Ashleys closing.

[Ewoowar]

Ashley's appears to have a closing down sale.

[SloopJohnB]

Sad news indeed. We have often bought gifts from here and the owners have never been anything less than polite and helpful. This is just another loss to the independent trade in town; and this sector in general. Artico gone, Decorated Room gone, Michael's gone, Colin Sykes to retire although I see today that Hertford Interiors is about to open in Market Place where Charlottes used to be. In the words of Paul Simon Hertford's retail offer is slip, slipping away. But we all need to drink coffee.

But another prime retail unit gone. I remember a few years ago when the owners applied for permission to convert to a cafe. Refused. Now we have Slades next door turned into a cafe, Clintons now a restaurant, Coles a coffee bar, Oddbins a coffee shop, Going Places a coffee shop, Rose opticians a coffee shop, Artico a milk shake bar, Decorated Room a coffee shop.

Never mind. There is a vision and design strategy in place. By the time that is developed we will have no shops left. According to the Local Plan of 2007 and the earlier Plan of 2003 there is a red line from Mill Bridge to Railway Street including Bircherley Green that says this is prime retail. The future is safe. Our political masters have it all in hand - at least that's what they have been telling me since .. since 2005 actually.

Who will I be voting for. I think 'none of the above'.

[Steve]

... Clintons now a restaurant ...

You're jumping the gun there. It's not yet open ... and may never do so.

[Taxing]

... Clintons now a restaurant ...

You're jumping the gun there. It's not yet open ... and may never do so.

Not sure it's a dead duck yet, they were definately working in there on Monday afternoon and through the open doors you could see all the tables laid out.

[Marilyn]

Its very sad, Bahti has always been most kind and helpful. I know they have another larger shop in Essex, the one they had in Hoddesdon closed some time ago, they struggle to cope with on line shopping and people only thinking of John Lewis etc and not independent shops.
Even some of their suppliers have made life difficult for them. I range I collected which I got from Ashleys, the manufacturer started doing some of the items on line direct from them ONLY so even though I wanted to support Ashleys they supplier would not let me!

[Frenchie]

I had no idea who/what Ashleys was until i googled it. 15 yrs in Hertford and always wondered how long it would last, sorry for its owners but the shrinking market for their niche products means online in the only way forward.

[SloopJohnB]

... Clintons now a restaurant ...

You're jumping the gun there. It's not yet open ... and may never do so.

As far as I am concerned it looks like a restaurant and doesn't obscure the fact that many prime retail outlets are becoming coffee shops or similar. Even worse if it never opens because that is just another empty hole in Maidenhead Street.

I reckon HTC are tearing their hair out as any attempt to do something about Maidenhead Street seems doomed to frustration.

As I said on more than one occasion there is no plan for Hertford and until there is one this decline in retail will continue. I am not against coffee shops or someone trying to earn an honest crust. One of the many professionals who contacted me over the last 15 years actually explained something very astute. Coffee shops can act as an attraction to other trades. A matter of symbiosis if you like. In the good old days I used to sit outside Serendipity and whilst couples waited for coffee one half would drift into Methvens for a book on one side or Going Places to book a holiday on the other. I would like to think that a properly planned coffee culture in the town centre might generate a new rise in this sort of retail dependency.