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Independents in Bedford’s Arcade are moving with the tide to catch the customers in this recession.

 
Maysons, the men’s and ladies’ designer and fashion menswear shop is EXPANDING into premises, opposite its existing site, which being left by long established Clayton’s.
 
Maysons is more than doubling the size of its floorspace (x 2.5) and bringing in top new brands to meet the demands of customers who come from as as far afield as Milton Keynes to find “individual” items of clothing. The new store will open on Saturday February 7th.
 
Paul Panaysis, one of the founders of the family-owned small group of fashion outlets, says: “We will have an expanded range of both designer menswear at the front of the store and more ladieswear at the rear. These brands will appeal to everyone. Alongside existing strong brands like Diesel, D & G, Lyle and Scott and Evisu. there will be new brands including True Religion, now worn by David Beckham, and Stone Island and Armani. We hope to be able to stock Hugo Boss and Vivienne Westwood. We are moving with what our customers’ want, watching the national patterns, stocking the brands which people are prepared to pay for.
 
“Shopping styles have changed, people seem to come along less often, but spend more when they do. Service is very important of course - you have to remember there is only one king in retail, and that’s the customer.
 
“Bedford has a lot to offer, it’s not good people knocking the town and being negative. We regularly find people coming to us from Milton Keynes, or when they have been to MK for the day and can’t find the real range of individual choice offered here in The Arcade. Bedford is on the map for some discerning shoppers.”
 
Neighbour Walberry’s opened a second outlet in the Arcade recently which is very popular with the “handbags and shoes” shopping woman
 
Planet clothing and boutique boss Neil Primett says their website www.80scasualclassics.co.uk is bringing new customers into the shop from as far away as 50 miles - to buy specific brands and items. “The women’s brand Ugg is a big draw and the website is a shop window for the everyone - and a good number then come to visit - and when they do they are spending half a day in Bedford.”
 
The combined draw of these high quality fashion outlets benefits all over and over again.
 
BedfordBID Executive Director Mo Aswat said:
 
“There is no doubt that at times like this some businesses benefit and others remain unaffected, whilst some suffer,” explains BedfordBID represents hundreds of businesses in the town centre who are competing against neighbouring city shopping centres, out of town retail parks and the internet. From a levy paid by all businesses and voluntary contributions it has £500,000 a year to spend on marketing Bedford and supporting businesses.
 
“When we started that was nothing compared to the millions which Milton Keynes spent promoting it shopping centre. But numbers are down there and we are finding people are not paying the petrol and parking prices it costs to go to MK, when they come to Bedford more easily and use the park and ride. People are becoming more aware of fact they have a good choice of chains and independent stores in Bedford - as well as the markets.
 
“Being part of a Business Improvement District, or BID, does make a difference. They are now recognised all over the country. In London retail billionaire Sir Philip Green, who owns 2,300 shops in the UK, has just voted Yes to a BID - and this is a man who knows what he is doing in terms of retail investments.”

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