Forum Topic

Chiswick’s Shopping Boom?

The letter to Grant Shapps cited on the front page from “prominent Chiswick residents”, quite a few of whom appear to be members of the Bedford Park Bicycle Club, (https://bedfordparkbicycleclub.org.uk/about/) talks of a ‘shopping boom’ in Chiswick. Would be interesting to get the data on this. Could it be that there’s lots of affluent shoppers pedalling it down to CHR from Bedford Park to spend a fortune, and that’s generating the boom? Would be good to hear where they’re spending it if so, as the shop keepers haven’t seen it.

Russell Pearson ● 2222d44 Comments

Indeed Russell, I am very interested. I keep posting the following questions but have yet to get any response. Not a thing, it is really odd.* what data do you have to substantiate the fact that there is 'a local boom' on the High Road. Do you have stats on spending or interviews from a representative number of businesses? Did you also understand how many shoppers had come specifically because a road was now closed that had not come before when that road was open?* IS there separate data and surveys for TGT and DR?* With most now WFH, how do spending patterns compare with areas that have seen no local road closures?* How does the closure of Bread Ahead support the idea of a local boom* can you explain the linkage of the Chiswick flower market to any road closures or restrictions in Chiswick? Again, how many attendees only came because TGT was closed?* Which hard to let sites have now been occupied, and who spoke to the new occupants to understand what if any role a local road closure might have had in their decision. Can you provide clear quotes to support this?Looking forward to seeing the analysis

Paul Green ● 2222d

Ive just been down TGT around 1.30pm Completely dead and i really mean dead of any life. Ive actually noticed that since the traffic restriction no lines of people outside Barley or Sage anymore,no lines of people outside natoora anymore,no more lines of people outside covent garden fishmongers anymore. It is a street that has become completely dead of shoppers.

Julian Pavey ● 2222d

Or Baley & Sage not that it makes any dif

Julian Pavey ● 2222d

Julian, I fear you need to visit specsavers, your personal observations must be wrong. After all, local retailers are in the midst of a 'boom'.Never fear, Tom will be along in a minute to tell you how such observations are irrelevant. I am sure he will also follow up by providing the whole mass of evidence he and his team gathered to support the assertions they made to a government minister. It cannot be long now...

Paul Green ● 2222d

Interesting you say that about TGT shops and this myself and my friend, with whom I was walking, can confirm the lack of queues and people. She's from USA and said TGT now reminded her of a Western film set of a deserted town and the only thing it needed was tumbleweed !Last week I went to Devonshire Road, same scenario, very depressing. Does anyone think that the august beings at LB Hounslow will see sense and reverse their decision about these once vibrant streets and once again allow the independent businesses to have a chance of rebuilding their businesses to pre lockdown levels ? Or is that wishful thinking and a case of 🐖🐖🐖's flying ?

Loraine Pemberton ● 2222d

Chip shop is dead most times i walk past. I say all this not just for the sake of being objectionable for the fun or keeping the heat on the subject. After lockdown restriction were lifted it came back to some life but very much down on numbers. This traffic restriction from my observation is a nail in those shops tills becasue it seems to have fallen backwards in numbers and believe me when i say this,no life whatsoever. Not sure why but the charity shop Royal trinity hospice has been emptied of all its stock and now sits empty

Julian Pavey ● 2222d

I shop regularly on TGT. I've never driven there to do so.

Carl Wynne ● 2222d

Thats good to hear. Back in the day I got the bus or cycled. Now I drive, sadly fitness and mobility are transient. My visits have fallen by at least two thirds since the restrictions. A shame. I miss Patisserie valerie for a Sunday morning coffee and croissant.

Paul Green ● 2222d

Drive or not,right or wrong one can think of many reasons why and what one maybe should be doing. But that does not change the scenario that is playing out at the end of the day.

Julian Pavey ● 2222d

Indeed, its not really a time for virtue signalling. I am sure everyone knows the benefits of exercise and do their best. Much of the traffic on our roads is through traffic or commercial.

Paul Green ● 2222d

Anecdotal evidence is all well and good, (albeit an informal logical fallacy), but are the shops booming is the question?

Russell Pearson ● 2222d

Hi Carl, but you live a very short distance from TGT and are fit and healthy. Not everyone can say the same Perhaps show some compassion ?

