Christmas is less than a week away and I am glad to say I am going to try and do nothing over the week (although I will more than likely get bored and start working in a day or two). The snow fall in Cardiff has been pretty heavy – for us anyway – with at least 6 inches. Walking into town from Canton really struck me with a few things about the lack of foresight and lack of community. Whether that is business community, social community there is a serious lack.
Firstly a bit of context. This Saturday is the last weekend before christmas potentially the busiest weekend of shopping of the year. Potentially the first chance to begin that christmas feeling. So the shops are pushing out all the stops to get you into their shop and say a big thank you for their custom in 2010???? The photo's above are some of the cleaned areas on the main road form Canton into the City Centre in total there were about four blocks of snow that had been cleaned off the pavement by I can only assume the shopkeepers.
One of them ironically is a toll shop so you would expect that to be done however why where they all not cleaned? On one side you have the belief that it is the council and highways to clean the pavements.
But lets think about another scenario. It's the last chance to make an impact on your customers. If the pavements arn't cleared are customers more likely going to your shop or a bigger shopping centre? In money terms, shops coming together and working together to create an area of community would surely be advantageous to everyone involved.
On a social aspect there was also the responsibility issue of people slipping on ice as they get to your shop. Firstly I was wondering if you clear ice, are you then responsible for the area? Anyway it's about service added value and a better experience. For a couple of minutes of exercise in the snow. Below is the street a day later. Now compacted ice it could definitely be advertised as an ice rink.
