From Abi Lupton-Levy

Thursday, 1 December 2011

Hear hear. Innovation too- they usually close theirs but when I asked if I could close it today I was told not to. Even if they don't care about their heating bills or the comfort of their staff or customers shopkeepers should show some sense of responsibility for the environment. It's not long since I used a buggy and I found steps more of an issues than doors. I'd rather take my child in a warm and ethically minded shop.

From Andy M

Thursday, 1 December 2011

Have you asked the shopkeepers in question if they would actually turn down their heating if the doors were shut? If not then it's a fairly pointless argument.

From Kate Claughan

Thursday, 1 December 2011

I'd just like to add an explanation for the heaters over the doors in shops. I was told that the function of these heaters, called door curtains I think, is to provide an insulating buffer of warm air between the shop and outside. It prevents heat escaping every time the door is opened, and is far more efficient than positioning a heater further inside the shop.

I'm a trader on Market Street, and I generally end up keeping our shop door closed because of heat loss, traffic noise and fumes but I think there is a definite psychological barrier in a closed door, and I have noticed that passers by are far more willing to wander in rather than just look in the window if the door is open.

From Abi Lupton-Levy

Friday, 2 December 2011

I'd say a fantastic window-display -such as the one in the Book-Case- would be a far greater draw than an open door!

See these endorsements for 'closing the door'.

From Patsy F

Friday, 2 December 2011

Thanks so much for the link, Abi - and for your support on this. I hadn't realised there was an actual campaign! The companies subscribing to the campaign speak for themselves. Please, every doubter, look at its website.

I was in the middle of writing a lengthy response but have now deleted it. The Close Door Campaign says it all and has even got a Q & A section and I quote:

Q: A closed door will discourage customers:

A: Many very successful stores already close their doors and don't have this problem. We also provide you with decals (stickers) that make it clear why your doors are closed and promote you to the large and growing number of customers who appreciate good environmental practice.

So retailers, please get a sticker or two. Brilliant.

From Helen Chilton

Saturday, 3 December 2011

One of my favourite shops on Market St always looks closed at a casual glance - I'm not sure why, but I think it's something to do with the lighting of the window/shop...

It's Dynamite by the way, so if Kate C. is you, Kate, that might help explain why more people come in when your door is open?

From David Telford

Saturday, 3 December 2011

My wife has a retail business adn sadly, there is a correlation between a closed door and number of footfall customers.

The door heaters (as mentioned) are pretty efficient, working on the same basis as putting a radiator under a sindow, it's simple convection.

No business willingly wastes heat (in the winter) but if a customer spending £100 thinks you are closed becaus e the door is shut, it's far cheaper to keep the door open.

From Andy M

Sunday, 4 December 2011

Wandered round town today and sure enough 2 or 3 shops had open doors . . . one was the dry-cleaners though - whom I presume aren't out to get the casual day-tripper trade! ;-)

Think local etc but there are more pressing things to worry about.

From Stephen Curry

Sunday, 4 December 2011

I sometimes wonder why the great independent retailers we have in this town bother to open their doors at all?

Running a small business is tough enough these days and hardly a few months go by without someone finding a reason to campaign against them for type of bags they use, or their advertising boards or the design of their 100 year old doorways not being access friendly. Now it seems these nasty retailers are destroying the world with their selfish desire to make their shops inviting so they can actually make a living! Compared to the massive frontage of the big town retailers and supermarkets the net loss of heat from those few shops in Hebden who have an open door policy must be minuscule. We all understand the concept of saving the environment and every little helps, but for goodness sake give these retailers a break!

What next? If a pub is empty at 9.30pm should they turn all their lights off until a customer comes in? The chances are they won't come in because it won't look inviting! Should all the retailers switch off the lights in their windows at 5pm? Should we not bother with Xmas tree lights either? Lets have some perspective . . . please!

Our shops always make the effort to make our town look attractive and welcoming to locals and visitors alike. And this week they have had praise from various quarters for their festive window efforts, which isn't just about displaying their goods, it's been a community effort on their part to impart a feel good factor we can all enjoy. It's Christmas, lighten up! Get behind the local shops and boost their moral instead of chipping away at them, or in 2012 we may have a High street like other nearby towns, with many permanently closed doors.

From C Roberts

Sunday, 4 December 2011

I own an independent shop in Hebden Bridge AND I keep the door open. Why? Because customers genuinely think I am closed if its shut. I think it's pretty obvious that I'm open. I have a double fronted shop with fantastic window displays, window boxes full of goodies, and at Xmas a line full to bursting of Holly wreaths and door garlands but the amount of people that "try" the door when it's closed and gingerly ask if we're open is amazing.

