General Discussion
If true its just another blow for the town and its traders. If it is for utility or highway maintenance then it may not be possible to claim compensation for loss of business due to I think its a section 278 authority given to the county council by government which means they do not have to give prior notice, apply for planning or anything else. They just turn up and close the road. E-mail councilor Clatworthy for confirmation on this.
So far as I understand not only will the Strand be closed but Queen Street will also be closed for a period, as well as other locations for 'essential' gas repairs. I find it difficult to accept after the closure of parts of Park Road earlier this year, High Street for three months last year and, if my memory serves me correctly, Queen St. the previous year for one month for essential sewer maintenance. I fully understand that services must be maintained but during the worst recession this country has ever seen, straight after Sainsbury's opening this must be seen for what it is - sheer folly! Given that some kind of highway reconstruction may take place within the regeneration of The Strand, maybe it would be sensible to carry out any works required then. Rather than digging it up in early September and then doing it again next year. Any road works in the centre of the town causes gridlock and loss of customers to the Traders. Is it too much to ask that our service companies liaise with each other to minimise the adverse effect on the town rather than maximise it? Can our councillors help in any way to save our town?
As long as Dawlish has the sea there is no problem as people will visit, it is those that keep the town in business and lways have.. Note the number of traders from one end of the Strand to the other that have no need to worry about Sainsburys: Travel Agent, Estate Agents, Optician, Shoe Shop, Bookies, Gift shops, Restaurants, Stokes veg (all agree veg is cheaper in veg shops than supermarkets). Butcher will hold its own. Coop wont notice much difference because people didnt use before Sainsburys. No cars would make it pleasant as it is in Teignmouth...if it works in other towns why not here.
FFS WHAT PLANET ARE YOU ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
speak to stokes, lm etc and ask them how they are suffering now with Sainsburys arrival
pleased to say I am not associated with the 'FFS' planet lol
You clearly do not use One Stop (Tesco) ..the Post Office on Monday had a queue of 15 with 2 counter staff at 12 noon ..so how come they were there and why was the path along the Strand so busy?
re your comments about the post office. Are you saying it was busy? P'raps that's because it's the only one in town?
Just a thought.
Seemed busier than normal.. also as I said there were two on the counter and they were clearing the queue well ..mind all the poeple waiting were 'huffing and puffing'.. It is as you say the only one in town..perhaps people have come into Dawlish to spend time by the sea before or after shopping at Sainsburys, I always thought that would happen.. If people have come from Newton or Teignmouth you have to pass through the town dont you.
but are they spending money!!!!!! go along and ask how much the bakers, veg shop butchers and coop have lost, and then come back and comment. Ive asked them and their takings are wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyy down, the last thing we need if we want to keep our town centre is total pedestrianisation or 5 weeks of utility works at this crucial time. I expect you shop at Sainsburys now
ive nothing against Sainsburys, but to say its the best thing to happen to dawlish, you must have a very sad life!!!! Dawlish Town Centre will be out there soon best build a lot of new shops and then the Strand can be pedestrianised and turned over completely to cafes and charity shops for wondering to sit and have his/her cake
Now know that an application has been made to do these works and there will be a consultation process
who r u brazilnut. if ur gonna diss me then u need 2 watch ur back u saddo. r u and mugonass in a gang.
ive lived in dawlish and worked in dawlish all my life, but do i shop in town - no , maybe into onestop for a brief second for a chocolate bar, old retired people and holiday makers keep the town afloat , sainsburys wont really change that, Dawlish (town) has been packed all week , busy with holiday makers, i dont see them going all the way out to sainsburys to buy and bucket and spade and an ice cream!!! And the Oap`s who shop in dawlish and have done for years wont change their shopping routine!!
