Hello my Waffle friends/lockdown survivors. I don’t want to make you all too depressed, but there is a lot to worry about right now… the deadly second Coronavirus wave coming, the consequences of the economic downturn, the realisation that “normal” is still very far from “normal” however much we try to pretend it’s all OK now. I guess like me you all have good days and bad days. Yesterday I had a bad day, from a mood point of view. Today was better although I walked around Windsor town centre at lunchtime to see what was left of the shops, quite a sobering experience.
On the one hand, the atmosphere in Windsor was quite bustling and positive today. Loads of people were smiling and having lunch and drinking outside together in the sunshine. Locals I guess as the tourists haven’t really started coming back yet. Everyone is happy to be out again and pretending they’re on holiday for a little while..
Meanwhile, look past the hustle and bustle and there are plenty of corpses around.. I don’t mean people, but shops and businesses. Many have upped and gone for good already. Many more are claiming to have shut temporarily but who knows? How many will intend to reopen but won’t be able to? Some are open hopefully and tentatively with one staff member and no customers, making more of a loss each day, clinging on to the remnants of a once vibrant business. Martyn Crossley the florist had a good sign.. something along the lines of “At last, Martyn can visit his mother, so the shop will be closed on x date”. Made me smile.
Well, here are the corpses, my dear readers. These are the permanently closed I believe..
1 The Bookies – well, I won’t miss that one, although sad if local jobs have been lost.
2 Cath Kidston – quite sad to see it go, the whole company.
3 Laura Ashley – I guess they must have been struggling even before the pandemic as they were very quick to announce going into administration.
4 Karen Millen – I’ve never shopped there.
5 Carphone Warehouse – but we still have plenty of other mobile phone retailers.
6 Monsoon and Accessorize – I’m quite sad to see them gone.
7 Carluccio’s – what a shame.
8 Bill’s restaurant- another one bites the dust.
9 Timberland – I’m not that bothered.
10 Top Shop – I think this was closing before the virus.
11 Johnson’s shoes – I never bought any shoes there as an adult but I feel a bit sad from school shoes memories.. an institution.
12 The Harte and Garter Hotel together with The Ivy Restaurant that was planned… I wonder if someone will take over this hotel, I guess so. But will we get our Ivy Restaurant?
13 Café Rouge – again I feel a bit sad about that one.
14 This used to be Eat. It closed ages ago and nothing has replaced it.
15 Madame Posh – also closed before the pandemic .
16 Links – also closed before the virus. I liked Links jewellery.
17, 18, 19 Lakeland, Fenwicks and Next all went before the virus too.
So , I make that 19 places permanently closed.. lots of new ones and several from before the pandemic but this is compounded now by temporary virus related closures. How many more at least temporarily closed today…. ? These ones: Trespass, Stormfront (Apple), West Cornwall Pasty Company, Christy’s, Havana Cigars, Hardy’s Sweet Shop, Hotter Shoes, Office Shoes, Jersey Pearl, Kiltane, Glorious Britain and other tourist shops, Neal’s Yard, Whistles, Joules, Kuoni travel, Yo Sushi, a relatively new children’s shop ? name, Bare Minerals, Dumdum donutterie, Penriver boutique, Busy buttons creative studio, all the charity shops except Thames Valley Hospice/Retro shop.
Let’s hope that many of the above are still doing well with their online sales and will open up again soon… fingers crossed.
You get the point. I am worried about the economy, my town, the effects of this virus, the millions of people becoming unemployed, those working left without job security, looking over their shoulders…I’m worried about the young, worried about the old, worried about my friends and relatives..sometimes worrying about myself worrying so much!!
Why does it take our government so long to decide or to introduce any changes….? Let’s talk about everything for ages that we might do in a while…Lockdown? Masks? Personally I haven’t been in many shops but I’ve worn a mask inside public spaces ever since the lockdown started. It’s a simple thing to do. It may save lives. Why wouldn’t you?? I’m only drinking and eating OUTSIDE at pubs and restaurants for now. Making up my own rules. So there!
Off to make a garlic mushroom tart now.. a little something to enjoy tonight. 😋 Take care of yourselves. Back Thursday xx
The Windsor Waffle 
Blimey, that really does bring home the enormity of the High Street changes . . .
Godalming High Street has re-opened and has been temporarily pedestrianised. This has received “mixed reviews”! We only have a couple of “chain” fashion shops; FatFace has re-opened and seems busy enough. We do have a LOT of charity shops which are very popular and I hope will make it through; they are mostly all open.
What we have been really hit by is Bank closures; RIP Halifax, Santander and Barclays. Leaving very big buildings empty . . .
I wouldn’t like to be a commercial landlord right now . . .
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes I’m sure this is just the tip of the iceberg as far as the high street and economy generally is concerned. I feel we in some way have to process/acknowledge the enormity of what has happened and what is ahead of us before we move on..Banking indeed will change and we seem to be moving towards a cashless society.
LikeLike