VIDEO VOX POP: Is Epsom town centre dying?

Gizzy Morris, supervisor at Mountain Warehouse, said: "Trade is dying down this end of the high street because most of the shops are down by The Ashley Centre.

"There are mostly charity shops and empty shops down here. People have said they didn't know we were here. We've been here for two years.

"We need somebody focused on the actual town so it can actually try to get back on its feet. If you compare it to Kingston, how Kingston is now is what we need to do here."

Sharon Hamill, manager at Queen Elizabeth Foundation charity shop, said: "For the amount of people who live in Epsom, there's not enough people shopping in Epsom. Why? Is it because of the parking? This is the bottom of a major, famous market town.

"It's a shame. It looks like Epsom's dying and the council should act."

Tony Lewis, manager at Robert Dyas, said: "What puts people off coming into Epsom more than anything is the parking fees. I've heard they're putting parking prices up next year which isn't going to help.

"We get quite a few people coming down to us because we've got things people need to buy, but we're really in the wrong place - at the wrong end of the high street.

"Having charity shops doesn't mean it's going downhill but it's certainly not going to be attracting so many customers, just passers-by.

"We get a lot of trade from people walking past going to the cinema, but if there were more commercial shops down this end it would help."

Christine Stanley, owner of Basler, said: "It's dying. It's a town of two halves. The Ashley Centre's the bit that's busy, the bit around TK Maxx is a bit quieter and here it's just dead.

"It's really disappointing that the council's totally neglected this side of the high street.

"The serious problem is this traffic here and the way these traffic lights work. Are you going to come out of that warm centre and try to cross this horrendous road for what? 

"We are an exclusive brand and very high-end and we have a clientele which is very faithful to us, but we need new blood and need to look at making both parts of the high street flow more.

"Epsom is not going to be a Kingston, it's not built that way, but we need to look at the high street as a whole.

"This high street has potential though. If you have someone who is specifically working for the town centre will go to attract these companies, which you need in the high street not just in shopping centres, people would cross that road and come down here."

In a survey conducted in Epsom High Street by local market research video company Vox Pops International, residents were concerned that "things are shutting and not being replaced" and that the town centre is "drab" and looks "rundown".

Myles Rowland Archibald, general manager of restaurant Field to Fork, voted the borough’s best restaurant at the Epsom and Ewell Business Excellence Awards 2012, said: "I just don’t feel any community in Epsom.  I don’t feel anybody really cares."

Diane Earnshaw, founder of Vox Pops International, said "I was interested in gauging the views of local businesses and residents in Epsom.

"Epsom is blighted by empty commercial units and the High Street is dominated by charity and pound shops.

"The findings have been passed on to Epsom and Ewell Council who can then use the data to determine how to revitalise the town centre."

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