| When even charity shops can't survive, the high street is surely dead? 14:25 - Jun 5 with 1576 views | Plums |
Charities could once be relied on to plug many of the property gaps on the high street. I've always thought the density of them in an area is a reasonable indicator of economic health (or otherwise).
Now, it seems even they can't maintain a presence:
https://www.theguardian.com/so
What's the solution to the increasing devastation and desolation of town and city centres?
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| When even charity shops can't survive, the high street is surely dead? on 14:32 - Jun 5 with 1359 views | Illinoisblue |
The town center is no longer relevant or necessary, or at least not as a retail hub. Unless someone turns off the internet that’s not going to change. |  |
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| When even charity shops can't survive, the high street is surely dead? on 14:37 - Jun 5 with 1333 views | Dubtractor |
| When even charity shops can't survive, the high street is surely dead? on 14:32 - Jun 5 by Illinoisblue |
The town center is no longer relevant or necessary, or at least not as a retail hub. Unless someone turns off the internet that’s not going to change. |
One of the other issues that affects high street charity shops is the explosion of cheap tat clothing.
Has a 2 fold impact. Firstly it is dirt cheap to buy new clothes, so charity shops cant compete, secondly (and this is the bigger issue) the second hand clothes that get given to charity shop are of decreasing quality and worthless as they were cheap tat to start with. |  |
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| When even charity shops can't survive, the high street is surely dead? on 14:42 - Jun 5 with 1297 views | mellowblue |
| When even charity shops can't survive, the high street is surely dead? on 14:37 - Jun 5 by Dubtractor |
One of the other issues that affects high street charity shops is the explosion of cheap tat clothing.
Has a 2 fold impact. Firstly it is dirt cheap to buy new clothes, so charity shops cant compete, secondly (and this is the bigger issue) the second hand clothes that get given to charity shop are of decreasing quality and worthless as they were cheap tat to start with. |
selling or buying online on sites like Vinted etc has also an impact on charity shops. |  | | |
| When even charity shops can't survive, the high street is surely dead? on 14:46 - Jun 5 with 1277 views | mellowblue |
Re-purpose old shops back to housing, so there is a more balanced retail/food and drink/housing mix as it used to be. Solve the problem of greedy car park charges. | | | |
| When even charity shops can't survive, the high street is surely dead? on 15:21 - Jun 5 with 1209 views | Dubtractor |
| When even charity shops can't survive, the high street is surely dead? on 14:42 - Jun 5 by mellowblue |
selling or buying online on sites like Vinted etc has also an impact on charity shops. |
Yep, very much part of the challenge. | |
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| When even charity shops can't survive, the high street is surely dead? on 15:30 - Jun 5 with 1176 views | giant_stow |
I wonder what will happen to all these empty shops? They can't all become nail bars, barbers and vape shops, so maybe their worth will decline to the point that they become viable again? Pie in the sky probably, but surely they'll come a point when businesses in such locations will need to be given tax breaks? |  |
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| When even charity shops can't survive, the high street is surely dead? on 15:34 - Jun 5 with 1164 views | lazyblue |
Vape shops and the horrendous coloured sweet shops are always empty so I wonder how they manage to survive and pay the rent /rates. | | | |
| When even charity shops can't survive, the high street is surely dead? on 15:44 - Jun 5 with 1126 views | Jon_456 |
| When even charity shops can't survive, the high street is surely dead? on 14:37 - Jun 5 by Dubtractor |
One of the other issues that affects high street charity shops is the explosion of cheap tat clothing.
Has a 2 fold impact. Firstly it is dirt cheap to buy new clothes, so charity shops cant compete, secondly (and this is the bigger issue) the second hand clothes that get given to charity shop are of decreasing quality and worthless as they were cheap tat to start with. |
Interesting.
