Frasers on Princes Street to close

[vasco de gama]

Frasers, or for those of my age, Binns, and for Sir Shrink, Maules, is closing. I can't imagine in this day and age it will remain a single shop. I'm from Drumbrae originally so my arrival point was always Frasers and it seemed to me quite an impressive port of call. With its departure are we in danger of our main drag losing what remains of its appeal. Obviously the castle side is fairly secure and impressive (with the exception of the Waverley Market) but the other side really is a bit of a hot mess. What could / should be done? I like the idea of George Street being a good shopping Street but think they should change the fabric of Princes Street to create more restaurants, clubs, and even bars rather than all those phone shops which should be moved to the side streets.

 

[Smurf]

In 10 years will there be any shops?

 

[SuperTortolano]

Amazon especially stateside is swallowing up everything. I have watched them closely and they have basically got people hooked on the Prime 2 day shipping. No longer are they the cheapest place around, just have such a hold now.

 

[vasco de gama]

In 10 years will there be any shops?

That's kinda my point. Most the existing shops on Princes Street will not last another 5 years let alone 10 with the exception of the phone shops and the shops that sell all the 'see you jimmy' hats and tartan blankets. I think there will still be room for specialty shops that trade in things people want to test in the flesh first or are locally produced and kinda have some sort of niche appeal that would pull in certain tourists/collectors. That should all shift to George Street though as the demand for big massive shops that the units on Princes Street have simply isn't there.

I have this vision of great big restaurants and bars on Princes Street that have retractable awnings for the many rainy days and tables out on the pavement where folk can gaze across at the splendour of the castle - interrupted every few minutes by a passing tram! It really is an amazing space but there seems no real vision in the city planning department for how to properly utilise it.

 

[PILTONSTANY]

It’ll be turned into a Hotel.

Decent bit of space outside for a Bar/Restaurant to catch the Sun....

Don’t use Amazon,costing the country jobs

 

[Chris G Whyte]

In 10 years will there be any shops?

Outside of ownership of a time machine, I think this is the key question and it's practically impossible to answer.

I agree that the ubiquity of Amazon is inordinately hard to counter, but the reality is that e-commerce has taken off to such a degree that it's hard to see where shops have an actual future on a high street. Most of us are a bit sort of "come on, of course there will be shops"... But will there? Are we just being influenced by our own cultural experiences of the past? Are we simply reverting to the programming of the matrix?

I think so.

Things like bookstores and the like have had to adapt and develop into a market they weren't designed for, and thus they need to offer something a bit different. I love Waterstones on Princes Street because the coffee shop is a good place to sit down with a coffee, read what I've just bought for a bit, and see if there are any gigs or shows that I fancy.

The problem is that it's hard to break into a market like this that's already flooded with Starbucks, Costa, Café Nero and any number of independent little places that have their own thing going on. Every time I see a large McCafe, I get a shiver because we know enough of capitalism's history to know what's going on and what's coming next. A friend of mine recently mused that IKEA should open its own restaurants!

Honestly, I tend to think that's what high streets will end up looking like. Luxury real estate interspersed with trendy eateries, gentrified bars, student digs and the odd "quirk" shop.

 

[Jack]

On the internet shopping topic I was interested to learn that Tescos on line store, Tesco Direct, will cease trading on July 9th.

Surprising unless they have something else lined up.

 

[Power]

I reckon it was used mair as a meeting point rather than a place to shop. :hmmm

 

[hibbybilly]

Frasers, or for those of my age, Binns, and for Sir Shrink, Maules, is closing. I can't imagine in this day and age it will remain a single shop. I'm from Drumbrae originally so my arrival point was always Frasers and it seemed to me quite an impressive port of call. With its departure are we in danger of our main drag losing what remains of its appeal. Obviously the castle side is fairly secure and impressive (with the exception of the Waverley Market) but the other side really is a bit of a hot mess. What could / should be done? I like the idea of George Street being a good shopping Street but think they should change the fabric of Princes Street to create more restaurants, clubs, and even bars rather than all those phone shops which should be moved to the side streets.

Years ago [MENTION=11602]Wannabehibee[/MENTION] Was looking tae buy a bra, I said have yi tried Binns? she said aye but ma boobs just rattle in thum.:yas:

 

[hibbybilly]

Dick

Teehee

 

[GORDONSMITH7]

I reckon it was used mair as a meeting point rather than a place to shop. :hmmm

That is very true. That auld Lothario Shrink to this very day uses a tactic which he has used for decades going back to the 70's and admitted on here. Arrange to meet with female, under the clock at Binns, at a certain time. Have a drink by the window in the Rutland across the road from Binns and at the appropriate time if he did not like what he saw......'barman another pint of Tartan please!'. Cad.

BIG G

 

[Doc Shrink]

That is very true. That auld Lothario Shrink to this very day uses a tactic which he has used for decades going back to the 70's and admitted on here. Arrange to meet with female, under the clock at Binns, at a certain time. Have a drink by the window in the Rutland across the road from Binns and at the appropriate time if he did not like what he saw......'barman another pint of Tartan please!'. Cad.

BIG G

I'm (almost) ashamed to admit this is indeed the case.

In my defence, there were quite often several other rotters employing exactly the same tactic.