The Death Of The High Street

[poliphilo]

I was a little taken aback to learn that HMV was going into administration. Many a happy hour I've spent...etc...etc...but not recently. In fact it must be many months since I did any shopping on any High Street. I'll admit it. I'm part of the problem.

It's all very well bewailing the death of the High Street, but the way we buy things is changing- and asking people to go back- and abandon the speed and convenience of the internet and the supermarket- is a bit like asking them to ditch their cars in favour of pony-traps.  

Comments

[endlessrarities.livejournal.com]

As a tourist, I personally detest visiting 'dead' high streets and knowing I have to get back to the hotel/B & B before 9pm because that's when all the half-drunk a***-***e zombie drunkards come rolling through the streets laughing and jeering and shouting abuse at anyone unfortunate enought to encounter them because the town centre's just a mass of nightclubs and very little else.

Okay, so the chains are a bit samey? At least they bring income and jobs, and create a use for sometimes-spectacular buildings, often old structures forming a historic core which gives a town/city character and sets it apart as an individual entity. Without a use, these buildings become derelict, fall apart and are usually replaced by something bland, soulless and completely lacking in imagination.

I mourn its passing.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I take your point.

But I can't see the shops returning. I even wonder sometimes whether we really needs towns anymore.