Here's some thoughts in from a regular Gurnite, would anyone else be inclined to agree?
"I think, Nairn’s Business Association should
a) strongly protest and run berserk against the new signs along the B9090 keeping away potential (paying) visitors from Nairn, but
b) the shopkeepers would be well-advised to reconsider their opening times:
a) strongly protest and run berserk against the new signs along the B9090 keeping away potential (paying) visitors from Nairn, but
b) the shopkeepers would be well-advised to reconsider their opening times:
People who make the effort to drive into Nairn for shopping at Sainsbury after their working day and who want to “explore” Nairn’s High Street, will be bitterly disappointed to find out there is only the Coop open.
A shopkeeper I spoke to said he might try longer opening times perhaps next year and in summer only.....
From my point of view this is a completely lost opportunity – a disappointed customer will not make a second approach.
When working last week in our front garden, a couple – tourists – stopped and asked where they could find Nairn’s shops – it was 5.15 p.m. .......my husband and I could only recommend the Coop.....
Opening times until 6.30 or even better 7 p.m. would be very helpful to present Nairn as a vital place and not as the sleepy village.
If Nairn’s shopkeepers will not adjust their habits to the new situation they will miss a one-off. They cannot blame Sainsbury if they are not prepared and willing to offer fresh ideas in reply."
11 comments:
Well to be fair. They did try "spot the stranger" again.?
I accept that I'm old, but I still cannot fathom as to why people need near 24 hour shops
The downside for this co called shopping marvel is that we pay more for goods as supermarkets open their doors for longer. We're paying for staffing, heat, and light
If you're in the unfortunate position to have to work in a supermarket you have to accept a shift system that is often very disruptive if you have a family or any sort of regular life that recognises weekends and holidays. No extra pay for weekend or holiday work either
Somehow not so long ago we used to manage to work, live, and shop with shops just opening between 9-5 and closed on Sundays.
Many shopkeepers in Nairn do still keep these hours and good for them. I don't support the notion that small businesses in Nairn should suddenly have to compete with the hours that a new large nationwide business can afford to operate
As said, in the end it's us the customer that has to pay for longer opening hours
I wish all Nairn shops well post the Sainsbury's opening
As far as I know the ANB have objected to the new Tourist route signs.
It often occurs to me too that people that snipe at shopkeepers, or owners or workers should give it a go. I did for a while and it certainly chnaged my perspective.
Speaking to folks in shops in the town centre , I get the general impression that most traders do see the arrival of Sainsbury's as an opportunity and are well aware of the buzz that has been created but there are other things that need sorting out too.
Before encouraging shops to open later, why not encourage the authorities ( or even the parents) to control the groups of feral kids that seem to run amoke at times. Encourage the Council to get the machine back from Inverness that can clean the pavements. Express your dismay to Northern Constabulary at the bahviour of the boy racers, and abusive drunks falling out of pubs at all hours of day .
All of these things materially affect the impression that tourists get of the town. I accept that to find you can't buy a postcard a 6pm must be annoying but is much less likely to leave a lasting impression on a visitor that being told to f*** off by someone wandering around the town piss** at teatime.
I'm sure most small business owners are trying hard to balance the needs of their customers and their families. It's quite obvious which most other correspondents will see as taking priority but as I said, I tried it once and, on reflection , made the right decisions in putting family first.
On opening the new Nairn Model Centre I recall being asked this question. In principle I think it's a great idea and I may well do it. The reason I said, "not this year" is that I am new to retailing and come 5.30pm my head is spinning, I've got stock to check and re-order; I still have wedding photos to sort and web sites to edit. Right now I can't cope with anymore, hence my decision, at this stage, not to open late. But yes, in principle, the High St could offer more in the evenings.
Or shopkeepers could goon living in the 19th century.
I'm afraid shoopers today do expect shops to have shall we say more "flexible" opening hours. If shops don't adapt to the modern shopping climate, they are simply doomed dinosaurs of an past age with a doomed and shortened life left.
We may not like it, but these are the times we live in. However think of Nairn as the true holiday destination we all think it is. Why can't returning visitors to their Nairn accomodation walk up Nairn High Street and find open shops? Do we reaaly want visitors to see darkened,locked up shops up and down the High Street after 5PM? I think not.
"As far as I know the ANB have objected to the new Tourist route signs."
Maybe they should go and redo them?
Inverness and Thurso (I think) do evening shopping on Thursdays. Nothing grand. Even just an extra hour of opening to 6.30 would help.
Yes back in the day Mon-Fri 9-5 (with the shop shut for an hour for lunch and a half day on a Wed) worked OK but back then the wifies were at home cooking and cleaning.
I regularly get home to Nairn off the 5.30 train just as shops have shut so if I need anything for tea I often grab something at M&S in Inverness. I dream of being able to pop into Clark's for a steak pie...
"As far as I know the ANB have objected to the new Tourist route signs."
Maybe they should go and redo them?
Who could suggest such a thing.............what a splendid idea.....
I am a stupid foreigner but have to say I was amazed at the lack of shopping hours in Nairn. While as a visitor it wasn't a great discomfort to have to shop before 5pm but for the locals how do you get anything done if you yourself are at work during the hours the shops are open?
The shops would be wise to stay open later and grab up all the business that working folk would be more able to do in those later hours. Why not start the day later and end later?
So, given that most business trade ,on average, for six (ish) days a week -
How about we get the shops to open later on three evenings, and get everyone who thinks they should do so to go to work a couple of hours earlier for the other three days a week, so they can get home in time to go to the shops?
That way there is harmony as everyone is sharing the burden of extra hours worked & we live in a new age of retail utopia :)
Job sorted
Wow, how many of you people are about the town after 5.30?
I more than agree, that longer opening hours would be great. I have owned a shop in Nairn for just under a year now and if there was more customers after 5.30 to be had I would be open! We have made every effort to be open as long as possible,
e.g the great promise of the scottish open yielded nothing for us, I was open until 7 thurs, fri and sat of that week and made £4.50. Thats a turnover of 75p an hour. Not many folk in this or any town would work for that! Also, not a soul passed through my door in 3 hours on Sunday past! Dont get me wrong the lovely Nairn citizens have supported us and business is good. We love what we do.
Now just to clarify my opinions are not mere speculation. I have come from a strict retail background where every hour of sales is charted, evaluated, trends assessed, broken down and acted upon. There is no real evidence that later opening hours would be good for us. I understand why people feel they deserve a more cosmopolitan style town, I have been to Europe too. Paris this is NOT. As for Sainsburys time will show that it has no positive effect on the town centre any custom brought in will be cancelled out by the money spent in Sainsburys, people only have so much money. $ Pb
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