Jacques cafe in the High Street shut down on Saturday.
Jacques Cafe & Interiors took on the premises from the Delicious cafe, which transferred to the Trentham Estate a couple of years ago. Its closure leaves another empty unit in the town centre.
Hopefully, it will be reoccupied soon.
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The closure comes as another business in town faces a very uncertain future, with the owners of Ethel Austin going into administration.
Please get in touch with your views of the Jacques closure and the state of the High Street in general. You can leave a comment below.
2 comments
Mr P
Rent and rates are too high now on high street shops. As a previous owner of a high street shop I moved all my business online. Very little over heads, work from the comfort of my own home. No opening at the weekend and Bank holidays.
Shops are on their way out I’m afraid. The internet and high running costs are killing them.
I have to admit though I made a couple of enquiries to different vacant properties in Stone town centre but the rent alone was way too high let alone the rates. Stone used to be a good place to shop but now Woolworths, the stationers and other premises you could pick bits and pieces up from have now gone. Too many charity shops also kill a shopping high street and Stone is not shy on those either! I don’t think casual market stalls are good for local shop keepers either as they take away business as their over heads are lower so they can undercut the regular shops. Good for the locals but bad for the shop keepers. If it’s true that Ethel Austin may also be closing I fear Stone could very well soon cease to become a shopping centre and just a town of charity shops and hair salons.
Jon
What will it take to bring new shops to the town. Is the issue that rents are too high or foot traffic is too low? What is the councils take on regenerating the high street?
Why did the shop close? Was it due to the costa coffee taking their customers away?