Why have so many Southall Broadway shops turned into smaller retail units, creating so-called 'bazaars' or 'Shopping centres'?
Since 2004 Southall has seen a growth in the 'splitting' of Southall shops into a number of smaller retail units, creating so-called 'bazaars' or 'Shopping centres'.
What is the reason behind it?
Today, established big business in Southall is saying that if they had to pay rent and business rates they would be out of business.
A typical single shop on Southall Broadway pays around £15,000 in business rates alone.
The freeholder (owner) of the shop has been splitting up the shops into smaller retail units to minimize his risk (not being able to let the whole shop).
The tenants can't afford to pay the business rate and the rent without sub-letting the front of the shops to offset their costs.
A few bazaars to create an atmosphere of 'Little Inda' or 'Little Punjab' is acceptable but there are too many of them already.
Since 2004 Southall has seen a growth in the 'splitting' of Southall shops into a number of smaller retail units, creating so-called 'bazaars' or 'Shopping centres'.
What is the reason behind it?
Today, established big business in Southall is saying that if they had to pay rent and business rates they would be out of business.
A typical single shop on Southall Broadway pays around £15,000 in business rates alone.
The freeholder (owner) of the shop has been splitting up the shops into smaller retail units to minimize his risk (not being able to let the whole shop).
The tenants can't afford to pay the business rate and the rent without sub-letting the front of the shops to offset their costs.
A few bazaars to create an atmosphere of 'Little Inda' or 'Little Punjab' is acceptable but there are too many of them already.