South Yorkshire Times, June 27th, 1970

Need For New Outlook to Shopping

Mexboro’ Traders Favour “Not-Too-Ambitious” Scheme

The Council decided proposals given by another company, Town Centre Securities, were too  ambitious to be successful in a town like Mexborough. They saw the town as assuming the role of a sub-regional shopping centre, large enough to attract shoppers from a catchment area of ten to 15 miles. This would have embraced towns like Rotherham and Doncaster.

The Regian proposals were far more modest, the Council felt, and emphasis would be placed in their plans on low rent for the new unit properties.

Viable

Mr. George Sinclair, President of the Chamber of Trade, spoke to the “South Yorkshire Times” this week of the many towns where new shopping centres have proved to be white elephants. He said, “The Chamber of Trade will support the Council if they stick to a plan which is not too ambitious. I think the plans of the Regian Company would not be so ambitious as to be not viable.”

He was against development for the sake of it and said it could become a “self-devouring beast.”

In town centre development that was too large, traders thought that much of the family business atmosphere of shopping — where the trader knew his customers and did business with them on a personal basis—could easily be lost. Shops had to pay higher rents to have a unit in a large modern block, and many of the small traders would either have to sell out to larger multiple stores which could afford the high rents, or increase the cost of their goods to cover the high overheads.

Interviews by our reporter with other High Street businessmen revealed that they felt that a smaller development—as proposed by Mexborough Development Company and the  Regian Company—would be ideal for the town, and if it were successful it could be further developed.

Phasing

Mr. W. Pettit, whose shop would not be directly affected by re-development, but who wold see competition from the new shops, said, “I think plans for town centre development could be phased. Room could be left for additions to be made.”

A leading trader said “We have heard so much redevelopment that I am satisfied now to let the Council do what they like. If they say I have to move to a new development then I would so, whether it was large or small.”

He was in full favour of the town undertaking a small development. He said, “I cannot see that a bigger development would be filled immediately, and this would be bad for trade generally in the town. People would come into the town and see empty units in the development and think that business was not flourishing so they would not bother to stop and have a look round.”

He went on, “There is no scope for a grandiose scheme in Mexborough, but there is room for development. Mexborough is a good shopping centre, but there is a need for a new outlook to shopping.”

Mr. Pettit thought the relief road had helped a great deal in making shopping more pleasant in the town.

“There is room for at least another 20 shops — which could be housed in a town centre —and the existingshops which would not be affected by the development should be given a face lift.”