Residents' Association Forum

What's happening with the mini-market?

And also to the two other now vacant shops, the dress shop with a bay window and Madison blue.

There are answers to both somewhere on here but off top of my head.. fresh place people unsure when it opens, Maison bleu has closed albeit the owner still trading, article in about TD mag I think Juninho said. It will reopen as a sort of French antiques shop I believe.  Adiva Sadly closed, if I could think of what could work I would open something there, suggestions welcome!

Craig - I would say another Art Gallery, not in competition with Space but something to compliment to make it more of an art destination. I know this is not quite Bond Street but it has got good potential to attract some big hitters.

In terms of an alternative maybe seascapes and landscapes, it's got good light with its bay window.

I'm sure a good idea but not something I know enough about unfortunately

How about a good restaurant I.e. London prices and service / food.it needs a young and talented chef.

be nice but do you not think the market a bit saturated for this in TD? admitedly not quite on this level but there's a lot of choice.

What about a good quality independent shoe shop?  There used to be one in the village about 25 years ago; sold really elegant leather shoes and a small range of other leather products.

Sounds lovely, I do wonder though,net again, would people enjoy looking more than they'd enjoy spending?

I'm unsure, thoughts?

Great suggestion though, keep em coming!

How about something like this

http://www.thediningroomshop.co.uk/

I think the obvious choice is a butchers or fishmongers. TD village is screaming out for one these!
Failing that a gardening shop?? As 99% of the population of TD are avid gardeners.

I agree a butchers or a fishmonger is crucial.

Me too but do you think people would pay a premium to Tesco or waitrose on a long term basis to keep it going?

Yes, I would! Especially as I would know its not from a horse!

A butcher would probably do better, as most people just eat fish once a week. Can a shop serve both, a fresh deli would be great

Not sure about buying fish and meat in the same environment. A bit Royston Vasey. I feel the village could do both. Yes I would frequent both very regular if the quality was very good. Unfortunately good Butchers are generally family businesses which are located in the same environment for many years. They tend not to become chains.

yup i dont think a butcher is something you just start doing, needs very skilled training and as you say, tend to be family run for years. Fishmongers largely the same.

Although I suppose could resell organic cuts if sourced reasonably and picked up and sold when absolutely fresh as can be.

I'd like to get Stevens of Hinchley Wood at least trying out on Saturday mornings here somewhere... but they are not the van type of butchers, I think.  They do deliver free locally though - I'm not sure whether there's a minimum order.  Perhaps they could combine with another shop - the new SF or Mehra's?

I wanted to explore this a year ago but was headed off because of the idea then that the former bakery would be developed as a mix of shelves from different suppliers including a different meat supplier (Bob's plan for a community store)

Pity Alan Weston's given up fishmongering in the area and decamped elsewhere.

The perfect shop premises for a village butcher and fishmonger would be the double-fronted one now occupied by Hawes, I've always thought.  The earlier plan was for Hawes to migrate into the new building adjacent, now the online clothes store, but it looks like they are staying put.

Meanwhile, Mehra's is getting better and now worth a look.  Great deal on a Jumbo kitchen roll (a niche market, I know, but we use a lot LOL)

thinks that never cease to amaze me how expensive they are, jumbo kitchen rool, loo roll, and razor blades!

Just feel the weight of it, and get your small change out.....

Mehra's are making considerable efforts to stock a better range and I think are responsive to suggestions about what might sell in TD.  At the outset I did suggest they might get a few better wines, and although they are not competitive for quality and value with Majestic or Waitrose for wine, they have at least stocked some drinkable ones now and are in the Laithwaite bracket (Laithwaite not my favourites I must say).  Mehra's have made a long-term commitment to the village (15 yr lease I was told) and now they are getting up to speed they could do with a helping hand from villagers who might otherwise spend on general groceries in the supermarket.  Particularly during the hours when other shops are closed.

will see if can give them a boost then and some mkting through Fbook

i see the PO now closed until 6th mar

Any idea why?

I had parcels to post tomorrow - is there another one nearer than Surbiton?

Hinchley wood/Esher, the reason given is the continued broadband problem

Thanks

The fact they are closed again is quite worrying. The high street could potentially be in very big trouble if they are forced to close.

Its a shame we don't get decent 3g/4g (or do we with some networks) - as that could work as a short term solution for them?

Seems strange that the PO i in TD is uniquely affected by a broadband problem. The place is drab and run down;  it is often closed due to unforeseen circumstances. Is the reason given for the closure ( which has been nearly a month) the real reason?  The personnel at the POs in Esher, Hinchley Wood and Surbiton are pleasant and efficient by the way.

I heard that the post office service will operate from simply fresh.

What is happening with Simply Fresh?  Can we expect to see it soon?

Think it should be rebranded 'Going Stale'

hahahahaha

I heard that Simply Fresh opening has been delayed because they need to upgrade the electricity supply to support the refrigeration units (apparently they plan to offer fresh meat and fish etc)

be good if they do, assuming they are of a decent quality

Article on Simply Fresh - http://www.conveniencestore.co.uk/stores/retailer-profiles/simply-fresh-thames-ditton/348339.article

Interesting article, lucky them getting free rent for a year!