Loraine Pemberton ● 2221d

Russell A few are but the majority are not. The ones that are doing well are those who provide a delivery service  but how do the likes of beauty salons, hairdressers or clothing  retailers provide that service  ?

Loraine Pemberton ● 2221d

Didn't Pat Val close in Jan 2019, well before we got a sniff of Covid?

Gordon McDonald ● 2221d

Yes, sorry that was a unrelated recollection.

Paul Green ● 2221d

I'm veteran, suffering from an injury related pain. It's temporary, as is my compassion.

Carl Wynne ● 2221d

Shopping is dead during the week days and busy at the weekends. This won't change because people are working (hopefully) and at school during the weekdays.That's why I don't understand why the experimental LTN liveable neighbourhoods didn't run a trial for weekends only. BUT I mean a proper closure of TGT -NO TRAFFIC at weekends 10.00-18.00 Sat & Sun. No access, no E3(divert it round Goldhawk), no cycling. A proper pedestrian shopping street where you can walk without fear of being run over by wheeled vehicles.But during the week - let traffic flow. What we have now is neither one thing nor the other. There is still traffic, the pavements aren't wider, and it's not attracting a boom in shoppers - and as we all know it's creating a huge pollution issue.

Richard Potts ● 2221d

I was working in Oxfam Books all afternoon and there was a steady stream of customers.

Lucy Chambers ● 2221d

An anecdote about 1 charity shop does not unfortunately answer the question on whether, as claimed by some prominent members of the Bedford Park Bicycle Club, that there’s a shopping boom in Chiswick.

Russell Pearson ● 2221d

I don't drive so walking has always been. The new measures in TGT and Devonshire Rd beyond stupid. No parking = no customers.Get real, people need a parking space if not very local. New 'restrictions' idiotic. Open the rosds, people need to get about

Sue Robinson ● 2221d

Is there any data to justify that closing down the roads created a shopping boom in Chiswick?

Russell Pearson ● 2221d

"No parking = no customers.Get real, people need a parking space if not very local. New 'restrictions' idiotic.Open the roads, people need to get about"100% correct. This Council is killing off the trade. Madness! They will only be happy when it is twinned with one of their Labour run depressed, depraved, northern derelict, shabby hell-holes. Boarded up shops and no community to speak of.

Steve Taylor ● 2221d

As posted today on another thread, I walked up to Devonshire Road to Chiswick Pets to stock up on Doggy treats. On the way back I saw Mike of Top Hat sitting down near his front window, so stopped to say hello. Naturally I asked him how was business was in the light of the restrictions on DR. His reply was truly worrying and the other thing is there were more owners and their staff than customers Devonshire Road seems to be slowly but surely dying. Well done LB Hounslow for crippling businesses from your truly rubbish schemes. You may have got your grubby little mitts of Government funding, which is short term, but how much will you lose in the longer term in lost UBR revenue ?

Loraine Pemberton ● 2221d

You obviously mean those deprived,forgotten towns that voted for brexit,Steve.Go figure.

Keith Iddon ● 2221d

What on earth has Brexit got to do with the idiotic, ill conceived and moronic decisions made by LB Hounslow to restrict customers vehicle access to DR and TGT ?

Loraine Pemberton ● 2221d

Nothing whatsoever,Loraine but Steve's judgemental,trite and typical description of northern communities displays the laissez-faire attitude toward them from many like him in the prosperous south.Being a northerner myself, it just gave me the hump a little in its smugness.

Keith Iddon ● 2220d

KeithFair enough but posts on here frequently go off piste. The crucial thing is to save onto just our long standing independent businesses but also the newer ones. Don't you think that LBH's recent restrictions are harming these businesses  ?

Loraine Pemberton ● 2220d

Yes, no argument here.

Keith Iddon ● 2220d

"displays the laissez-faire attitude toward them from many like him in the prosperous south."Au contraire. Not judgemental. Just my opinion of how this local authority is determined to destroy this community to achieve its political objective. It is just a fact that Labour control the majority of 'northern' Local Authorities. 

Steve Taylor ● 2220d

I’ve asked Mr Campbell if we can see  full copy of the letter. His reply:“ I’ve got a spread bet going on how many times you and Paul Green ask about that so I’m certainly not answering before I’m in the money and you are a long way off yet.“

Russell Pearson ● 2220d

Oh don’t be coy about how much I am enjoying your delusions of grandeur as well. No need to edit.

