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Malmesbury could become a ghost town
6:59pm Thursday 4th December 2008
SHOPPERS in Malmesbury need to change their ways or they will be left with a ‘ghost town’.
That is the view of the owners of the latest High Street shop to have closed down.
Toy shop SPS, the only toy shop in the town, should be having its busiest four weeks of the year in the run up to Christmas.
Instead it is now empty after Anthony and Esther Smith took the commercial decision not to renew their lease and commit themselves to another loss-making year.
Esther said: “We were hoping to renew it because we have been here for five years but the support we received from the town was negligible and it made no sense to keep going.
“Trade dropped tremendously when the bridge was closed and everyone suffered but when it reopened people never got back into the habit of using the High Street.
“People have got to learn to support their local shops or they will have ghost towns. Our prices were fair and we gave tremendous service but every day it was open it was costing us money.
“It’s a story you will hear from many other businesses in the town.”
The couple, who also operate branches in Swindon, Shaftesbury, Newbury and Wootton Bassett, closed the doors for the last time on Saturday.
“It does seem strange for a toy shop to close just before Christmas but it had to be a commercial decision,” Esther added.
Alan Woodward, chairman of the Malmesbury Chamber of Commerce, said: “I see both sides of the argument, trade has been slow to start back up since the bridge reopened and it has been quiet in the town.
“Christmas is a busy time but it is all year round business we are looking for. People need to think ‘use it or lose it’.
“We have reasonable car parking in town so it is a case of supporting your local community which is essential for us all to survive.”
Malmesbury Chamber of Commerce will give the town’s economy a boost tonight by hosting a late-night Christmas shopping evening in the High Street.
Shops are open until 9pm and there will be a performances from Malmesbury Brass Band and an appearance from Father Christmas.
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flip., Swindon says...
2:41am Sun 7 Dec 08