Friday, July 22, 2005
Inverness Sucks - And The Traders Suck Too.
If Inverness becomes a ghost town, as some independent traders are predicting, then there are only one set of people to blame. The independent traders themselves. If small businesses want to survive, they have to sell goods customers want, and they have to give excellent, friendly service - with a great big smile, and without overcharging.
The city is among the fastest growing in the UK only because it has been left so far behind until recently. Now, as it begins to get the retail outlets most average towns in Scotland have had for years, local shops need to compete with the big national operators. Good. If they can't drag themselves into the 21st century and start working to bring their businesses, and staff, up to scratch, then I am delighted to see them gone. If they don't have the gumption, the interest or the creativity to change their businesses to cater for customers needs, then goodbye, good riddance.
Inverness will not become a ghost town, and only the traders who can't cope with changing their outdated habits and practices will be ghosts. And relying on the Highland planners promised £6m facelift for the town will not save them. The town is a dump. Drab, dirty and run down, £6m will only scratch the surface, and cannot force people into shops they don't want to use.
The city is among the fastest growing in the UK only because it has been left so far behind until recently. Now, as it begins to get the retail outlets most average towns in Scotland have had for years, local shops need to compete with the big national operators. Good. If they can't drag themselves into the 21st century and start working to bring their businesses, and staff, up to scratch, then I am delighted to see them gone. If they don't have the gumption, the interest or the creativity to change their businesses to cater for customers needs, then goodbye, good riddance.
Inverness will not become a ghost town, and only the traders who can't cope with changing their outdated habits and practices will be ghosts. And relying on the Highland planners promised £6m facelift for the town will not save them. The town is a dump. Drab, dirty and run down, £6m will only scratch the surface, and cannot force people into shops they don't want to use.
© Colcam 2005-2007
