Counting charity shops.

AmexRuislip · May 31, 2015

Driving up our high street yesterday, then noticed another charity shop of Barnardos had landed from the mother planet 'Charity'
Its up there in competition with Bexhill of how many 2nd hand crap (charity) shops you can cram in to one town.

Do we really need all of them, your thoughts please

TheBigUnit · May 31, 2015

Am I right in assuming that your town is Ruislip

RexCathedra · May 31, 2015

Mutually advantageous situation for all parties.

One less broken tooth on a high street, with traditional retail circling the drainpipe.
One more affordable outlet for people on their uppers -- of which there's still no shortage, press puffery notwithstanding.
The charities involved do do good work, most of them.
And things get recycled instead of taken to the tip.

If the economy were really roaring, and not just roaring-on-paper-excepting-real-estate, the numbers wouldn't be growing.

Diego Napier · May 31, 2015

Ah, what a refreshingly sensitive post, imbued with the milk of human kindness.

Norman Potting · May 31, 2015

RexCathedra said:
Mutually advantageous situation for all parties.

One less broken tooth on a high street, with traditional retail circling the drainpipe.
One more affordable outlet for people on their uppers -- of which there's still no shortage, press puffery notwithstanding.
The charities involved do do good work, most of them.
And things get recycled instead of taken to the tip.

If the economy were really roaring, and not just roaring-on-paper-excepting-real-estate, the numbers wouldn't be growing.

This - have no problem with them or using "pre owned" stuff - probably due to being bought up to quite happily wear "jumble sale" stuff and liking the occassional rummage for shirts, books and the like at local shops - Uckfield is particularly good for this . All three of our sofa's have been sourced from furniture warehouses run by local charities and most of our used stuff is taken to charity shops or passed on to our friends with daughters of a similar age.

AmexRuislip · May 31, 2015

Seagull1993 said:
Am I right in assuming that your town is Ruislip

Yes

AmexRuislip · May 31, 2015

RexCathedra said:
Mutually advantageous situation for all parties.

One less broken tooth on a high street, with traditional retail circling the drainpipe.
One more affordable outlet for people on their uppers -- of which there's still no shortage, press puffery notwithstanding.
The charities involved do do good work, most of them.
And things get recycled instead of taken to the tip.

If the economy were really roaring, and not just roaring-on-paper-excepting-real-estate, the numbers wouldn't be growing.

Diego Napier said:
Ah, what a refreshingly sensitive post, imbued with the milk of human kindness.

Norman Potting said:
This - have no problem with them or using "pre owned" stuff - probably due to being bought up to quite happily wear "jumble sale" stuff and liking the occassional rummage for shirts, books and the like at local shops - Uckfield is particularly good for this . All three of our sofa's have been sourced from furniture warehouses run by local charities and most of our used stuff is taken to charity shops or passed on to our friends with daughters of a similar age.

I realise that I may have offended you guys with my comments...........SORRY.

But I do think that there are an awful lot of them about!

Gazwag · May 31, 2015

Living in Charity Shop on Sea I would much rather have shops being used than empty shops.

BN9 BHA · May 31, 2015

Seaford has loads of charity shops, not sure how many exactly as I've never counted them.
Handy for secondhand books though, I've bought loads for 50p and 75p each.

The Birdman · Jun 1, 2015

Rather have somone using an empty shop but is it unfair competition do they pay the same amount Business rates and other taxes as the indepentant traders. ?

Publius Ovidius · Jun 1, 2015

If you ever go to Windsor, check out the Red Cross Charity shop behind the station. It's full of designer clothes at charity shop prices.

We were tipped off about this place and popped in and bought a Ralph Loren shirt for £20 and a couple of golf tops for £5 each which were basically brand new and the shirt itself would have been £80.

Felt a tad guilty so bought a load of books too.

Worth the trip!

gregbrighton · Jun 1, 2015

In the modern era of internet shopping, charity shops are filling in the increasing gaps left by traditional businesses. I really do wish the charities would stop filling them up with any old shit and be a bit more discerning in what they accept. Some of them need to introduce better customer service. Most of the volunteer staff seem very miserable and look as if they don't want to be there. It's not a good way to encourage custom.

Badger · Jun 1, 2015

I'd be more inclined to buy stuff from a charity shop if they didn't all have that horrible SMELL.

Gwylan · Jun 1, 2015

granny weatherwax said:
If you ever go to Windsor, check out the Red Cross Charity shop behind the station. It's full of designer clothes at charity shop prices.

We were tipped off about this place and popped in and bought a Ralph Loren shirt for £20 and a couple of golf tops for £5 each which were basically brand new and the shirt itself would have been £80.

Hampstead and Kensington are good areas for decent clobber too. I bought a DJ in Kensington that's still going strong 20 years later.

One other advantage of charity shops that Rex missed out was the opportunity for the unemployed to get some work experience. For people who have got nothing on their CV, it's a little step up

Bob! · Jun 1, 2015

The Birdman said:
Rather have somone using an empty shop but is it unfair competition do they pay the same amount Business rates and other taxes as the indepentant traders. ?

No they don't.

If they were empty the Landlord has to pay full Business Rates.

With a Charity Shop in place the Landlord pays nothing, the Charity gets mandatory relief of 80%, and maybe more.

Norman Potting · Jun 1, 2015

granny weatherwax said:
If you ever go to Windsor, check out the Red Cross Charity shop behind the station. It's full of designer clothes at charity shop prices.

We were tipped off about this place and popped in and bought a Ralph Loren shirt for £20 and a couple of golf tops for £5 each which were basically brand new and the shirt itself would have been £80.

Felt a tad guilty so bought a load of books too.

Worth the trip!

Trainspotter alert! Riverside or the main one? A bit closer to home Sevenoaks and Oxted shops often have designer stuff.

The Kid Frankie · Jun 1, 2015

Had some blinding results from charity shops over the years. London Road in Brighton and George Street in Hove have some of the best. If you have time on your hands it's always worth having a butchers.

Tom Bombadil · Jun 1, 2015

I think they're a symptom of the broken retail structure in this country. Our planning and tax rules are still based in the pre-internet age, so we have an oversupply of retail space and a tax system which discriminates against tradiotional retail. Adding to that a commercial rent sector which hasn't adjusted to the new reality ( another free market failure), you end up with small towns and less prestigious retail locations in larger towns filled with charity shops.

KZNSeagull · Jun 1, 2015

No you don't need all of them, but independent shops struggle to survive as all they do is act as free showrooms for the likes of Amazon. Plus no doubt the local Supermarket also stock some of what these shops will offer thus turning themselves into massive convenience stores - why go into town and go to 5 shops when you can get everything at Tescos or whomever, who, no doubt, will even deliver it to your home.

happypig · Jun 1, 2015

bn9 bha said:
Seaford has loads of charity shops, not sure how many exactly as I've never counted them.
Handy for secondhand books though, I've bought loads for 50p and 75p each.

I picked up "Never mind the bollocks" CD for 75p in one. felt a bit awkward handing it to the old dear behind the counter.

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