre. My brother used to live in Hebden Bridge (and work in Leeds). But he was earning well. It's thriving on wealth. Same as Bakewell near me. Great for visiting not so great if you live there.

[@wanderingturnip]

Yeah good points. Halifax in winter just isn’t the one 😂

[@debsydo246]

Glad you didn’t visit Burnley market, used to be great when I was growing up. There used to be an indoor and outdoor market. The outdoor one closed years ago but the indoor one is like a food court which sells some lovely food to eat in or take away but none of the stalls from years ago like the cooked meats, butchers, greengrocer clothing, bag stalls to haberdashery stalls, anything you wanted Burnley market had it. Love Hebden but as you say too touristy now and so expensive, still love to visit though. Loving your vids, keep them coming xx

[@willsonj]

I live in Beverley, East Yorkshire. It’s a beautiful market town, with a racecourse and a massive area of common land called the Westwood, which was given to the people of the town in 1380. Our high street is doing very well, and there have been a lot of new houses built. It’s quite a wealthy area so there are many restaurants, and clothes shops, but there are plenty of useful shops too. There’s a Tesco in the town centre and then a Morrisons, Lidl and Aldi further out. The industrial part of town has everything needed for construction work as well. I’ve lived in a few different places in my life but not many of them compare well to Beverley.

[@wanderingturnip]

Oh cool I’ll have to check it out thanks

[@theddiissccoo]

In Newcastle we had pub after pub all along from Blaydon to Scotswood Road as in Blaydon Races song....all gone including go go rock club and Talk of the Tyne my uncle ran...places you see in Get Carter. The lovely old Grainger market is all tat now. Lost Mark Toney ice cream, individual shops. Even high street no more John Menzies. The local Co op , greggs and Fenwicks do well

[@damonalbarn9854]

I live in Norwich and it's the same scene here as it is everywhere. I remember shopping in the city in the 1990s and you had every store imaginable, Virgin Megastore, Andy's Records, HMV, C&A Woolworths and so much more now all sadly gone. Originally Norwich had 1 shopping mall that really did thrive but once a second was built all the trades moved to the new shopping centre. A few pubs have been lost too. We do have a market that seems to be doing very well like it has always done. One deprived area Anglia Square was a hive of activity in the 90s but is sadly a shadow of its former self and many buildings have lain derelict since 1996. It's due for redevelopment but that has been on going for years. On a positive side it's still a beautiful city with lots to offer and a large number of independent shops seem to be doing ok. Unfortunately it's a sign of the times and one can only imagine what our high streets will be like in 20 years time.

[@bananawarriorprincess5679]

You know the fine city is going down hill when an off licence opens up in an old phone box near the cathedral!

[@thisperson5294]

My view of Anglia Square is that it should be preserved, because such developments are being torn down and in a few decades it will become retro. Remember in the middle of the 20th century, people thought Victorian buildings were hideous. However the flooding from the cinema is such a problem, it's probably impractical. And the area feels very unsafe when there aren't many people around.The Sahara cafe nearby is great though.

[@Meryt4973]

Shame you visited Tod on a Tuesday! Almost everything is shut. Ham Corner butties are the best ever, totally agree with you on that. The Astins pies are amazing too.

[@wanderingturnip]

I’ll be back to get that ham corner for sure 😀

[@aichazampalegre]

Love this guy! Keep it up mate!

[@wanderingturnip]

Appriciate it thanks 😃

[@NeilBurtonphotos]

I live in a small town in South Lincolnshire (it's actually not much larger then a village, but has a charter for a weekly market), it is still a busy productive high street with a mix of useful shops, Euronics Electrical Goods, DIY shop, Pet Shop among the usual Takeaways and Hairdressers. Weekly Market is busy too. I think the anomaly here is that it is quite a few miles away from a large town, it isn't large enough to accommodate a chain store so has smaller freehold business premises that are well established. I can see a change coming as some of the larger premises are owned by people nearing retirement. I can't help but think that chain stores with huge overheads were ok pre internet as there was nowhere else, but now that turnover has dwindled, so have they, leaving gaping holes.

[@MysteryManfrom79]

Dying sadly with more closures to come (Llanelli). I do see local business making something of a comeback however in parts. I often think a times did developments kill the nice balance there once was between large/medium sized towns and cities? Putting big stores into smaller towns killed off the need to travel on shopping trips to the nearest city, and in the process killed off all the private shops that made towns unique. All towns had the essentials like Tesco, Woolworths, WH Smiths, M & S, but then stores more associated with city centres like Debenhams and HMV came along, and in my opinion killed off the balance between them. I think it's mostly tourist trap small towns and villages that still thrive the best due to the demand for gifts and the like during peak seasons combined with high visitor volumes.

[@AliWade1971]

Here in Pembrokeshire we have a mix of fortunes for our towns. Some are thriving all year round, others are busy in the main tourist season, some are going downhill and others are fighting back. I do a lot of shopping online. We live 11 miles from the nearest town, I live with Chronic Pain/Fatigue and I prefer to use my spare time to go cycling/walking. Simplifying my life means I also shop a lot less.

