Shopkeepers take an Easter break too
Archive - Originally posted on "The Horse's Mouth" - 2012-04-07 13:29:08 - Graham EllisI took a stroll through Melksham's town centre this morning - a buzz of Saturday morning activities, with the regular Christian Healing group at the Market Square bus stop, and people popping in and out of shops. And I was delighted to have to keep leading Billy and Gypsy on rather than us being able to walk as we do on the open road because of the number of people around. How good for retail businesses in the town!
And yet, a number of businesses - I think all of them are independent local traders - have chosen to close today and take an extended weekend's break. I counted five in just my short walk, with handwritten notices on the door or in a window, telling me that they were closed. Good Friday and Easter Monday hours are, I appreciate, a special case, but to close on what's likely to be the busiest Saturdays in town since the New Year strikes me as an interesting decison; it seems to show (whether correct or not) a lack of interest in the customer base, and the use of Easter as an excuse for breaking away from a committment to be open at certain times which is made when publishing regular opening hours.
Watch this space - I'll bet that I'll be reporting on the closure of at least one of these businesses by the year end - perhaps two. And that will be a far higher failure proportion that amongst the other businesses. Sad thing is that these closed retailers are mostly independent traders, and they help get a bad name for the other independent traders in the town. If I go to Asda, Waitrose or Sainsburys, at least I know they'll publish and stick with their hours; I may end up spending more, but I won't have an abortive trip.