Terry Nunn
- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 4,302
15 October 2008
11:577542I see that the "Pound" shop next to the Charlton Centre will close at the end of the month. Yet another large façade with whitened, or heaven help us, boarded up windows is in prospect. The only redeeming feature, as mentioned elsewhere, is that Jaggars are opening a greengrocers in what used to be "Deals".
It's a recession and it will be a while before we can climb out of it.
It's also a chicken and egg situation. We won't get more and better shops until we have more shoppers shopping in Dover, and we won't get more shoppers until we get more shops.
Depressing isn't it?
Terry
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
Guest 651- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,673
15 October 2008
12:007543Can't help thinking that they didn't do themself a favour by having such a large properly to sell things for a Quid (unless their rent was very very low).
Been nice knowing you :)
15 October 2008
12:147545Some shops would do well to invest in some training in manners for their staff....that might attract more people to them!
15 October 2008
12:257546I think Dover's been doing a brilliant impression of deep retail and economic recession for years, way before the current national doom and gloom hit the headlines.
In this way Dover is, for once, a true pace-setter. The rest of the country are merely playing catch-up. Amateurs.
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
15 October 2008
12:297548Bern. You are so right with that one when I go shoping now I will walk out and i tell them I will not be back again I do not think there are many shops like that in our town but there are some and they have seen the last of me and my wife, it is our cash which we work for and will spend it where we are treated better.
Vic M
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
15 October 2008
19:177574going back to paul's post, the thing that always struck me about that shop was the wasted space.
it was like shopping at a large posh department store.
pounds shops survive by cramming stock into the smallest available space and challenging the shopper to get through
to the check out.
nice to see the greengrocers/bakers in the charlton centre.
Sue Nicholas- Location: river
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 6,018
15 October 2008
20:387580I find myself agreeing with Bern and Vic on this one .Many years ago I suggested to Mike Webb when he was Town Centre manager to get Shop staff trained.The attitude of some staff leaves a lot to be desired.When I worked in an Off Licence I knew I had to be there from 9.000m until 5.30pm What was the point in being miserable or rude it did not make the time go any quicker.At slack times I had to polish the shelves rearrange the stock.If someone came in at 5.30pm you had to serve them .
I went to Tenderten on Saturday ,shop staff always greet you wrap the purchases and wish you the time of day .Its a place you want to visit .
Its time the staff in some of our shops got their attitude right.
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
16 October 2008
07:297585Customer Service always comes down to training - by the Manager or owner of the business.
I do agree that far too many places in Dover, whether they are shops, pubs, restaurants or cafe's, have staff with a couldn't-care-less attitude and it rubs off on the shopper - the one who has the money to help pay the bills.
My article in the Dover Express for next week, has a piece on the Poundstop shop closing; if people aren't going to buy at perhaps the cheapest outlet in Dover, then where are they going to shop ?? perhaps people want a bit more quality (in stock as well as staff) than they're currently getting.
Perhaps one of the Loyalty Scheme's new members - Velocity Consultants (a Business Improvement company in Dover) will be invited to work with some, if not all of the businesses - some of them definitely need his help and advice.
Three more units going into the Charlton Centre in the next couple of weeks, so that will brighten up the place and actually make it worthwhile going in there.
Roger
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
16 October 2008
10:267591Roger.
WELL said on that one we do need quality shops the public will not come to the town from out side to a pound shop they are good I use them myself, but at times we like to go to a real quality shop like today so we are off out of town to do all our shoping in one good place and again Dovor will lose out on about £100 pounds and like us lots of the public do the same
We know this because we see them there to we even meet up at times for a cup of tea e.t.c. and it makes a good day out, just sorry it is not our town.
Hope your wife is well now.
Vic matcham
Guest 674- Registered: 25 Jun 2008
- Posts: 3,391
16 October 2008
11:457596Sadly Dover has suffered for some time on the lack of shops, and its getting worse,
On the question of staff attitude, it is a shame when you see all to often that whilst being at a check out the girl/boy is preoccupied with talking where they were the night before, or unable to cope with simple situations.
This is often because of lack of training(I presume)
At the end of the day most people want to shop and get in and out as quickly as poss
Banks to can learn from this where many have closed front counters.
Guest 645- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 4,463
16 October 2008
12:177600As an example of poor service my wife toyed with the idea of opening an Asian style restaurant and Deli in the now closed Mary Ann Bistro.I contacted the letting agents in Dover and requested details.I received no response or documentation.I then asked our very own Roger to put in another request upon my behalf who came up against a similar response.
Eventually I was informed by a friend that it had been let to an ex ferry cook.That was 12 months ago and the place is still closed and gathering dust.Perhaps theres a conspiracy to close and keep shut all the shops in town so that it can be demolished and turned into a lorry park.
Marek
I think therefore I am (not a Tory supporter)
16 October 2008
12:257602"Perhaps there's a conspiracy to close and keep shut all the shops in town so that it can be demolished and turned into a lorry park." - spot-on, Marek.
Myself and Andrew Stucken have thought this for a long time. The proposed plans for Whitfield New Town aka Canterbury Garden City and its inevitable bloodsucking out of the heart of Dover - plus the ongoing and expanding chipboard fetishism ravaging the town centre - bears testimony to this. There are a lot of shady, powerful people involved, I reckon, who know this to be true but are keeping well schtum.
The whole town will be a lorry park within five years. Watch the horror unfold. But God, I hope I'm wrong.
Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
16 October 2008
16:007610andrew i see youre warming to bob goldfields dream.
Guest 675- Registered: 30 Jun 2008
- Posts: 1,610
16 October 2008
18:047620Two examples of poorly managed service, the Post Office and MacDonalds. Both of them packed at lunch time, both of them employing part-time staff and yet never have enough to cover the lunch periods. Surely it would not be too much of a stretch to have shifts that start at 11 or 11:30 so that they are fully covered at peak times?
On the plus side, although I have encountered some rude and/or indifferent staff and have always complained to the managers about them, I also know a lot of very friendly and helpful shop staff in this town. Maybe we should publicise and promote them as a way of shaming the others.
Politics, it seems to me, for years, or all too long, has been concerned with right or left instead of right or wrong.
Richard Armour
16 October 2008
18:497623My only comment regarding Mc Donalds is that for an alleged "FAST FOOD" outlet, they sure are slow.
Not just at lunch times either.
Personally I cannot stand the place. The downstairs loo always smells like wee regardless of the time of use.
Hate the food.
However the kids occasionally get a happy meal there, but not very often.