[@lollieanne5993]

Could this be an opportunity to repurpose town centres as meeting and well-being centres for communities. Places where people can exercise, meet, work remotely, eat and have childcare crèches. I’m based in south Buckinghamshire and town centres are the same here sadly lots of boarded up shops, all becoming vape shops, betting shops and kebab shops, feeding addictions and not good for people :(

[@wanderingturnip]

Yeah I feel that would be the ideal thing. It all comes down to lower ground rent. People could then open interesting thing, that don't have to be a traditional 'shop'

[@unstruckmatchstick2944]

There's always a lot of hostility to the "younger generation" and online shopping regarding this topic, but I'd like anyone reading this comment to consider the following: -The sheer cost of things nowadays, along with the growing wealth divide. We see on the news that more people than ever are using foodbanks. If necessities are unaffordable, then new, branded clothing (for example) is likely to be unobtainable. We also see that younger people today have less money as it is. - The ridiculous mark-up on goods in general, and the inability of the highstreets to compete with online deals and prices (I think a big one is things like Paypal pay in 3 or Klarna). Again if money is tight, it's going to be better to be able to spread the cost and pay less overall, than to get the item /service instantly but end up worse off. - The death of the massive shops like Debenhams and Topshop etc. Shops that rented huge buildings no longer exist, thus leaving a huge vacuum in the high street. Debenhams was good in that it was multidisciplinary (clothes and home etc.) and was worth going to for everything in one place. - The lack of things to do i.e. youth clubs closing down, shops closing by 5pm (what are you meant to do if you work?), no hangouts for younger people without them being moved on. - The price of a pint and eating out. The weekly food shop is expensive, never mind taking yourself and the nearest and dearest out. - Lots of pubs and eateries are now chains = lack of choice = boring - The cost of entertainment. Seeing that theatre boarded up was genuinely sad, however theatre tickets are wildly expensive even with under 30 schemes. I've just bought a ticket to a show near me that would've cost £38, but got it for £15. However these deals are limited on a first come first served basis. Anyone not in the scheme or wanting to bring someone else or multiple people is going to be forking out big time. I enjoy supporting the local theatre but I couldn't afford £38 a ticket on a regular basis. - Getting into town. The cost of parking is mentioned, but what about cost and availability of public transport or cycle lanes? Maybe actually getting into town without a car is hard and once you're there parking is costly anyway. The suburbs might be too far away from the town/city centre that's it's easier to order online than to go in. - The town centre is ugly. See this video with his bit on the ugly new building in comparison to the beautiful old style stone buildings. It's very easy to blame """young people""" but I think the blame can be laid squarely at the council and local and overall governments feet. It's too expensive to have a shop with ground rent and business rates, the price on everything is jacked up out of control and without regulation (and is evident this time it's corporate greed and not inflation), wages haven't kept up allowing for the consumer class to consume, public transport and town centre services have been stripped back beyond belief leaving the town centre not a nice place to be even if you get in.

[@markshirley01]

Lord Street Southport seemed to suffer from decline but now has slowly reinvented itself as a food and drink street. Its now actually better than its been in a long time. Bold Street in Liverpool has done the same thing, I think its the new trend in towns and cities that can support this change of use.

[@phil1980a]

Kirkby in Merseyside would make a good walk round. While the town centre is small, it has changed a lot from being promised new developments to bingo, swimming centre and market closing. Now present day, a Supermarket has opened, which has now closed the butcher and new market also struggling. Even poundland closed and not returned. Also Skelmesdale is an interesting one. The moan shopping centre largely empty and the town in general seems to have been build with much larger plans originally designed for. Both new towns, and both failures from the 60's and 70's

[@spanishjohn420]

Wow Hebden bridge never heard of it what a lovely town!

[@wanderingturnip]

It is nice, defo worth a visit

[@19bob53]

Another town we used to visit Hebden Bridge and alsoTod market. Old markets and market halls were the best. Little cafes for a good cup of tea and a butty.

[@MsCharley13]

If your looking for a real town with shop and social decline try Newport, South Wales. One of the most depressed deprived areas in South Wales. Beautiful buildings from a time gone by left to wrack and ruin. If you decide to come down give me a shout and I will be your guide.

[@llanieliowe794]

If you go to Wales then Port Talbot has got to be the worsted... its town centre is literally a massive factory

[@wanderingturnip]

Oh yeah nice I will thanks. Give me an email on [e-mail] and we can sort something out 👍

[@michaeljohndennis2231]

It’s true of here in the U.K. where I’ve lived 21 years in Manchester but it’s also true of my native Ireland as well

[@LoKe1]

Preston is really on the slide with lots of boarded up shops and too much emphasis on charity shops, betting shops and £ shops. It started to deteriorate before covid, but lockdowns have made it so much worse. Preston is officially a city but really comes across as a large town. Strangely, it has a large university and a big student population so you’d think the city centre would be thriving… but it’s on its ar5e. Go and take a look - it’s not too far from you.

