Furious Aldridge traders have raised petitions over their landlords decision to ban them from displaying wares outside premises. And two of the shops in the precinct have even put up public notices, slamming the move by London and Cambridge Properties. They are also incensed that canopies around the 32-year-old precinct are being taken down. The shopkeepers feel these will deter elderly shoppers during poor weather. Together, the owners of Super Pound Plus and the Hand In Hand In Union charity shop have gathered around 500 names on petitions criticising the move. And on Thursday butcher Peter Phillips openly defied the ban on displaying products, saying he had no choice after seeing takings go down as much as £800. We spoke to shopkeepers in The Precinct and found feelings are running high. - Lindsay Dallow, Morgan and Thorne Exclusive Menswear: Ive had to cut my full-time girl back to part-time. We dont get the bits and pieces. It (putting items outside) gave the place atmosphere - it gave it bustle. Theyve taken the canopies down. What will the customers do when it rains? Weve lost out to internet shopping and places like Merry Hill. Locally, with new housing going up, we should be getting more trade, but were not. Younger people are not coming into the precinct - its just the older people and they are dwindling with each year. Its one step forward and two steps back - the last three years have been a terrible struggle. - Butcher Pete Phillips: Im 800 quid down. Ive put the stuff out today - Ive had to or Id end up skint. At the end of the day, Im going to end up working for nothing. I dont mind playing by the rules, but its all one way. Cooking habits have changed as well. Women are at work more and they dont have the time to cook dinner. They are picking up ready meals and pubs are doing more meals. - Ian Atterbury, Aldridge Vacuum Centre, said: We have a different landlord, but we still feel the effect of the changes made. With no canopies, with the rain, the old people are not going to come. We are going to end up with lull days - days when staff are sitting round doing jack diddly squat. We have had no say over what happens, which is going to affect us. - Shane Devine, assistant at Ascott Carpets: On Thursday there were four shops shut half-a-day because it was so dead. Aldridge has always been quiet, but it is absolutely dead - we think it is because of the school holiday. - Busker William Taylor: I think its going to be better without the canopies - there will be more light. For the last 15 years Aldridge has been a ghost town. It needs a good music shop, but theres never been one. - Steve Finney, of Robert Bunch Menswear, says that without the canopies the sun has streamed onto clothes, causing damage. Ive lost a sale on a pair of shoes because of sun-fade and Ive never lost a sale because of sun-fade before in my life. They didnt consult. It (not putting goods outside) has always been in the lease, but they turned a blind eye for years - now theyre not turning a blind eye. I am going to have to write stuff off in the window because of sun-fade. It seems there has been a complete disregard towards the effect on business. It has been a carte blanche high-on-the-mountain decision made on a whim. - Luisa Rosa, Smart One Dry Cleaners: For most of the shops here the business is going down, down, down. What happens in the winter when it rains? People wont walk here. Ive also had to move clothes because of the sun. - Sarah Wolsey, of Covent Garden fruit and veg, says she has special dispensation to put items outside, but feels for those barred from doing so. Were a village and people like to mooch around and look whats on offer. They like the atmosphere it creates. - Phil Stratton, Hand In Hand In Unison: Im down £250 to £300 because I cant put stuff outside. It took me six years to build this shop up and now Im losing money. Now I havent got room for furniture inside - and I cant put it outside - so Im having to turn it away. I am having to refuse stuff so we are losing money. - Wayne Raybould, Super Pound Plus: Its never been this bad. I have a lot of plastics and with a flash outside people can look at them. I was told thats the decision, but they still want the same rent. Its a dying town anyway. | 