I very rarely have heating on in the shop, it's often colder inside than out, so I don't fall into the wasted energy bracket, it doesn't matter to us if the door us open or not but it does to the customer. It must seem more welcoming for them to walk straight in rather than have the door as a "barrier".

So please don't boycott the independent shops that have an "open door" policy. Sometimes there are other reasons behind it that you might not have thought of.

We look forward to welcoming you soon!

From Phil Mac

Monday, 5 December 2011

As a regular visitor to Hebden Bridge from Manchester, I am quite surprised that the residents of Hebden Bridge are up in arms over the open door policy.

I find it more welcoming when the doors are open rather than being closed..These shops are small and do not afford much light from them and do not appear to be open so yes keeping the door open is a much clearer way of people walking past to say they are open..As for using up heating and losing it through the door, I cannot understand what shopkeepers are supposed to do

Maybe it will tourists will turn elsewhere and then you will need to worry about HB becoming a ghost town once again.

From H. Gregg

Monday, 5 December 2011

A nice big sign on the door saying "OPEN" would suffice.

From Patsy F

Monday, 5 December 2011

Thankyou H Gregg - best suggestion yet!

From David Telford

Monday, 5 December 2011

How about striking a deal with the shop-keepers. For the next 3 months, everyone who cares, buys their goods and at the same time, hands the shop owner a card explaining that they will not be buying from that shop from say Apr 1st if they keep the door open after that date.

The shop owner can then analyse the figures and decide if the lost business from those whom that matters exceed the lost business from those who think the shop is closed.

That gives a real incentive for those to buy as much as they can from the local shops and really make a difference to the environment at the same time.

I'll say again, retailers do not throw away money willy-nilly.

From Zilla Brown

Monday, 5 December 2011

Having shop doors wide open in the town seems to be a relatively new thing, maybe caused by worries about the financial situation. But it's not all about "it's Christmas, lighten up" and pointing the finger at bigger wastage to pass the buck is it?

If environmental problems are as serious as they seem, taking care of the relatively small things to conserve energy is good for everyone. Oh I forgot Christmas is really about spending money and stuff the consequences. We are all so hard up now we get let off that and don't have to worry about green issues any more do we, ourselves and our debts/ money are the most important. Come on do we really have to cater for the lazy and superficial mindset of visiting shoppers, who trawl up and down the streets of Hebden looking for amusement through shopping, so that a door has to be physically open for them before they will enter?

Can't they see lights on inside the shops and "open" on the door, must be those Victorians again didn't know how to build properly to be inviting and get money in? People who know the shops will always come in regardless, and get a warmer welcome if the doors closed.

From David Telford

Tuesday, 6 December 2011

Zilla, I'm afraid your post frustrates me, it's not about "it's Christmas, lighten up" at all, it's their business and their livelihood and frankly you can boycott your local independent if you like but they'll close, lose their livelihood and perhaps their house and guess what? Everyone will have to drive to the bland out of town retail complex causing far more environmental damage than lost heat through the door curtain.

Like it or not, business is about maximizing income and Christmas happens to be a time where a retailer may take a good proportion of their livelihood, retailers are not going to risk the loss of business because of a few 'do-gooders' whom no doubt have never taken the risk to run a business of their own but very keen to tell those who have had the guts to make a go of it, just how their business offends them. Sometimes it is really about money because the consequences of not concentrating on making money is putting their staff on the dole, having to rely on benefits themselves.

I do find some views in Hebden Bridge being like a giant version of Viz' modern parents where everyone is so anti-business and so hateful of anyone who doesn't happen to share their rather sometimes strange ideology.

I suggest everyone buys all their Christmas shopping locally without the need for delivery and getting in the car. You may then find the retailers can then afford to invest in efficient heating systems and everyone is happy.

From Anne H

Tuesday, 6 December 2011

Patsy, I would normally agree with you about this - energy efficiency is my business, so I'm all in favour of preventng heat loss. But I don't think it's practical to expect everyone to save energy in every single aspect of their lives. We all prioritise our energy saving. Some of us insulate our homes or update our boilers while others put on more jumpers and turn the heating down, or use our car less, etc. But I've yet to meet anyone who has done everything and doesn't have a few inefficencies in their energy usage. Let he who is without sin . . .

Most people save energy in the ways most likely to also save them money. As householders we are not generally faced with the choice of saving energy or making money, but a business sometimes is.

I'm quite sure that visitors to the town will sometimes think a shop is shut if the door is closed (I made the same assumption when I shopped in Haworth recently), so I'm quite sure the shops are in real danger of loosing customers and money if they close their doors.