[@wanderingturnip]

Oh yeah thanks I’ll have to check it out. I’ve only ever been to the station there on the way up to the lakes 👍

[@suekey8072]

This made me dead nostalgic I’m from Halifax now I live in Gloucestershire and only pop ‘home’ for funerals … the Piece Hall being transformed had been a shot in the arm for Halifax… keep up the good work hopefully you’ll be in the paper and maybe on mainstream telly

[@sarahsmith4195]

Chesterfield is full of bookies and charity shops with loads of empty units, indoor / outdoor markets trying but struggle yet just out of town retail sites do well. Be interesting if you could meet town planners/ BID folk who could explain the strategic ins and outs..

[@NoelHarrisonfan]

I’m originally from chesterfield and people often tell me how bad it is these days. Went for a look round last week. Thought it was looking lovely in all honesty!

[@LadyGagaLoveMusic]

Didn't know Chesterfield was doing badly but to be fare I've never been. Grimsby or Barrow in Furness are two that I'd say are particularly bad

[@sarahsmith4195]

​@Noel Harrisonfan I suppose many of us have nostalgia for bustling markets and the like whereas now seems lost, grimy and asbo central but you are right - there are worse places..

[@wanderingturnip]

I’ll get it added to my list. Yeah that’s what I’m hoping to do with some future episodes 👍

[@petercole2092]

I live in Chesterfield in fact I was born here. I may have mentioned this before please included the Shambles area just off the main Market place empty shops also the closed Royal Oak pub one of the oldest in the country ( Knights meeting place) Also George Stevenson the man who designed the ' Rocket' steam locomotive and the founder of Clay Cross Iron works lived at Tapton House in Chesterfield and feel free to ask the market traders about the town and market.

[@tomebers8683]

This is one of the reasons I won't go back to retail as everyone can see what's happening to physical stores, its only a matter of time before it declines to the point where there will be only be stores that are making enough to stay afloat. Which at the moment a lot of shops i thought would never closed have closed, argos or debhanems for example used to hold up the high street. When I say to people retail is going to die out, I get a lot of confused looks but it's a fact we have to deal with now. We also have to think our own kids or grandkids will never experience the hay day of retail when it was thriving. One of favorite stores as a kid was a toy store called Gamleys it was always my most favorite store and the memories of getting your school clothes from BHS.

[@adavies311]

I'm from Warrington and what I think is the problem is that there is not enough variety and reason to bring people into the town. For example there's no branch of my bank and also the amount of same type of shops all selling the same products

[@wanderingturnip]

Last bank near me just shut down. They said it was because of low footfall. They were open about 6 hours a week 😂 no wonder the footfall was low…

[@Muzhskoy]

Great video. You should come down south some time as well. What you see up north is very prevalent here as well.

[@ariescustom]

Come to Glasgow, it's a great example of change. Once the richest city in Europe, had it's guts ripped out by the Tories with the death of the shipyards triggering a couple of decades of austerity. Thriving again now and an amazing city to live in with stunning architecture, but like most other cities the high street is beginning to suffer.

[@wanderingturnip]

I am actually up in Glasgow in August so will be good to explore cheers mate

[@Mantakev]

Come over the hill to Bacup on a Saturday. It’s very busy. Loads of history. Loads of shops. A small market. Plenty of places having loads of money being spent on renovation. I have a business in Bacup. I make dentures 😀 Valley Denture Clinic. Come for a look. Great local useful business owned by local people who mainly know each other. Lots of mill history and of course the source of the river Irwell up above Weir towards Burnley. Great videos. Love your wandering.

[@paulrobinson8263]

I had a small engineering unit in Birstall and had to give it up, not because of rent it was the rates that made my stay unviable, my rates were matching the rent i paid and not as a percentage of rent paid but a percentage of what Kirklees council said what the rent should be, scandalous at the time, anyway i now work out of a mobile workshop and never looked back. Don’t know whether it’s changed but the rateable value sucks or it did 10 years ago 👌👍

[@wanderingturnip]

Ah mate very interesting. I’d love to come chat to you more about this for a future episode if you are up for it. Get in touch [e-mail]

[@joline2730]

Paul: when you say 'mobile workshop' what do you mean?? I would like to hear more about this ... get in touch with the Turnip 👍👍✔

[@joline2730]

@@wanderingturnip yes, I would like to know more about this, too 👍👍✔

[@paulrobinson8263]

@@wanderingturnip oops late on picking this up but no probs at all, anytime 👌👍

[@neiljohnson4763]

Great vlog, l live 20 miles north of B'ham, in a small town. Same here with shops coming and going, new shopping complex out of town. Pubs dying off. Shame really. Parking is expensive and lack of bus or limited service contributes to people not going there. I will continue to watch your series on this, and nice to see areas I've not been to !

[@wanderingturnip]

Cheers for watching Neil. I was thinking of heading to Birmingham at some point, if you’ve got any tips of place to check out do get in touch 👍

[@neiljohnson4763]

@@wanderingturnip Hi, to avoid the main city centre, Sutton Coldfield was a nice area, when l lived there back in the 90s. It has changed a lot. It is a north suburb of Brum, used to come under Warwickshire/ Straddles with Staffordshire.