Brighton shops braced for recession

Many shops in Brighton are facing closure due to the UK recession. One area affected most severely is St. James’s street, which has for many years been a thriving centre for independent shops, cafés and restaurants. Several of the street’s independent shops and restaurants, including the Camping and Outdoor Centre, Party on Brighton and The Saint Restaurant have all closed within the last twelve months.

Chain stores such as QS have also been forced to close down and although there have been claims that its former neighbour, Superdrug, is now facing financial difficulties, the store currently denies the possibility of closure.

As shops continue to close, it becomes more difficult for students to find work and many feel as though their jobs are becoming less secure. Emma Rees, a third year student at Sussex, spoke to The Badger last week about how she had been let go because of staff cut-backs during the recession. She commented that, “part-time student jobs are not a major priority.” On the other hand, an anonymous student employee at Superdrug on St. James’s street said she felt secure in her job despite the shops closing down around her: “Until they tell us otherwise, what’s the point in worrying?”

Other shops report facing no difficulties in the current economic climate and some even claim to be experiencing an increase in general sales. One shop worker at Prowler Brighton, which specializes in sexual lifestyle and recreational products, reported to The Badger that, “We’re all about luxury products; if people want to treat themselves it’s cheaper for them to come here and buy a t-shirt or sex toy than it is for them to go out for dinner.”

Still, not everyone seems to be put off their food. Mr Daley, who runs Tea Cosy Tea Rooms in George Street, adjacent to St. James’s Street, reported to The Argus newspaper that, “We haven’t been affected by the credit crunch because we are a well-known business.” Mr Daley, along with other local traders, recently launched the new website www.visitkemptown.co.uk in order to promote businesses in the Kemptown area, informing shoppers of local deals and special offers. This comes at the same time as Brighton and Hove City Council launch a £15,000 campaign to urge shoppers to buy locally. The council aim to get at least 1,000 residents pledging to buy locally and at least 100 businesses to support the scheme.

Location also plays a large part in the survival of many of the businesses. In line with a trend that runs the length of St. James’s street, the charity shop Age Concern has seen a 25% increase in rent since this time last year, meaning an extra £100 per week is needed to reach their profit target. Other businesses situated off the main high street, such as Cosy Tea Rooms, are less likely to suffer such a steep increase in rent, benefiting in this sense from their less central location.

Other shops such as The Acoustic Music Company are less reliant on local customers to support them as a large proportion of their sales come from the internet and foreign clients. Their location is secondary to their reputation – boasting one of the largest selections of handmade mandolins in the U.K – they are another example of a luxury store that currently claims to be unaffected by the recession.