It would be nice to think that the extra income from the open door policy could be spent on improving the premise's insulation or reducing draughts at the back of the property, etc. but as most of the shops are rented that's down to the landlord and unfortunately is not very likely to happen.

From Dave J

Tuesday, 6 December 2011

I have just seen a shop with it's door wide open, an "open" sign partially blocking the pavement and, get this, lights on while it's still daylight. Wouldn't want to be in their shoes come Judgement Day would ya?

From Zilla Brown

Tuesday, 6 December 2011

David, I'm mildly frustrated by your misreading of what my post actually said. I was quoting from Stephen's post about Christmas and bigger businesses. BTW, if your following generalisations, about the type of people who disagree with what you say retailers think, are aimed in any way at myself I'd like to say you couldn't be more wrong.

No-one's mentioned anything hateful and I don't remember myself saying I would be boycotting any shops either, far from it, I shop in this, my home town, all the time.

No point exaggerating and using emotive language because you don't like others' point of view. The plain facts are we have a climate problem, we can ignore it but it won't go away. Grab some money now - we all pay later.

From Jenny B

Tuesday, 6 December 2011

Hebden Bridge - the town of great little shops - but only those with a closed door, those displaying a huge we are open sign; those with energy efficient lighting - so we can't see what they sell oh and no pavement boards!

Goodness me! Bah humbug to Christmas trade here. In a week when Hebden is praised in a national paper for its Christmas window displays, and when you see the really wonderful (and no doubt costly effort), that shops such as Yorkshire Soap have put into their window displays, I really think people should get a life. Yes we all know about global warming, light pollution and the rest, but it is winter. What with early darkness and a gloom accelerated by the recession is it so wrong for our traders to try so hard to make a living and brighten up the town.

From David Telford

Wednesday, 7 December 2011

Hi Zilla, the generalisation of Hebden's anti-business stance was not aimed at you, it's a general observation. I suspect it's driven by very visible and noticable high proportion of locals working in local government etc where, as we saw last week, tends to gernerate a 'world owes us a living' attitude.

My frustration was partly through the suggestion that retailers should share a distain for "the lazy and superficial mindset of visiting shoppers, who trawl up and down the streets of Hebden looking for amusement through shopping" and "are all so hard up now we get let off that and don't have to worry about green issues". The first point is retailers simply cannot dismiss the needs of potential customers and it has already been explained that having a door open does not mean a lack of environmental awareness.

From Tim B

Wednesday, 7 December 2011

Shopping and X Factor, the Bread and Circus of our day. Just shut the doors. If people really want what is sold they'll come in anyway. Alternatively, turn the heating off and open the door as much as you like.

From Paul D

Wednesday, 7 December 2011

I find the 'lighten up' reaction to what is genuine environmental issue a little facetious. It's the sort of thing Jeremy Clarkson might say about anyone asking if a car capable of 150mph and 6 miles to the gallon wasn't just a tad wasteful, the sort of response a black footballer may have got in the 1970s when complaining about opposing fans threw bananas onto the pitch, it is the favoured reaction of the racist, the sexist, of general bigots over time. Here it's not being used so rudely, but the point is the same: if you don't agree with me/us you lack humour, or perspective. When in fact perspective is exactly what is required here.

And yes it is indeed Advent, but I don't recall reference to shopping in Luke, consumption, as an end in itself will not bring more than transient wealth for a minority and disappointment for many more. I too enjoy the effort local retailers have put into making the town a nicer place to live, but it is that above all else, a place to live, not just a place for us or others to shop in.

The environmental impacts of our lifestyles are creeping up on us faster than we ever expected. Now would be a good time to ask ourselves if heating the cold outdoors is really the best way to show the maturity required to meet the challenges ahead. Of course those who may benefit financially from ignoring this environmental reality are going to ridicule anyone pointing out that what they're doing is neither commercially nor environmentally sustainable. I could be wrong, but let's see how many shop doors are open every day of the week during January and February. It's not about Christmas. It's about money.

From Graham Barker

Thursday, 8 December 2011

All this manufactured sanctimoniousness is getting ridiculous. First: shopkeepers have every right to open their doors if they want to. They're the ones paying the heating bills, presumably on the same tariffs as the rest of us. Quite literally, it's no one else's business. Second: whenever we get in our cars and drive somewhere else to shop, for 'convenience' or to save a few bob, think how much energy we ourselves are wasting that could be saved if we did more of our shopping on foot locally, the way it used to be done. Anne H had it right. This thread should have stopped there.

From Kate Claughan

Thursday, 8 December 2011

I'm the owner of The Book Case on Market St. Thank you, Abi for your compliments on our window display, and I do agree that putting a bit of effort into making your shop look inviting does go a long way to bringing in customers.

