ANOTHER closure has brought the total number of empty units in Gloucester's main shopping area to 49.
Birthdays shut the doors of its Eastgate Shopping Centre branch, which includes a Pure Party outlet, on Sunday, with the loss of eight jobs.
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GONE: Pure Party and Birthdays shop in Eastgate Shopping Centre.
It is part of the Clinton Cards group which is in administration.
A spokesman said there were no plans to close the Gloucester or Stroud branches.
Figures from the city council show 10 shops within the central shopping area have closed since January, when 39 of the 308 units were empty.
Kayleigh-Anne Hampton, 24, from Brockworth, said of the latest closure: "It can just join the rest of the empty shops. There's lots."
Joanne Batt, 23, of Painswick Roadsaid: "It's not so bad it's gone because we have got Clintons and Card Factory."
Kirsty Barclay, 21, from Painswick Road said: "There will be more shutting.
"Shopping here is too expensive as most people are on benefits."
Aaron James, 34, from Stonehouse, said: "It's quite shocking so many places are closing.
"The only thing that seems to be opening is 99p shops."
Dave Robinson, 62, from Tredworth said: "I'm not surprised. Gloucester is dead for shopping and something needs to be done."
Activities
Rob Key, 40, of Hucclecote said he often shopped in Birthdays and will miss it.
Secretary of Gloucester City Centre Community Partnership Barry Leach said: "We are holding our own but need to do better.
"We need more activities so the city centre is not just about shopping."
City council leader Paul James said there was "not a lot" the council could do about national closures.
He added: "I absolutely agree we need to make the city centre about more than shopping."
He pointed out upcoming events in the city centre, including the night market, Hat Festival and Food Festival.
Longer opening hours for shopping centre during Olympics (From Watford Observer) - Watford Observer
Harlequin shopping centre to extend trading hours during Olympics
1:34pm Wednesday 20th June 2012 in News
Traders in Watford’s Harlequin shopping centre have voted to take advantage of an opportunity for longer opening hours during the Olympics.
The centre will extend its trading hours on Sundays from 11am to 5pm to 10am to 6pm from July 27 when the games start.
The extended hours will last until September 9 when the Paralympics end.
The Harlequin Merchants Association voted last week to take up the Government’s offer to businesses to extend their trading hours during the games.
Mike Stevens, the manager of The Harlequin, welcomed the move saying he hoped the town would benefit economically from the games.
He said the fact hotels in Watford were already getting booked up for the Olympics indicated the benefits would not just be confined to the Capital.
"It is an extra trading opportunity for the centre and the people of Watford," said Mr Stevens.
"Hopefully people will come shopping in Watford as hotels in Watford already have bookings for the Olympics."
Mortgage rates set to tumble as banks' borrowing rates fall to a record low - Daily Telegraph
Mark Harris, chief executive of mortgage broker SPF Private Clients, said: "With Swaps falling to their lowest levels ever, we have to expect to see cheaper fixed rates. Two and three-year Swaps are below 1 per cent and five-year Swaps are approaching 1pc so watch this space when it comes to cheaper pricing on short-term fixed-rate mortgages.
"Lenders are expecting a quiet July and August, particularly once the Olympics start, so those who want to boost business beforehand will need to offer some decent rates to entice borrowers. Abbey has made some minor improvements to its offering this week [launching a five-year fix at 3.99% for homebuyers and one at 4.09pc for remortgaging on Monday at 60pc LTV with £995 fees], while others such as Northern Rock are trying to drum up some business before the traditional summer lull.
'We are also seeing smaller lenders with limited tranches of money dip in and out of the market with some attractive rates, such as Nottingham BS which has launched a five-year fix at 3.69pc. But deals this good really won't be around for long so borrowers will need to move quickly if they wish to secure such a rate."
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