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Trams work scaring shoppers off, say two-thirds of traders



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THE latest results from an ongoing survey of traders on Leith Walk has shown two-thirds of businesses have seen a "significant decrease" in the number of customers since tram work started in August last year.
A total of 98 traders have now been surveyed by the Federation of Small Businesses, which is reporting that most have suffered some downturn in trade as a result of the tram works.

This mirrors the initial findings of the survey published last month, when 58 businesses had been sampled.

The latest FSB survey – which includes traders sampled between January 27 and February 14 – claims the average loss per business since the work started is now £24,376.

Graham Russell, chairman of the FSB Edinburgh branch, said: "The latest businesses continue to confirm that they are suffering increasing levels of financial hardship due to major reductions in their turnover, losing regular customers and, even more seriously, many of them are now laying off some of their staff or making them redundant."





The full article contains 177 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
Page 1 of 1

  • Last Updated: 22 February 2008 9:58 AM
  • Source: Edinburgh Evening News
  • Location: Edinburgh
 
1

alex paterson,

embra 22/02/2008 12:17:24
If there was three feet of snow in Leith the traders would blame the trams for there lack of custom.
2

Bob 2,

22/02/2008 12:18:49
Scared Away, just wait until next weekend when the West End is closed off.

If you think things are bad enough, maybe the TIE Tram video (on the front page of the EN) is showing how Princes Street will look after the Trams are running.

Princes Desereted of Pedestrians and not a bus in sight, is this the sign of things to come.

maybe all buses have been withdrawn from Princes Street to give the tram a Tramopoly !!

The scariest bit is the speed that the trams go up into St Andrews Square from york Place...hold on to your hats folks !!!
3

Scallywag,

Edinburgh 22/02/2008 12:36:30
Scared away? As said many times before, does anyone know anybody that makes a regular shopping trip to Leith Walk.

That's right Bob, on mass,folks from Morningside and Corstorphine bypass their local shopping opportunities and drive through the centre of town to use the high quality outlets on Leith Walk.

As said before, the majority of outlets on Leith Walk are "Local shops for local people". Why are they being scared away??
4

eric,

Lothian 22/02/2008 12:40:08
The lack of Shops in Edinburgh was enough for my family and freinds to scare us off,been shopping in Glasgow for 30yrs ,Now it seems trams are making things worse,Some things never change eh.
5

20something,

Edinburgh 22/02/2008 12:52:35
#3, these traders aren't as daft as they seem. The more fuss they make about losing business the more compensation they ask for. They probably just want a bit extra money before the new asda steals all their business.
6

Scallywag,

Edinburgh 22/02/2008 13:04:21
eric. I told you in the Scotsman, stopping posting your drivel. Now move along, nothing for you here.
7

scotsol,

edinburgh 22/02/2008 13:11:14
#4 - Do you pop over to Glasgow every time you want a pint of milk? With carbon footprints like yours around, the planet definitely needs trams.
8

Darren :-),

22/02/2008 13:20:08
the mess of the city is what is "scaring" people away
9

Scallywag,

Edinburgh 22/02/2008 13:45:43
Darren

It is scaring fearty pants like you and eric. The city are full of people from all round the world who know a good thing when they see it.
10

Scallywag,

Edinburgh 22/02/2008 13:45:58
is full ...
11

Young Bob,

Here 22/02/2008 13:54:10
#5 DON'T BE SO NIAVE...

Retail business lives or dies on SHORT TERM cash flow.

No Trade… No cash flow.

If potential customers are any way dissuaded… then….

The business will die very very quickly.

Take a look at how fast the businesses folded in Corstorphine after the Greenways were introduced… How many of them were compensated..?

Compensation will be a mute point because it will be game over for the poor sods trying to run a business by that point. They are just trying to make a living and keep a roof over their heads, we’re not talking about large companies, we’re talking mostly about “just ticking over” family businesses.

Stop making out that they are on a scam.

It’s like saying someone burned down their entire house in the hope of being compensated with a new sofa.
12

20something,

Edinburgh 22/02/2008 14:36:14
Sorry young bob. But I've not heard the "just ticking over" family businesses making any noise, probably because they're doing fine (for reasons, see#3).

In fact, most of the complaining seems to be coming from Mr Crolla. Does his little family business not own about half of Leith Walk by now?
13

The Genuine Mario Antoinette,

22/02/2008 15:00:47
So what are we supposed to do ? No development so the army and navy store and Borlands darts and television can continue to make a meagre living ?

Shut up and away with you.

I've been scared of shopping in Leith Walk for quite some time. I'd think twice about buying a newspaper out of some of those manky establishments.
14

ednbru,

22/02/2008 15:27:06
Leith traders, buy their goods in Cosco and sell it on for triple the price, why is this being allowed to happen ??. Maybe they will all go back down south again, I am beginning to like this tram idea.
15

Max Born,

22/02/2008 16:34:06
Restaurants are famous for avoiding VAT and cooking (pun intended) the books, "no we did not sell all the stuff that we bought it was binned coz it went off"

The Crollas and the Valvonas must have been rubbing their hands with glee from the day that the tram works started.

16

Darren :-),

22/02/2008 16:51:51
#9 - you clearly dont know a joke when yous ee one but have a look at the city yourself - its a mess.
17

Loki - The Scourge of the Schemies,

EH1 22/02/2008 17:33:42
I have just asked some members of my staff who have the unfortunate need to transit Leith walk on a daily basis. Not one recognises the sudden dearth of shoppers described.
The consensus was that Leith Walk would be a much improved place without its huge range of tat shops and the associated chav clientelle. The exception mentioned was some of the businesses operated by Polish nationals.
18

James (1),

22/02/2008 19:32:30
Dear traders please do not worry the tram line once it is up and running will bring you three, no, four times as many customers as you had before. It will cure cancer and make poverty a thing of the past. This line is going to be all singing and all dancing golden fleece that will do away with world poverty. You will wonder why we never had it before now (disclaimer-this may tram line may not actually benefit anyone, please read small print).
19

Hector Goodrich (Dr),

Gillin pronounced 'Gullane' 22/02/2008 22:30:43
#7 The answer is 'probably'. It is possibly there that he receives some professional counselling in respect of his very apparent inferiority complex.
20

Citylocal Fife,

Diametrically opposed to TIE 24/02/2008 13:37:58
May I remind people that TIE admitted that compensation was required, therefore even they realised the negative impact that the unwanted (by the majority of Edinburgh people) trams would have on small business, by virtue of the ongoing prevention of access to their premises for an extended period. The fact that TIE have consistently reneged on the deal, and fudged, obfuscated, and misled many, including the council is another issue, which I hope will be pursued via the legal system.

Eventually the trams may indeed bring more shoppers to Leith, the problem is that by that time many businesses will have gone under and will be unable to reap the 'promised' benefits, and just like their former employees before them, the only benefits they will be picking up, will be courtesy of social security provision.

What a real boon that is to the economy!





Yours etc

Angus Whitton




 

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