La Cuisiniere Post Reply

[Goldhawk]

I think the old bookshop is still supposed to open as a Jacksons Estate Agent

Trinity had been on the market for some time
The rent & rates on these units are quite high but if you have a lease on a unit someone else wants then the premium paid can be worthwhile

[Localgirl79]

Trinity Stores closed mainly because Bells Chartered Surveyors (who is in charge of most commercial premises in Balham and Clapham) have apparently been increasing their rents dramatically over the last few years and so the independent shops can no longer survive. This is also what happened to Happy Toes a few years ago. The Indian Room has taken over Trinity Stores and are planning to open a new Indian Deli take away concept.
Jacksons Estate Agents are opening a second branch in the old 'My Back Pages' - so one office for sales and one for Lettings.......
All very sad really.....

[pie81]

What a shame to hear there will be yet more estate agents in place of independent shops. I have never understood why estate agents need prime retail units, after all surely most people look for a property online these days.

I agree though that if we want shops to survive we need to support them.

And high street doesn't always mean more expensive than online. A few times I have ordered a baby or toddler item online, assuming it would be cheaper, only to see it the same price or sometimes even cheaper in Jojomaman (God knows how they manage that but they do) - I have kicked myself for not having tried my local shops first.

Not to mention the number of times I have ordered online and the product isn't what I expected - which can never happen if you buy in store!

[Jen66]

It is sad.

there's a lot of money in these areas so I imagine convenience is more of a factor than cost.

It IS easier to get everything in Sainsburys or Waitrose but, eventually, that means we end up with identikit, indie free high streets.

[NYE31]

Such a shame, I love La Cuisiniere, they will be solely missed

[Vivtaylorgee]

We are involved in a campaign to start a new independent shop in Northcote Road - Northcote Books! Later this year we will be asking everyone to support it by buying some community shares to raise the start-up money. It will be non profit-making and community owned, but professionally run. We want to provide a lovely place to browse, bring your children, have a coffee, attend interesting events and workshops - and find books!

If you want to keep Northcote Road as a special place, do please support us when the time comes!

Thanks

[jonathan @ hamptons]

Good afternoon all,

For what it's worth it is highly unlikely that either La Cuisinere shops will become estate agents. The original Cuisinere is in the "protected parade" that with my business network hat on, we helped our lovely local councillors have extended last year. This means that there is a limit as to the number of shops with particular use classes in that parade of shops. There is a deal on the table for La Cuisinere and whilst I can't say who it is, it's definitely not an estate agents!

Cuisinere two looks like it's going to be taken over by another local shop who is moving because of the cheaper rent available there. That does still leave the empty JoJo shop, Pretty Pregnant and the shop moving into Cuisinere Two however which is a pretty high number of empty shops.

The reason for this is two-fold, higher rents and lack of local trade. I have lost count of the number of business network meetings where local traders complain more and more about increasing rents, but with so many different landlords, all looking out for themselves, there is very little any of us can do.

On the other side of the coin I recently bought a bread maker from La Cuisinere. Yes, it was a bit dearer than I could have bought it for online but I walked into the shop, had a good long chat with Anne the owner and walked out the same day with it. If it goes wrong then I know I can take it straight back (well, not any more!) and I'm helping another nice local shop to survive. We reap what we sow I'm afraid.

Anne is not retiring but she is looking for a change of direction. She desperately tried to sell the business as a going concern but no-one was interested. We at the business network wish her the very best for her future endeavours.

Jonathan

Hamptons International
98-100 Northcote Road
020 7924 2170

[Jen66]

Thanks for the info Jonathan.

I do think there is a natural cut off point on Northcote Road. People will walk so far down it but no further and any shops beyond that cut off suffer.

It's the same story in Balham. Anything beyond the post office until Clapham South seems to be a no man's land.

[schoolgatesmum]

I really do think that everyone who posts on here should really think about their own shopping habits. Firstly ask yourself what it is you like about Northcote Road shops. If the answer is that it is not like a typical high street then ask yourself whether you use the local independents whenever you can. If the answer is no then you will only have yourselves to blame when Northcote Road becomes like any other high street. There are so many people who love to walk along Northcote Road, have a coffee in Gails and then go home for their Ocado delivery. Northcote Road cannot survive if the majority of people do this!

[cheesesandwich]

I am absolutely gutted to hear about the kitchen shop shutting. I've bought every single piece of kitchen equipment we own from there in the 6 years we've lived here. Thank you Jonathan for your post also.
Whilst I agree that we must try to support local shops, it does mean that the council need to let in shops that genuinely are useful to local business - rather than the sunny Saturday destination shoppers. Whilst they are delicious, I genuinely wonder how many meringues one can eat in a month! I want to shop on my local high street - I love the la cuisiniere, iris, butchers, gails, kids shoe shop etc etc. We need more of the stuff people actually need - no more cafes please!

[juliantenniscoach]

Well said Schoolgatesmum. Nail hit exactly on the head.

[Martina1]

Pretty sure that the old bookshop in Balham is going to be Jacksons estate agents. Yep, just what the world is crying out for!

[balham_itey]

I really think that generally speaking , it really is the residents to blame for the closure of independant shops in their area .I have noticed over the years ,that as Balham has become an acceptable place to live for many , higher demographic , and rocketing house prices .....Balham can look pretty dead during the week . Of course we understand that times are tough( er ) for many families - but i really believe this is not the reason for closures of independant businesses......it is where residents choose to spend their money .Shopping " local " seems to be ok for the weekly shop at Waitrose , endless coffees ,a TKMAXX bargain .It seems from what i have heard from some quality local shops , that they believe that they are used as a last resort , generally if an online purchase has failed , or the customer has exhausted Northcote road , Southside or Central London. The newer influx of money to Balham has only arrived ,as a result of some pioneer shopkeepers ,making it a nicer place to live . It may all backfire ,and become less attractive ,if people do not actively use these shops and spend money ?

[AbbevilleMummy]

For what its worth, I think that independent shops need to do a lot more to stay competitive. And I really don't mean in terms of price points.

The success of Waitrose in comparison to other supermarkets during the economic downturn proves that people do not need prices to be rock bottom but they do need quality, flexibility and excellent service to compensate for the higher price.

Our lifestyles have changed dramatically over the past couple of decades and we all have much busier lives and a much higher percentage of women work full time. People simply do not have the time to wander around various local shops in the middle of the day due to work and other commitments that our mothers and grandmothers did not have.

Independent retailers should look at their opening hours and their ranges if they want to be successful.

[juliantenniscoach]

I think what Abbevillemum writes is true up to a certain (demographic) point. However looking at Northcote Road pretty much at any time of a weekday would suggest otherwise. It's busy all through the day. Furthermore it would appear that the shops doing well are coffee orientated cafes and bistros like Brew.

Product retailers e.g clothes are struggling because the very same people are spending their money elsewhere. We use Ocado because the service is great rather than the prices being low. However we do use Hennesey's and the fish stall and other local shops where product selection is more important.

Retail is changing, it's never coming back as we knew it, not until the next technological leap in retina I.D. and customer purchase history. In the meantime all we can could (if we want the profile of the 'High Street') is support the ones that offer comparable service and price to what we can get elsewhere.