Trade in Bexhill - Winter 2012
By Sue Spice – Communications Officer Bexhill Chamber of Commerce & Tourism
Is Business suffering in Bexhill?
Of course, but not as bad as some local towns. There are pockets of empty properties but not too many. This recession is hitting all of us in business in this country one way or another. Bexhill is no exception, but we are doing better than many other towns. Now Marks & Spencer are coming to Ravenside! Great news for our town.
We have seen the loss of several town centre businesses. Now a couple of our older businesses are up for sale - retirement sales. Established businesses with years of experience and “padding” to fall back on will continue to survive, particularly those specialist businesses. Today, and for the near future, we all need some help.
It's good that some Commercial Landlords are now offering initiatives to attract new tenants, and some even offer up to 6 months rent free for new tenants.
As we start 2012 how good it is to see the Devonshire Pub back in business, several shops have closed in Devonshire Road but it is not too bad, soon the old Linen Shop will be refurbished as a restaurant. Of course we do expect more casualties of the economic turndown but it really is not too bad here in Bexhill.
In this downturn it is not just the retailers who have been hurt, the service industries are being hit hard, they tend to be overlooked as they are not as noticeable as the retailers. Most of us know somebody who has lost their job locally in a service sector such as insurance, estate agents, solicitors, accountants, hairdressing, media, marketing and advertising. It’s a really tough time for the service sector.
The old saying “Turnover is vanity but profit is sanity” is more relevant today than ever before.
It is not all doom and gloom, in fact Bexhill is doing better than many towns. Dreams Bedstore have opened at the top of Sackville Road, great that a national chain has faith in Bexhill. New shops have opened in Western and Sea Roads. Just a few new outlets have made a big difference. It is very interesting that, once again, Bexhill is becoming a centre for Antique and Collectables with outlets opening in Western Road, Town Hall Square and London Road. The West Station has now opened for antiques and collectables. We used to do very well with this trade back in the 70's and 80's.
The award winning Bexhill station is an absolute delight, with a cafe, lounge, and pharmacy, in fact we are receiving some good comments from visitors complimenting Bexhill on it's station facilities.
Sackville Road has businesses opening, sadly some have closed. Seems to be a little enclave of property agents around the traffic lights, this is good. Smaller businesses are continuing to open in most of our trading roads, not with a huge amount of publicity, they don’t have the marketing budgets for this, but they are opening, they do see a future here.
We are a visitor destination, email requests from potential visitors for copies of the Official Guide to Bexhill are similar to this same period last year, many of these people are first time visitors. Last year, the requests from Europe slowed down. But the Dutch, Belgians and Germans are still requesting guides. We are now starting to see a trickle of requests from visitors attending the 2012 Olympics from as far away as New Zealand. These visitors spend money, they stay, eat, shop. Interestingly over 25% of requests for the Bexhill Guide are from people who are investigating moving to Bexhill.
One of the selling points for marketing Bexhill is the amount of owner managed shops that we have in town, visitors to the town find this really interesting and a refreshing change from the shopping malls and the lookalike town centres up and down the country.
Like it or not, we have the most charity shops of any town of similar size in Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire and Kent. Several coach companies come here each week simply for their passengers to visit DLWP and the "town with all the charity shops". This should be seen as good news - as these visitors not only buy in our charity shops but they also visit our cafes and other shops.
Parking always causes friction, in every town throughout the country - however we are different.
We should remember and celebrate the fact that we are now the last town in East Sussex to have free onstreet parking, plus we have all of the promenade for unrestricted parking.
We really are the envy of Eastbourne and Hastings with all of this free parking. Another positive is the move by the Council to charge only 50p for all day parking in Wainwright Road car park, this is a really good car park for Town Hall Square and the Western end of town.
If you are interested in opening a business in Bexhill email info@bexhillchamber.co.uk as we have members who may be able to assist you with premises. We also have lots of information and will be able to answer many of your questions.