According to ‘The Local Data Company’, which monitors 3 000 towns and shopping centres, one in ten shops in the South is now empty (happily, the trend is dropping).
However, we’ve just walked down Camberley’s High Street with a ‘click counter’ in each hand. As a result, we reckon that the vacancy rate there is 19%.
The borough council has been promising to make the road more ‘pedestrian-friendly’ for around fifteen years or more. How much further does the vacancy rate rise before the council actually DOES anything??
The Camberley Eye 
Part of the problem is also the huge amount of rent charged. For instance, the old cycle shop by The Carpenters is 45000 per annum, and that’s without adding business rates.
That’s a horrendous amount of money.
Surely the high vacancy rate is entirely due to the excessively high rent and nothing to do with the road being pedestrian-friendly or not? The higher the rent becomes, the more shops will close.
Of course, Laurence. But too many empty premises must represent a significant loss of rental income – at what point does it make sense to drop the rents and get some tenants in?
I’m an ignoramus when it comes to rents. I can see that a large landlord would rather have a few empty premises for a short time than drop their rents overall. But when property stays empty virtually permanently, that’s a significant loss of income that must be hard to justify economically?
The town center needs cheaper, good quality, small office space. This will drive the day time economy.
Lets not beat about the bush. Over many years Surrey Heath council has proved itself unequal to the task of promoting Camberley and it’s businesses. You only have to look at the parts of the town it is responsible for to see the results of it’s neglect and disinterest. If not for the great work of The Mall Corporation, The Atrium, and Collectively Camberley whom all business ratepayers pay a levy to I dread to think what Camberley would be like now and in the future. Surrey Heath likes to take credit for the work these organizations have done, but again look around the town at where they could contribute and make a difference and their impact is sadly lacking. Parking, Train Station, Old court house, High Street, A30, the list goes on.We need a council with imagination and drive. Elections are coming up, please don’t vote this lot in again.
By and large, the message has to be ‘Don’t vote Tory’. The ‘Eye’ is non-political, but we do need a radical change of council. I’m sure our present councillors act with the best of intentions, but there’s little sign of fire in their bellies.
Ian you are Right, the elections again next month. However, do you feel represented ?
I sent open letter to Surrey Heath potential representatives prior to last elections [5 years ago], and again to our MP and Cabinet Office last month.
Please consider the immediate benefits of aligning all UK Parliamentary constituencies [x650] to match or overlay the UK MEP’s [72/12]. Imagine if we could re-align to enable clear and fair representation, reduce duplication [MPs] and increase a focused British EU engagement.
From a British citizen: Surrey Heath, UK South East, [UK], EU.
Question Will any UK representative care to listen and Act ?
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A Vote of No Confidence: From a confused English, British and EU citizen.
With the results of those responsible for our representation in the EU confirmed, surely it is time to take Action – UK constitutional reform !
NI, Scotland, Wales and the GLC have clear representation.
They vote locally and then travel to “UK House and mother of democracy”
They have access to large budgets, headcount and expensive “parliament buildings”
Sadly the Labour party model disenfranchised the English by design. Shame on them !
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What Identity: The SEE. The largest UK Constituency – By Number of citizens.
[> than twice the number people living in Scotland]
Please consider the immediate benefits of aligning UK Parliamentary constituencies [x650] to overlay UK EU [72/12] As e-petition route http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/65028
Currently the EU/UK position In, Out and Confused.
The Result is far too many MPs and poor representation
• 72 divided by 12 x 650 MPs = UK Chaos and poor representation
I do realise that it would be like asking Turkeys to vote for Christmas. 🙂