Paul Campbell ● 2220d

And just for the sake of the spread bet. It is related to the question you and Paul keep asking not your new one about the letter that neither of you have read. Please keep asking.

Paul Campbell ● 2220d

Paul C, What a smug little **** you are. So why not answer the question. If you don't then we can all assume you have no real evidence, certainly nothing that would stand up to scrutiny.So come on Paul, put up or shut up. Are you and your mates lying or not. I think we all draw the appropriate inference if you refuse to answer. And where is the outrage at thousands of vehicles flowing into Chiswick every match at Brentford. A thousand vehicles at the business park, what fun. So you want to attack the elderly for daring to drive to the shops, but not people attending a sports event. Double standards?

Paul Green ● 2220d

Would be great to see the letter in full. Looks like W4 only reported on part of it. It’s a pity Paul Campbell is too embarrassed to post all of it.I’d also like to know the full extent of lobbying that this small group of anti car activists has had on Hounslow. Would a FOI request flush this out?

Russell Pearson ● 2220d

Yep there must be some way of accessing the letter and exposing the fantasies it contains. It is very hard to take this bunch of clowns seriously. Tom Pike has already demonstrated he does not understand data or causality.

Paul Green ● 2220d

Ha ha! You two crack me up in your self-appointed roles as chief inquisitors. And Paul your mask slips more frequently as our streetscape changes before it. It’s so funny how when you get really angry you drop your usual practice of name-calling and go for asterisks instead. I can feel the strain on your self-control.

Paul Campbell ● 2220d

Keep it up, Paul Green, your posts are logical and clear and you have a lot of suppport.

Claire Moran ● 2220d

Paul C, you really are not as clever as you think you are. I dont have a mask. I consider myself quite reasonable. But I really dont like self-important types who are so full of their own self righteousness that they are unable to see any other perspective. When you grow up a little you might learn a little humility.Anyway, to the far more important point. I can only take your silence on the key question on the existence of any substantive evidence re the High Road 'boom' to indicate that you have intentionally misled both your local community and the government. Maybe all those people reporting empty shops and streets on TGT and DR were telling the truth. How embarrassing for your 'cause'.I am still struggling to square Michael R's insistence that the rest of Grove Park cannot possibly be allowed to drive along SoTG and Thames Road but hundreds of football and rugby fans can. It is really hard to follow which cars are good and which are bad.

Paul Green ● 2220d

Well it is so hard to argue with somebody who has constructed such a devastating argument against the signatories of a letter that he has not read. Your reasonableness is a lesson to us of more tender years. Also thank goodness for you that you have dedicated support from others who are famed for their reason.

Paul Campbell ● 2220d

Is the entirety of the letter available for all to read?

Andrew Jones ● 2220d

I've read the letter, Paul.I'm fascinated how a dermatologist, a renal physician and anaesthetist, a film maker and a MD of an unspecified consulting business are qualified to comment let alone influence urban planning and design. None of you are qualified. Nor is there a single business owner with premises on the High Road represented.Also fascinating is how Ollie Saunders is MIA. I'm willing to bet he can't comment for fear it will tarnish his professional reputation or it is a conflict of interest.But no worries. I tried to deliver one of this country's foremost experts in this sort of planning issue. But good to know the letter was self-serving and patted Karen on the back for the umteenth time and all her sycophants lined up to pat. Or perhaps I should say burp.

David Lesniak ● 2220d

https://chiswickcalendar.co.uk/local-councillors-accused-of-undermining-ministers-transport-plans/

Russell Pearson ● 2220d

A completely unbiased article 🤣But then Bridget Osbourne, Karen Liebreich and couple of others appear to never miss an opportunity to have a pop at Chiswicks Councillors. Ah well what goes around comes around...

Loraine Pemberton ● 2220d

“...  the shift to shopping locally has triggered a local boom. Shops that were long empty are finally being let. The first ever Flower Market on Chiswick High Road two weeks ago saw over 7,000 visitors with our shopkeepers enjoying their highest sales for years. Notably, an overflow car park was provided for this event but not a single car used it. Traders on two more roads have asked the Flower Market team of local residents to expand to their streets.”Wonder if these Chiswick grandees, have been deluded by someone?

Russell Pearson ● 2220d