If you think your domestic heating charges are extortionate, you should see what the energy companies want to charge small businesses. And there's no price comparison sites, most don't even advertise their commercial rates, it's up to you to contact them to try and negotiate a reasonable deal, and you can imagine a small business does not have much negotiating power. The process is frustrating, time consuming, and still leaves you at the end of it with a nagging suspicion you've been ripped off. So I'm not paying my energy provider for a kilo-joule more than I have to, and I am sure other shops are the same. Those leaving the door open must either believe it has a very significant impact on their sales, or the use of air curtains must be more efficient than it seems at first glance.

I find the attitude to local businesses increasingly frustrating. The majority of my customers are local people, from right across the social spectrum. We order books for quite a few housebound locals for example, which they find especially useful at this time of year. We have a lot of local support, but the reason we can survive to provide that service to local people is because of the boost that out of town shoppers give our business. I want to continue to sell books to the local community, to publish local history titles, and to employ local people. So yes Paul, that all does come down to making money.

From Paul D

Thursday, 8 December 2011

Although it not necessary to challenge personal decisions that affect the sustainability of the planet we inhabit, there remains a degree of disconnect between what we know to be happening to the climate and our individual or collective denial of that and this sometimes needs to be challenged. To me the real danger is not how any concern is expressed or received, nobody likes being reminded that what they do may be personally or collectively bad for future generations, but the real danger is a continuation of this collective pretence that small, individual actions that might mitigate the worst impacts for future generations are irrelevant.

So, anyone daring ? not actually telling people what to do ? but pointing out the link between global climate change and what appear miniscule individual acts, is of course seen as sanctimonious by some. I can understand that and how annoying it must be, but I've never met anyone who can explain how it's possible to grow cotton, harvest it, spin it, weave it, dye it, cut it, sew it into a pair of jeans, package them, transport and market them, and then sell them for a fiver without a degree of environmental and human exploitation having taken place. So, is it sanctimonious to ask why we seem to be living in this almost total state if denial and disregard around our behaviour and our consumption? Yes it may well be, but it's OK to challenge individual personal decisions that contribute to environmental degredation and we all have an ignore switch we can flip when it suits us, we don't have to change our behaviour at all, there are no world police. So, hey ho, leave the doors open and the heating on full, there's more to life and all that.

From Allen Keep

Thursday, 8 December 2011

David T - one thing that is so irritating about your posts is how your long winded and pompous ramblings strangle the life out of discussions. It's not all about you.

Irritation is one thing but I for one am finding your repeated comments about public sector workers downright offensive.

Even in an innocuous thread like this (my view is shut the doors by but there are far more important things to worry about by the way) you insist on commenting on the "highly visible" (unbelievable) population of our town that are working in local government etc (presumably because they are too thick, lazy and selfish to be go getting entrepreneurs). Here they are clearly indoctrinated with all sorts of notions - most noteably that "the world owes them a living".

They work bloody hard for their living serving their communities.

What you owe is an apology. I'm not holding my breath.

From David Telford

Friday, 9 December 2011

Allen, I don't think that accusation is in any way fair. Indeed, the discussions on which I have contributed have developed wery well and more so than most other topics.

Back to the point. Paul D, you make the point that retailers are being dared to close their doors but the retailers have already told you that they have dared in the past but it's let to a reduction in income. Retailers are not in the habit of increasing their costs without good reason. THis applies especially to fixed costs as the likes of rent, rates, light & heat strangle business and of course raise the break-even point.

I think your comparison to black footballers in the 1970s is insulting to both retailers moreover, those footballers who battled through racism. To then claim those prepared to offer an opposing view to you is "the reaction of the racist, the sexist, of general bigots over time". I have to say the contary position is correct, you've attcked retailers whom have A boards and those who haven't the money to re-engineer their shop to remove a door-step (even if that is possible), you've dismissed the explanation here of why the door curtain means the heat loss isn't too great and dismissed the need of the retailers to make a living.

Towns are not "above all else, a place to live", they exist usually because of trade and commerce and without that they dead.

I agree that we can all do our bit for the environment but you can't expect retailers to risk their livlihood. I find those who make the biggest fuss about the environment to be somewhat hypocritical. How many air-miles have you covered in the last 18 mths? How many car miles have you covered? Do you walk to / from work? How much do you consume? Do you eat locally farmed food? All this has far more effect than a shop door being open.

Finally, back to Allen, it's not just myself who has raised the point that local attitudes to businesses are strange, I'm just thinking aload to the reasons for that. I suggest to number of people working in the non-productive sector is "highly visible" as I've lived in many towns and cities and I've never had so many bleating leaflets handed to me in any other town.

From Allen Keep

Friday, 9 December 2011

I rest my case.