BallaDoc Posted January 2, 2017 Share Posted January 2, 2017 Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not knocking Ramsey, I recently moved there and I like the place. However, when walking down Parliament Street (the main shopping street) I was struck by the number of closed down shops. I counted about 7 on Parliament Street itself, plus another three in Parliament Square at the top end of the street, plus I don’t know how many in the covered shopping mall off the street. In fact, there seem to be almost no shops open in the mall, which people just use as a short cut between Parliament Street and the Co-op. I did a Google search for “Ramsey Regeneration” and found a web page on the Ramsey Town Commissioners site entitled “Regeneration” and informing me that “The Ramsey Regeneration Committee has issued its fourth newsletter”. I downloaded a glossy newsletter with a smiling picture of Allan Bell on the front, “Ramsey Regeneration Update Issue 4 ... Improving Ramsey ... Looking to the Future with New Confidence” which all looked good until I saw the date on it - October 2012. The Ramsey Regeneration Updates seem to have stopped after that date, with no indication why. I’m having a bit of difficulty getting my head round this. Can anyone explain what (if anything) is wrong with Ramsey, what needs to be done about it and why nobody seems to be doing anything about it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donald Trumps Posted January 2, 2017 Share Posted January 2, 2017 Hasn't Rosa just opened a new deli? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hboy Posted January 2, 2017 Share Posted January 2, 2017 Been happening since at least 1890. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pongo Posted January 2, 2017 Share Posted January 2, 2017 I don't belief that Ramsey is in decline. If anything it seems as if it's on the up. It's got some smart little shops and businesses. (The new Shakti Man is excellent - and Ramsey has the best wood-fired pizza on the island). It's a great little place. The fact that there are lots of empty premises is about the way in which retail is evolving. For example, in the early 1980s, there used to be 5 shops IIRC in Ramsey's which sold TVs - but there was nowhere you could get Singapore noodles or an espresso. It takes time. ETA: it would be great if they could pull down St Paul's Square though. It was never nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donald Trumps Posted January 2, 2017 Share Posted January 2, 2017 Who makes the best wood-fired pizza on the island? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pongo Posted January 2, 2017 Share Posted January 2, 2017 Who makes the best wood-fired pizza on the island? http://pizzanapoli.im/about/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Power Posted January 2, 2017 Share Posted January 2, 2017 I quite like Ramsey and Parliament Street, predominantly local businesses and it has retained a vestige of its own identity, unlike Strand Street and most of Douglas, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
finlo Posted January 2, 2017 Share Posted January 2, 2017 IMG_0563.jpg Now dont get me wrong, Im not knocking Ramsey, I recently moved there and I like the place. However, when walking down Parliament Street (the main shopping street) I was struck by the number of closed down shops. I counted about 7 on Parliament Street itself, plus another three in Parliament Square at the top end of the street, plus I dont know how many in the covered shopping mall off the street. In fact, there seem to be almost no shops open in the mall, which people just use as a short cut between Parliament Street and the Co-op. I did a Google search for Ramsey Regeneration and found a web page on the Ramsey Town Commissioners site entitled Regeneration and informing me that The Ramsey Regeneration Committee has issued its fourth newsletter. I downloaded a glossy newsletter with a smiling picture of Allan Bell on the front, Ramsey Regeneration Update Issue 4 ... Improving Ramsey ... Looking to the Future with New Confidence which all looked good until I saw the date on it - October 2012. The Ramsey Regeneration Updates seem to have stopped after that date, with no indication why. Im having a bit of difficulty getting my head round this. Can anyone explain what (if anything) is wrong with Ramsey, what needs to be done about it and why nobody seems to be doing anything about it? You need to take a look around Douglas some time for a bit of balance. I'd like to know where the 3 empty shops are on Parliament square plz? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moghrey Mie Posted January 2, 2017 Share Posted January 2, 2017 IMG_0563.jpg Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not knocking Ramsey, I recently moved there and I like the place. However, when walking down Parliament Street (the main shopping street) I was struck by the number of closed down shops. I counted about 7 on Parliament Street itself, plus another three in Parliament Square at the top end of the street, plus I don’t know how many in the covered shopping mall off the street. In fact, there seem to be almost no shops open in the mall, which people just use as a short cut between Parliament Street and the Co-op. I did a Google search for “Ramsey Regeneration” and found a web page on the Ramsey Town Commissioners site entitled “Regeneration” and informing me that “The Ramsey Regeneration Committee has issued its fourth newsletter”. I downloaded a glossy newsletter with a smiling picture of Allan Bell on the front, “Ramsey Regeneration Update Issue 4 ... Improving Ramsey ... Looking to the Future with New Confidence” which all looked good until I saw the date on it - October 2012. The Ramsey Regeneration Updates seem to have stopped after that date, with no indication why. I’m having a bit of difficulty getting my head round this. Can anyone explain what (if anything) is wrong with Ramsey, what needs to be done about it and why nobody seems to be doing anything about it? You need to take a look around Douglas some time for a bit of balance. Ramsey has always had too many shops since the visitors left and went to Spain. Shopping malls were built when they were not needed. Now that you can get virtually everything you need at a supermarket or online the only growth area is coffee shops, hairdresssers,vets and health foods. Shakti Mann is brilliant if rather expensive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheTeapot Posted January 2, 2017 Share Posted January 2, 2017 Why has that little picnic area in the middle of Parliament street been fenced off? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Non-Believer Posted January 2, 2017 Share Posted January 2, 2017 Ramsey Commissioners have recently appointed an, er, ex-commissioner in the position of "Town Manager" (on substantial salary) to support and boost local business. He appears to have some work to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Non-Believer Posted January 2, 2017 Share Posted January 2, 2017 Why has that little picnic area in the middle of Parliament street been fenced off? It's not now, the fencing was removed just before Xmas. Next move awaited on that particular issue, it would appear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TurricanII Posted January 2, 2017 Share Posted January 2, 2017 Open a shop and you'll soon work out what the problems are. Same old issues - rents and rates are usually ridiculous. Small footfall in the Isle of Man is a difficulty for some shops. Finally the problem of competing with Amazon.co.uk et al. It's not just Ramsey, the whole UK is slowly going the same way. Coffee shops, charity shops, restaurants, hairdressers, click & collect depots will be all that is left ultimately. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert Tatlock Posted January 2, 2017 Share Posted January 2, 2017 Just imagine virtual reality shopping in 5 or 10 years...all from your PC. Where you can visit any shop in the world, compare prices, order at the click of a few buttons and have it on your doorstep 2 days later. We're nearly there. High rent paying shops, stocking not even a 100th of a fraction of what choices are available, will never compete. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slinkydevil Posted January 2, 2017 Share Posted January 2, 2017 Coffee shops, charity shops, restaurants, hairdressers, click & collect depots will be all that is left ultimately. My new 15,000 square foot Click, Collect, Cut and Coffee / Soup Kitchen should do well. I'll employ locally, so remember, a purchase on Amazon will be ultimately shopping local. [2% off first Large Macchiato for all MF members.] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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