I’d have honestly said it was the complete opposite. Social media has meant no one wants to buy ‘cheap tat’ anymore and that, certainly for teens & young adults, everyone seems to need designer gear. | | | |
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| When even charity shops can't survive, the high street is surely dead? on 15:54 - Jun 5 with 1093 views | urbanpenguin |
I run a charity that has quite a few high street spaces. In fact I was interviewed about it in a piece that was published this morning.
https://nowthenmagazine.com/ar |  | | |
| When even charity shops can't survive, the high street is surely dead? on 15:56 - Jun 5 with 1089 views | Dubtractor |
| When even charity shops can't survive, the high street is surely dead? on 15:44 - Jun 5 by Jon_456 |
Interesting.
I’d have honestly said it was the complete opposite. Social media has meant no one wants to buy ‘cheap tat’ anymore and that, certainly for teens & young adults, everyone seems to need designer gear. |
To give an example of what im talking about, a tonne of clothes placed in a clothes bank ten years ago would have been worth about £800, whereas now it is nearer £50.
There are other issues playing a part in this, but the number one factor is quality of garments.
Not saying that there isn't a demand for quality clothing, that's still there, but there has been an explosion of almost disposable clothing that is super cheap and crap quality. [Post edited 5 Jun 15:59]
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| When even charity shops can't survive, the high street is surely dead? on 16:03 - Jun 5 with 1051 views | marKoffC |
As no one is willing to employ young people, give them the space to pursue their own dreams and business ideas. Many will fail but the lessons will be invaluable and a high street of innovative, independent, left field enterprises could be a major attraction. | | | |
| When even charity shops can't survive, the high street is surely dead? on 16:18 - Jun 5 with 1010 views | NthQldITFC |
| When even charity shops can't survive, the high street is surely dead? on 15:34 - Jun 5 by lazyblue |
Vape shops and the horrendous coloured sweet shops are always empty so I wonder how they manage to survive and pay the rent /rates. |
I wonder. |  |
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| When even charity shops can't survive, the high street is surely dead? on 16:22 - Jun 5 with 984 views | BloomBlue |
Need to reduce the business rates etc, the overheads are too much. Totally crazy you have to pay business rates if you open a physical shop but not if you open an online shop.
Reduce car parking costs in Towns, attract customers, the large retail parks are having bumper footfall, free car parks. Start to understand that in 2026 the vast majority of people own a car and drive to shops, its not 1966 when the vast majority used the bus.
Retail can work, aren't Primark the UKs biggest clothes retailer and they don't have any online store, proving you can survive as a physical shop.
But the shops need help. |  | | |
| When even charity shops can't survive, the high street is surely dead? on 16:33 - Jun 5 with 946 views | NedPlimpton |
| When even charity shops can't survive, the high street is surely dead? on 14:42 - Jun 5 by mellowblue |
selling or buying online on sites like Vinted etc has also an impact on charity shops. |
Vinted is absolutely brilliant for promoting a circular economy, but you do see so many items from Tesco, Primark etc that would previously have ended up in a charity shop but are now being sold for a couple of quid online
Times are hard for a lot of people and i'd never begrudge anyone seeking an extra few £'s wherever they can get it, but it will definitely be impacting the stock at charity shops. It also means people will be buying through a venture capitalist-owned online second hand platform rather than spending in a charity
A quick look shows vinted has 16million uk users! |  | | |
| When even charity shops can't survive, the high street is surely dead? on 16:47 - Jun 5 with 902 views | J2BLUE |
Time to stop throwing money at it. The era of the high street is over. |  | | |
| When even charity shops can't survive, the high street is surely dead? on 17:36 - Jun 5 with 822 views | Jon_456 |
| When even charity shops can't survive, the high street is surely dead? on 15:56 - Jun 5 by Dubtractor |
To give an example of what im talking about, a tonne of clothes placed in a clothes bank ten years ago would have been worth about £800, whereas now it is nearer £50.
There are other issues playing a part in this, but the number one factor is quality of garments.
Not saying that there isn't a demand for quality clothing, that's still there, but there has been an explosion of almost disposable clothing that is super cheap and crap quality. [Post edited 5 Jun 15:59]
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That’s surprised me.
