This was the desolate scene at 2.15pm on Tuesday 4th December 2018 in Hamilton Town Centre. Devoid of shoppers, of festive atmosphere, lacking shops that were actually open in the middle of the afternoon…and so close to Christmas!
The scene will be unfamiliar to those who will remember shopping here in previous decades and there’s never a time this is more apparent than at Christmas. Instead of the normal hustle bustle, a bleak, quiet sight meets the few shoppers venturing out, just 3 weeks before Christmas.
Perhaps a reflection on the global rise of online shopping and massive companies like Amazon, small businesses are surely being affected and of course large established businesses also being forced to close or scale back.
Hamilton does have a plan to fight back, with redevelopment of this retail area. We thought Blantyre had it bad, but these pictures suggest a much worse problem in our neighbouring town.
Have your say. What can be done? Do you still shop in Hamilton streets?
Photo Courtesy: D Semple
