A shock announcement appeared recently in the window of Johnson’s Fruiterers at 29, High Street. The business is to move from July 1 to larger premises at Atlas Business Park, Rye Harbour Road, writes Kenneth Bird.
This independently run family grocer has served residents and visitors for many years, and also supplies the catering trade. Its absence from the High Street will be sorely missed. Photo: Kenneth Bird
The loss of Johnson’s from Rye High St is going to be keenly felt. It was a good shop with friendly staff, selling a lot of local, high quality produce. It will be added to the list of ‘dearly departed’ along with the bakery and Ashbees.
Is there anything left being sold in the street that a local shopper might actually need? Or is Rye High St now solely there to serve well-heeled tourists in search of expensive novelties?
Whatever the reason, the decline of the street is socially significant and makes Rye a less attractive place to live in.
I couldn’t agree more with the Gary Cooper’s comment.
I wonder why so many of the day-to-day local shops, which serve visitors and residents alike, are disappearing from the High St. What is the reason:
– increased rents that along the High St?
– increased business rates?
– local residents not using the shops sufficiently to make them viable?
There are enough empty shops on the High Street to make one wonder.
Makes me want to open a community shop – where local food and produce can be sold to the benefit of all.
The local supermarket does ok and has better parking so I think that is the problem for small businesses such as this.
And it is not unique to Rye.
Local authorities everywhere allow these developments, the locals use them and the town centre dies or becomes a centre for charity shops, estate agents and building societies (not as many now).
I will miss it as I shop there when in town.