As Ipswich's newest phone shop prepares to open its doors on Westgate Street, I ask: Does Ipswich have a phone shop problem?
What's happening: A new mobile phone shop, ICrack, is set to open its doors to customers on Westgate Street, near Primark.
The big picture: With the addition of iCrack, Ipswich High Street now hosts 10 mobile phone repair shops, bucking the trend of widespread store closures affecting many UK town centres, including Ipswich.
Why it matters: The proliferation of phone repair shops in Ipswich raises concerns about the diversity of the high street's offering to shoppers and its long-term impact on our town centre.
By the numbers:
10 phone repair shops now operate in Ipswich town centre
iCrack will be the latest addition to Westgate Street
Ipswich town centre phone shops
Between the lines: The survival and growth of these businesses in Ipswich contrasts sharply with the struggles other retail sectors face.
What they're saying: We asked one local shopper what they thought, "I honestly don't get how they all survive. It's not a great look for the town centre."
OpinionI desperately don't want to put a negative slant on a positive story here, one less empty store in our town centre. Still, I'm personally struggling to make sense of this retail phenomenon, and I do question the broader impact this is having on the success of our town centre.
I think there's a much more serious element that should be investigated further, too.
For now, though, let's do some napkin math.
Let's say the average rent is a conservative £13,000 per annum, with average rates of £6,000 per annum and average utility bills of £2,400 per annum. That's £21,400 per annum per store before taking into account any staff, stock, insurance, or other operating costs. Let's say that all-in we're looking at costs of £50,000 per annum.
That means Ipswich residents need to spend a minimum of £500,000 a year for these ten stores to break even, never mind turning a profit.
How does this part of the retail sector seem to defy the odds against a backdrop of town centre store closures left, right, and centre? Can Ipswich residents spend £500,000 a year on phone cases, device repairs and the occasional upsold vape? That's £3.60/year if every single one of Ipswich's 139,000 residents made a purchase.
The other side: While the abundance of phone shops may seem excessive to some, it could indicate a thriving market for mobile phone cases, device maintenance and repairs.
The bottom line As iCrack completes its fitting-out process, residents and business owners will continue to raise questions about how this part of Ipswich's retail sector continues to thrive against the odds and the impact that it has on the perception and quality of our town centre.
Have your say: Residents and town centre business owners, I'd love to hear your thoughts on this. Better yet, if you own, run or work at one of these stories, I'd love to talk. Please contact editor@ipswich.co.uk.
