People come to Inverness for charity shops - claim
Charity shops in Inverness are helping to boost trade in the city centre, according to a charity trustee.
Simon Cole-Hamilton, a trustee for Caring and Sharing, which has a shop in Church Street, made his comments amid the on-going public debate about how the city centre could be improved.
It follows concerns highlighted in the Inverness Courier about the number of empty shop units in High Street, Castle Street, Union Street, Church Street, the Eastgate Shopping Centre and Victorian Market.
Some traders feel the lack of "quality" shops and the number of charity and cut price stores do not help matters.
Mr Cole-Hamilton, who is also a chartered accountant, acknowledged the grumbles but maintained charity shops were helping to boost footfall.
"Charity shops in Inverness have been attracting people to come into the city because of their existence," he said. "There is spin-off for everyone from that. It is all part of the mix of the city centre."
He did not believe there were too many charity shops.
"It is like anything else – it is down to supply and demand," he said. "If you have too many, they will not survive. You don’t run a charity shop for free. They pay exactly the same rent as anyone else and rents in Inverness for retailers are not cheap.
"If you are not able to cover your costs for your shop, whatever it is, it is not going to be there for long."
He acknowledged, however, that charity shops did qualify for 80 per cent mandatory rates relief.
"That is policy which comes down from the Scottish Government," he said. "Is it unfair on other traders, or is part of supporting the charitable sector? I cannot comment on that."
Mr Cole-Hamilton said were it not for charity shops, there would be many more empty units in the centre. "It is not as if they are depriving others who cannot get a unit," he said.
The Caring and Sharing shop has been at the present location for just over a year, having previously occupied a property across the road for five years.
It accept donations of all types of goods and has raised £100,000 for a range of good causes including carers in the community, Women’s Aid and the Inverness Men’s Shed.
"We are very proud of our shop," he said. "We take great care over the displays and we think it enhances that end of Church Street. We certainly would not want to put on anything which was letting the show down."
In addition to the volunteers, it employs two people, who are paid the living wage, and also helps to train people in retail skills.
"We share the general view of other people that we would like the city centre to look as good as it possibly can," Mr Cole-Hamilton said.
"That sometimes requires investment from property owners on their premises. It also requires owners to take a realistic view of the rents they are asking."
Out-of-town shopping centres were another factor in drawing away customers and he said if people wanted to help the city centre economy, they should buy goods from the shops there.
He believed the issue of empty units was cyclical. "It will turn around," he said. "I am sure in time, it will change again and things will come back.
"The city centre is constantly re-inventing itself as people’s shopping needs change."
Mike Smith, manager of Inverness Business Improvement District, said charity shops had progressed and developed over many years. "We have to accept they are part of the market mix just as nationals and independents are," he said. "Retail is ever evolving. We can only look to the future and not at the past."
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