My local high street (well, local-ish) has just seen its empty Woolies store replaced by a 99p shop. The reaction, and the reaction to the reaction, has been vaguely amusing. Admittedly, it’s a fairly (alright, very) middle-class area, surrounded, as most are in London, by other less genteel areas, so its opening was bound to cause the classic middle-class reaction (an indistinguishable raising of the eyebrows and a barely audible tut, followed by stiff letters to the local MP).
But despite some shopkeepers and local residents calling it ‘the thin end of the wedge’, many people are quite happy that you can buy extra virgin oil and sets of white china for under a pound, while the chief exec of the store says it’s simply offering those who don’t earn a packet a cheaper choice within the high street.
It’s clearly better to have a functioning business in what was otherwise an empty, boarded up store. And those who have enough money to pay more than 99p for a set of china can always vote with their feet. However, the lure of a bargain is too strong for some of us, and local shops may of course suffer from the competition.
As you’d expect, the excitement of the opening caused a punch up in the store on opening day and shoppers were locked in by security guards while it was sorted out. Far more publicity generated by that than if a minor local celeb (and there are loads of them) turned up to open it. So, will it harm the high street? And should you welcome one to your high street? I’ll be off down there later to see what’s on offer – I might even blow the budget and spend £1.98.
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