Praise for Sutton independent retailers and shops amid times of uncertainty

Recent reports and news stories have highlighted concerns in Sutton town centre, ranging from low footfall to antisocial behaviour.

In January, Sutton’s Carrie Austin, owner at Carrie Austin Photography, expressed her hopes for collective action to improve and enhance the town centre, making Sutton a place people can be proud of.

She launched a digital letter and photography campaign, as supported and signed by over 300 people, to highlight specific concerns.

As a business owner and lifelong resident, Carrie is eager to see Sutton thrive, attracting more people to the town to support the local economy and strengthen the community.

In a feature shared by your Chad, we examined these widespread concerns in more detail.

For example, many felt unsafe walking through the streets due to litter, graffiti, and general neglect, creating an environment that some felt discouraged both residents and visitors. And unfortunately, in the past two months, several businesses have announced their closures.

Earlier this year, it was announced that the long-standing family-run business, Clement Taylor, would close its doors.

More recently, Wizards Den, which we covered during its opening in 2023, has also announced its closure, effective Sunday, March 30.

Owners of Sutton-based Nana's Personalised Gifts commented on the feature on your Chad’s Facebook page, sharing insight into life serving the community six days a week – eager to highlight the importance of independent retailers in the town centre and generate support.

Keeping this in mind, we wanted to highlight some of the positives of the town, as shared by residents.

At www.facebook.com/mansfieldchad, we asked readers to share their favourite aspects of Sutton town centre to feature in a news story.

Despite numerous negative comments highlighting ongoing concerns of antisocial behaviour and a general lack of enthusiasm for the town, there was a string of positive feedback on the town’s business network.

Many people praised Sutton's independent retailers, market traders, and the Idlewells Shopping Centre, particularly noting the shopping centre's “excellent” indoor market.

Damian Spencer, from Mansfield, said: “We popped to Idlewells for the first time in over 15 years at the weekend, specifically for Ashfield Cheese, which was superb.

“I thought the indoor market stalls were a pleasant alternative to the big supermarkets and we’ll certainly be going back.”

“We would sooner visit Sutton for shopping than Mansfield”, said Dianne Scattergood, praising the town’s bakery and butchers.

Rose Mary Arnold added: “The Idlewells Shopping Centre and indoor market are excellent.”

Idlewells Shopping Centre, on Market Street, features big brands such as Boots, B&M, and The Works, along with dozens of other nationwide businesses and independent names.

Just last summer, Chad readers shared their favourite independent retailers in Sutton.

These included Nana's Personalised Gifts, Tilly's Timeless Treasures, and Deboutique located in the Idlewells Shopping Centre Market Hall.

Another popular independent business favoured by readers is Emma & Richard's Book Store.

Ann A Fisher shared that the indoor market was the “only decent place” and “by far the best” for miles.

Amanda Best, from Sutton, also praised the indoor market and retail selection.