My home county has a new tourist website. It mentions a town where I sometimes shop – it’s a delightful little town with many old and interesting buildings together with a selection of independent shops. On the outskirts is a well-known public school.

The tourist board has come up with this gem:

The town displays the confidence of wealth from times past, yet today remains vibrant and progressive with its own chic café culture.

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WTF?

Translated this means that it’s full of poncy high street coffee chains. The icing on the cake is that one of these establishments is trading without a Change of Use licence as it was formerly a clothes shop. The local Council have conveniently turned a blind eye. 🙄

This marketing bollox should be banned!!

The icing on the cake is that one of these establishments is trading without a Change of Use licence as it was formerly a clothes shop.

I suppose it’s better than just having another empty shop unit on the high street.

Not sure of the problem here?

Sorry, but I’m with Jon and damo here; surely it’s much better to have premises that are in use, and that people are visiting, instead of empty and boarded up shop fronts? This is currently an issue in Chippenham; Cafe Nero have taken over a shop that’s been empty in a small precinct, prior to getting planning permission, which has got various locals all het up, we also have a couple of independents and a couple of other chains, including Starbucks. Cafe Nero have just got permission, and Starbucks have just announced they’re closing! Now, I have used a small local coffee shop for well over ten years, but I have no objections to others opening, I use Cafe Nero in other places, and if people want the service they offer, then they’ll succeed, which seems to have been at the expense of Starbucks, which I’m not upset about.
Thing is, people used to whine about there being too many estate agents/shoe shops/charity shops/blah blah blah, so it’s never possible to keep people happy with whatever shops are available, and if a business offers something the public wants, then that business will succeed.
Whether c_g likes it or not. Sorry c_g, but that’s my take, based on what happens in my home town. 😀

suppose they could have been more truthful and said “welcome to middle england hell” perhaps ?

theres me thinking you was on about the bike industry tosh!

If the site is for tourists then you’re not the target audience therefore don’t need to be fooled.

On the
outskirts is a well-known public school.

It’s Slough isn’t it?

it’s a delightful little town with many old and interesting buildings together with a selection of independent shops.

…Translated this means that it’s full of poncy high street coffee chains.

Make your mind up 😉

Guys guys guys – some wimmins logic for you:

Before the arrival of said poncy establishments, the town was well served by independent coffee shops. You know, with proper home-baked cake not shrinkwrapped, and other good quality food. These tea shops were tucked away from the High Street but those in the know used them.

Cue poncy places with mega bucks from fleecing customers being able to afford prominent positons on the High Street. Heaven forbid we could end up with McD’s or KFC. 😯

The character of the town is changing and not for the better!

As regards empty shops, well I would suggest that reasonable rents are charged to particularly encourage local tradespeople to sell their wares.

Count – go two towns eastwards along the A4 for the place in question!

Chippenham?

No, Marlborough!

Bah, Swindon!?

Slough… Maidenhead… Wokingham… READING!!!!?

NNNNNNNNnnnnnnnngggggggggggggggggGGGGG

FCOL it’s Bracknell. Wellington College is nearby.

😉

Stop moaning – you have a lovely shiny new Waitrose! 😆

Sounds like Marlbourgh.Never go to the Indian up by the HSBC that is a rip-off.Mined if it is Marlbourgh i use to like walking around there with the EX because it didnt have many shops.Liked the CD one. 😆

Middle class angst. You’ll write to the Daily Mail or you’ll get over it. Either way, I’m sure the tourist trail to Bracknell will be as well-trodden (or not) as ever.

Marlborough it is. Has Waitrose too. Tesco is a mile out of town. 😆

Yeh, doesn’t change the fact that the website is trying to attract tourism, and not for locals, tourists like coffee especially the brand they can get everywhere else, who cares as long as it brings people. This post has a faint wiff of TJ.

These tea shops were tucked away from the High Street but those in the know used them.

I’m sure they’ve retained their custom then if they were that good. What’s the problem?
Surely the inferior chains are only used by outsiders?

Oh, and I detest supercilious comments like ‘those in the know’. Reeks of English snobbishness to me. 🙂

http://visitbath.co.uk/explore-the-area/marlborough-p476503

Twice weekly market no less

Marketing degrees, how many years do they spend learning to talk utter trip

That bloody advert on with Brad Pitt, after shave or some sort of man stench. What the hell are they on?

I’ve been visiting Marlborough for around 15 years. It never used to have a ‘middle-class vibe’, more a case of both cheap and expensive shops sitting happily side by side.

It’s changed – interesting shops have gone, to be replaced by boutiques
with outrageous prices!

I don’t want a middle-class town but pleased that they haven’t been able to get rid of the Big Issue seller and his scruffy dog. 🙂

Recently a non starbucks/Costa coffee shop opened up with decent coffee, homemade cake etc… It was so successful there are now 2 shops.

Proves there’s still room for independents provided the little chap gets it right.

I don’t want a middle-class town but pleased that they haven’t been able to get rid of the Big Issue seller and his scruffy dog.

Sounds like a grasping middle class desire to climb a little higher up the social greasy pole. Marlborough has always been what it is and hasn’t changed much at all.

What have you got against coffee shops, use one and have a peace of cake with it and chill, the rich kids who go to the private school love to hang out in coffee shops you can start a debate with them 😀

Recently a non starbucks/Costa coffee shop opened up with decent coffee, homemade cake etc… It was so successful there are now 2 shops.

Well, that is really good to hear and just goes to show it can be done!

Sounds like a grasping middle class desire to climb a little higher up the social greasy pole. Marlborough has always been what it is and hasn’t changed much at all.

Am definitely not middle-class and don’t want to be either. That’s insulting!

What have you got against coffee shops, use one and have a peace of cake with it and chill, the rich kids who go to the private school love to hang out in coffee shops you can start a debate with them

There’s too many of them! High streets should be full of variety but that seems to be changing in many places. It’s a shame.

The problem with any High Street now is the internet you cant get a cup of coffee in the post or a hair cut thats seems to be the only things that survive now.Cheltenham which has alot of TOFFS living in it and around it with plenty of money yet the Town centre has 62 shops empty.

used to visit marlborough regularly between 15 and 20 years ago, mainly for sunday breakfast at the polly tea rooms – there was nothing else in the town worth visiting then and i don’t suppose there is now…

by the way many of us like the faceless consistency and anonymity of chains – that is why they have become successful. I also like having a tesco express in the village where i live and whilst I feel sorry for the butcher and the baker that went out of business when waitrose opened I have to say that I shop in waitrose too

oh and i use evans cycles sometimes as well…

I’m pretty sure Starbucks started as one shop, why do so many start shunning brands as soon as they become successful? If you don’t approve don’t buy it.

Because chain stores take money away from the communities who spend there.