Very interesting thanks!

I have heard of reduced or free rent in retail spaces like mall so its not unknown - helps a business/shop etc to get off the ground but here the motivation seems to be driven by the landlord wanting this shop in our village.

(hats off to him!)

On a side note - this little tidbit piqued my curiosity:
"I’m 99.9% sure that we’ll also be getting a Post Office Local counter in the autumn."


Really? What does that mean for our post office?

Please don't tell me that Thames Ditton is really starring in Surrey Hills!!!   I don't think I could stand the shame!!

I do question the not treading on other people's toes part though.

They are clearly vying to take the post office by their own admission, they stock fruit and veg directly opposite Paulls, magazines and papers opposite the post office and meats and cheeses etc directly opposite the Limetree. Mehras is now gone.

I wish all business in the village success but I'm not sure on the merits of a one stop shop for the village if it means that the others struggle and possibly fail as a result.

First of all I'd like to clear some facts up here.

Simply Fresh has not been 'working with the Residents' Association,' as written in the article.  The matter of Simply Fresh has never been formally discussed as an issue in the RA Executive committee.  But a prime mover in all this has been Bob Huxster, the former RA Treasurer, in his own capacity.  It was Bob who took a contract on the store and tried to get villagers to participate in shares, and when there was no participation (and he was faced with losing a £30k deposit on the contract) the present situation, as I understand it, evolved. 

That said, I think most Thames Ditton RA officers and councillors have been supportive of the venture to make use of this prime shop premises in a key location, and some High Street residents have been more engaged than others, e.g. in pushing for the walkway (which is a good thing, is it not?).  Tricia Bland has also been a facilitator, in her capacities as Chair of the Retailers' Association as well as HonSec of the Residents' Association (and I am wondering whether Vic Grewal meant "Residents' Association" or "Retailers' Association"??)

As for the Post Office: a couple of years ago the post office operators, unhappy with their present location, were thinking of joining in with plans for a multi-use store at the Old Bakery which is now SF.  The current post office and general stores is, according to many villagers, in a rather lamentable state.  So the first question I would ask of Mr.  Grewal is: "Do you mean that the present operators of TD Post Office are considering moving from the current premises to operate from SF?"  (I don't at present know the answer to that one btw).

As for the effect SF is having on the High Street, my own impression is that apart from Mehra's (which I think we all agreed had got it wrong for TD) there have been no casualties, and many advantages.  I know that my family do not buy from SF anything we formerly bought elsewhere in the village, as a matter of principle that I have heard is also adopted by many other residents.  We stick by Paulls for greengrocery, and Nice Buns for bread, and so forth.  But we now buy more things* in the village because of SF than we did previously, and the convenient opening times at evenings, Saturday afternoons, Sundays and holidays are a real boon.  We are, I think, spending a bit less at supermarkets and a bit more at SF instead.  That SF is open for extended hours also means there is more life for longer in the High Street.  As for range, marketing and pricing, SF is getting it about right for TD in my view.

* what do we buy lately?  Well, this past week, Tabasco, catfood, Zywiec beer at an amazing £4.10 for four x 500cc (recommended!), Teachers' at a very competitive £11-88, some emergency fresh meat, a baguette on a Sunday, jumbo kitchen rolls at £1-99, tissues, chocolate biscuits..... none of which is trade taken away from other shops in the village.   And while I am in there, I have bumped into several other acquaintances doing the same thing.

Thanks for clarity Admin, agreed on the last 2 paras too, we  only buy from there what we can't buy elsewhere and our spend in the village has also gone up considerably.

What is happening to the pathway please?

And is it true the council are considering the entire car park anyway?

As far as I can gather, the walkway will reopen when the building works on the small 'gatehouse' (a problematic area) and nearby bin storage are finished. 

The car park is (and in reality for a long time now has been) under scrutiny by the Conservative rulers of Elmbridge as one that doesn't pay its way due to under-use.  We are trying to hold the fort and to develop community-led plans for improving that, of which the walkway is a part.  As another part, we must look yet again at getting some all-day parkers off the High St, freeing a little short-term shopper parking there, and into the car park.

http://www.elmbridgeguardian.co.uk/news/10578494.Surrey_Hills_hopefuls_descend_on_Weybridge/


Oh, Narcissus!  This sound hilariously ghastly.  Whoever would put themselves (and their friends) up for it (and would you like to know them LOL)??!! 

http://surreyhills.tv/ for your application form for this self-promotional exercise.

Perhaps I will enter my parrot, Dolly - she's from Essex, you know (near Clacton, indeed)

Goodness - I had never even heard of this show.

' will follow the county’s “young, beautiful and affluent elite” '

Did someone tell me the post office is due to relocate to simply fresh?

the article Deborah linked to above alludes to that