Quote Originally Posted by JDerrida View Post
Clearly have no idea about how people shop. Ever heard of the mantra location, location, location.

I've seen businesses fail because of customers of having to walk across a street or just around a corner.

If you think that parking in Sophia Gardens isn't going to deter a large number of people shopping then you're deluded.

The 'shopping centre' needs as much as it can to thrive, in light of online shopping, homogeneous out of town retail parks, car parking charges, huge rates and rents.

The days of town thriving with individualised shops, cafes and restaurants are long gone, as only corporates can afford to do so.

Most of Cardiff city centre is owned by London or off shore pension vehicles.

A desolate, shabby or 'corporatised' city centre will Cardiff and it's image any good at all.
Are you saying you used to park outside each shop you went to on St Mary St? Then drive over to another bit of town? Or did you walk?

As it happens, you've mentioned a lot of things which are undoubtedly genuine factors in the decline of SMS. If you think that being able to park outside the shops is the biggest factor then you're deluded.