What selfish sad little people you are!!!!!!!!!! town has been packed but theyve not been shopping!!!!! fetes on lawn all week!!!!! shop at sainsburys before they come into town!!!!! have you no feelings for those local people who work in those shops and are wondering if they will have a job in 2months time!!!!! as I said SELFISH LITTLE PEOPLE. These utility works at the beginning of September will be the nail in the coffin because the strand will be CLOSED and the holidaymakers will have gone home
Dawlish is having a VERY quiet year financially, just take the trouble to ask local traders. Most local holidaymakers stay in Dawlish Warren so they now shop at Sainsburys. Local 'oldies' not changing their habits!!!!!!!, I know 2 OAPs with cars who now collect neighbours, who used to shop at Co-op, and take them to Sainsburys. Guess where people who work in Exeter shop on their way home.
I am sure pedestrianising the Strand will kill it, surely these Utility works will prove this one way or the other. Locals who use cars have told me they would not park in Barton car park and walk to the Strand. In the time it takes to walk to the Strand they could have driven to, guess where, begins with Sa...The number of cars parked in the Strand every day (and Queen Street) surely prove that many people want to drive to the shops. Just making remarks saying that other Towns were improved by making shopping pedestrianised is nonsense without making a proper comparison, Dawlish only has one 'shopping' street, but I do think that parking should be restricted to one side of the Strand.
I think high streets all over the country are having a bad year , so i doubt if Dawlish is different. The opening of sainsburys will have a big difference to start with , but people will soon realise that by the time you add the petrol cost on its hardly cheaper. Veg is dearer and the quality is far poorer to start off.Petrol a penny cheaper a litre. It will cost you that to drive the extra mile. Meat not local and certainly not as fresh as Lloyd Maunders.
Yes they may be cheaper for tinned goods and special offers but then co-op has special offers as well.
I may do a trip to sainsburys once a month for a bulk shop of tins and washing powder, toiletries etc, but then i did this in exeter anyway, so no change for me.
Well I went for the first time this Thursday and have to say its very smart, you wouldnt think you were in Dawlish. I went at 2pm and was very quiet... each isle had no more than four people in it, one had none. The clothes department is something Dawlish needed.
As J says the veg and meat is cheaper in town, (most know that) I saw many many things that I normally buy in Asda cheaper. I did notice the Hovis bread prices, it is actually cheaper in Costcutters, so swings and roundabouts. Feel many tried to blame Sainsburys for their drop in sales. Remember people were moaning last summer and they wernt even open then.
You can't judge a business by a 'snapshot' at one time, have just got home from Sainsburys, 20:30, and there were queues at every checkout, many prices, especially veg are up to half the price of anywhere in Dawlish. But some things are dearer, forget prices, if a person can go to one shop, park outside for free and get everything they need, then that's where they will shop.
Many people only look at prices but I wouldn't eat most of the cheap products from ASDA, TESCO or SAINSBURYS, tonight I saw frozen chicken pieces at Sainsburys, 2,5kg for £3-50, no thanks.
Hope the companies responsible have read about this
www.telegraph.co.uk/.../8714683/Fines-for-firms-that-dig-up-roads-in-the-rush-hour.html
wonder if the councils will pay out a share of the fine money to the businesses effected on the Strand.
Lets move on and get it pedestrianised it would look great . After 12 mths everyone will wonder what all the fuss was about. Newton Abbot seems to have adopted the right design formulae.If its attractive then people will come for an all round shopping experience.
Fredrick you are so right ..people in Dawlish so hate change, anything new and wonder why the town gets left behind....you know what Ive had it with Dawlish ...moved out today!!!!!.. Take care all.
It wont work because of the logistics of the strand even the business"s dont want it. They are struggling now that would just finish them off. We are not Teignmouth/Newton Abbot.we are one street with shops, the favoured option from what ive heard is parking on the lawn side and make the pavement wider on the shop side. by by wondering.
Yes Brazilnut, you are quite right, comparing a high street which has major stores like Waterstones, W H Smith and various clothing stores with Dawlish is nonsense, there are no stores to attract anyone. If you take away parking in the Strand it will be deserted. Also agree parking is badly organised and must be more restriced to allow better access for buses amd large vehicles to get through.