Re your last paragraph, I suppose that’s probably applicable to most things these days. Was talking about furniture earlier today and how people used to buy stuff that was made to last. These days people buy the cheap low quality stuff and bin it everytime they refresh a room. | | | |
| When even charity shops can't survive, the high street is surely dead? on 17:42 - Jun 5 with 815 views | Benters |
| When even charity shops can't survive, the high street is surely dead? on 15:34 - Jun 5 by lazyblue |
Vape shops and the horrendous coloured sweet shops are always empty so I wonder how they manage to survive and pay the rent /rates. |
It’s almost as if those shops are being used as a front for something else? |  |
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| When even charity shops can't survive, the high street is surely dead? on 17:46 - Jun 5 with 796 views | Dubtractor |
| When even charity shops can't survive, the high street is surely dead? on 17:42 - Jun 5 by Benters |
It’s almost as if those shops are being used as a front for something else? |
Each shop actually is a front for a secret Mr Ben experience, where get to go on a new adventure each time? | |
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| When even charity shops can't survive, the high street is surely dead? on 18:12 - Jun 5 with 753 views | WeWereZombies |
| When even charity shops can't survive, the high street is surely dead? on 15:44 - Jun 5 by Jon_456 |
Interesting.
I’d have honestly said it was the complete opposite. Social media has meant no one wants to buy ‘cheap tat’ anymore and that, certainly for teens & young adults, everyone seems to need designer gear. |
It's not just teens and young adults, as a seventy one year old I can spend hours seeking out and researching expensive clothing with a lengthy supply time or I can nip into a charity shop whilst I am in the High Street for other things and come out with an ASOS or similar quality shirt or a pair of Rohan trousers at a fraction of the cost, and with an opportunity to have a look and feel too.
Perhaps the demise of some charity shops is down to there being so many of them now. |  |
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| When even charity shops can't survive, the high street is surely dead? on 18:19 - Jun 5 with 738 views | Hugoagogo_Reborn |
| When even charity shops can't survive, the high street is surely dead? on 15:54 - Jun 5 by urbanpenguin |
I run a charity that has quite a few high street spaces. In fact I was interviewed about it in a piece that was published this morning.
https://nowthenmagazine.com/ar |
This is a great charity and a superb idea, Urbs. Well done!  |  |
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| When even charity shops can't survive, the high street is surely dead? on 18:43 - Jun 5 with 694 views | armchaircritic59 |
| When even charity shops can't survive, the high street is surely dead? on 14:32 - Jun 5 by Illinoisblue |
The town center is no longer relevant or necessary, or at least not as a retail hub. Unless someone turns off the internet that’s not going to change. |
Have to agree with that. I can walk into the town centre in 25/30 minutes. I've been there about 10 times in the last 5 years! Only when absolutely necessary. Not speaking for everyone of course, I imagine some still find it useful. |  | | |
| When even charity shops can't survive, the high street is surely dead? on 20:38 - Jun 5 with 616 views | urbanpenguin |
| When even charity shops can't survive, the high street is surely dead? on 18:19 - Jun 5 by Hugoagogo_Reborn |
This is a great charity and a superb idea, Urbs. Well done! |
Thankyou! | | | |
| When even charity shops can't survive, the high street is surely dead? on 20:47 - Jun 5 with 600 views | Perublue |
The “Traditional” UK town centres are dead and no matter how much time and money is wasted being thrown at them to regenerate them in any way that we knew them over the last century is foolish.
What they should do with them, I honestly don’t know .. each town is unique in it’s needs and those needs will also be changing over time. |  |
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| When even charity shops can't survive, the high street is surely dead? on 22:02 - Jun 5 with 520 views | flykickingbybgunn |
| When even charity shops can't survive, the high street is surely dead? on 20:47 - Jun 5 by Perublue |
The “Traditional” UK town centres are dead and no matter how much time and money is wasted being thrown at them to regenerate them in any way that we knew them over the last century is foolish.
What they should do with them, I honestly don’t know .. each town is unique in it’s needs and those needs will also be changing over time. |
The town centres are not dead but they will be if business rates and NI are not reduced soon.
My sister works at a charity shop which is closing because of stealing of stock by foriegners on top of the rates and rent mean it cannot run at any sort of profit.
It finishes at the end of the month. A testimony to unchecked immigration, police inaction and excessive taxes. |  | | |
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