Newport has been left with another large empty store following the permanent closure of the Topman/Top Shop store in the heart of the town.
Although online retailer ASOS has agreed a £295million deal to acquire both brands, the deal does not include stores up and down the country.
It has been confirmed that the Isle of Wight store in St James’ Square has now closed.
A notice in the window reads:
“Katie, Sam & all the team here at Topshop Topman Isle of Wight would like to say a massive heartfelt thank you to all of you for your custom and friendship over the years.
“Stay safe, best wishes & warmest regards”.
Last October, Island Echo reported on the state of Newport’s High Street with 41 empty stores in and around the town.
Soon many shops will be turned into flats , and as on the mainland, will just have many, surly non locals, lurking in doorways on phones dealing, pimping and bringing such ‘urban crime’ to our once bustling, thriving retail streets.
With more homes yet less and less jobs those wanting work will be unable to find such, and, because of all the people chasing little work then those jobs on offer will get away with the lowest wages legally payable.
Crime will be the only growth industry, apart from the maternity ward staff, bringing ever more unneeded into a jobless, crime filled, over crowded unpleasant lifestyle.
Still it has been nice up until recently.
So vote to remove this vile, self serving, destructive council whose masse building policies add to our demise of ‘quality’ of life.
Keep taking the meds!!
Ah the insults, as happens when someone disagrees but has no counter argument to ‘back up’ their thinking, or, in this case, lack of such
Hang on mate, more homes and more people means less jobs? Not sure that adds up. I would say it would make a lot more work. Bring a lot more money to the island.
no it wont tom – just by bringing more people, doesn’t mean more work – you do not need more staff at tesco, as more will be just self service now etc.
Correct 🙂
Don’t think the high streets here on the island will ever recover from what started before Covid as a hard place to make a living
Such a shame, the High Street is a thing of the Past.
Small shops were fine trading with small numbers going inside distanced its totally criminal other shops can trade.full of crowds who dont keep distance.noticed the alarm top of newport high street going off..travel agents poss..a week later….still going off! Police or noone who even gives a shit if it’s broken into or not.sad
It seems incredible to me that when you state the obvious, and the proof is starring them in the face, people still don’t want to believe the truth!. Mad Benny I said this was going to happen ,may last year,and it’s happening all round the world! The big corporations will be the only things left, and supermarkets will be the only shops left to buy food,and everything else online! Sad 🙁
and little enclaves in towns, where you get a haircut.
The high street is non existent, amazing what happens in 15yrs, back in the day when we had Woolworths, Bhs, HMV and so on