THE QUESTION
Why do high-street shops keep closing?
Group cards you judge alike. Groups organise reading; they decide nothing.
closed · back to Actions
Viewing as guest. Enter a handle to join and take part.
Clusters form from similarity, names come last
Canonical order: link pairs of ideas you judge similar — links are symmetric (A~B is B~A; direction never matters) and a tie holds once 2 members make it.
why
Links are symmetric — A~B is B~A. Clusters are the groups that emerge from held ties, and only a formed cluster can be named, by a person. Your own links carry a ✕ to withdraw; you cannot remove someone else's. Clusters organise the wall and never gate the vote — two cards making the same CLAIM are a merge back in Clarify.
Links and names are made while Cluster is live; the steward’s ← reopens it.
The council's economic plan was written for the whole district, not this street
cluster 1
Nothing said yet.
unnamed cluster — name it if the group has a common thread, or leave it unnamed (3)
Rent is due quarterly in advance, which a new business cannot fund
~ Rents were set when t…Rents were set when the street was full and have not come down (17)
Rents were set when the street was full and have not come down
~ The council's economi…The council's economic plan was written for the whole district, not this street (18)
~ Rent is due quarterly…Rent is due quarterly in advance, which a new business cannot fund (17)
The council's economic plan was written for the whole district, not this street
~ Rents were set when t…Rents were set when the street was full and have not come down (18)
unnamed cluster — name it if the group has a common thread, or leave it unnamed (2)
Planning permission for a flat above a shop takes longer than for a house
~ Grants exist for shop…Grants exist for shopfronts but the paperwork takes longer than a lease (17)
Grants exist for shopfronts but the paperwork takes longer than a lease
~ Planning permission f…Planning permission for a flat above a shop takes longer than for a house (17)
unnamed cluster — name it if the group has a common thread, or leave it unnamed (2)
Shops open at ten and close at four, after most people are at work
~ The bus stops on the …The bus stops on the ring road, ten minutes' walk from the shops (21)
The bus stops on the ring road, ten minutes' walk from the shops
~ Shops open at ten and…Shops open at ten and close at four, after most people are at work (21)
unnamed cluster — name it if the group has a common thread, or leave it unnamed (2)
The town's website lists shops that closed years ago
~ Nobody counts footfal…Nobody counts footfall, so every argument is about impressions (18)
Nobody counts footfall, so every argument is about impressions
~ The town's website li…The town's website lists shops that closed years ago (18)
unnamed cluster — name it if the group has a common thread, or leave it unnamed (2)
Traders' association meetings are attended by the same five people
~ Events are organised …Events are organised by volunteers who are burning out (21)
Events are organised by volunteers who are burning out
~ Traders' association …Traders' association meetings are attended by the same five people (21)
· not yet clustered (15)
Festival days bring people in and there is nothing to keep them
The market moved to Wednesday and the shops' best day went with it
Empty units stay empty for a year because the landlord is waiting for a chain
Business rates on the high street are higher per square metre than on the park
~ Residents drive past …Residents drive past the high street on the way to the park (16)
~ The car park behind t…The car park behind the street is unlit and unsigned (16)
~ Parking costs more on…Parking costs more on the high street than at the retail park, where it is free (16)
~ The retail park got i…The retail park got its road built by the county; the high street got a consultation (16)
Residents drive past the high street on the way to the park
~ Business rates on the…Business rates on the high street are higher per square metre than on the park (16)
~ Parking costs more on…Parking costs more on the high street than at the retail park, where it is free (16)
~ The retail park got i…The retail park got its road built by the county; the high street got a consultation (17)
~ The car park behind t…The car park behind the street is unlit and unsigned (18)
The car park behind the street is unlit and unsigned
~ The retail park got i…The retail park got its road built by the county; the high street got a consultation (18)
~ Parking costs more on…Parking costs more on the high street than at the retail park, where it is free (19)
~ Business rates on the…Business rates on the high street are higher per square metre than on the park (16)
~ Residents drive past …Residents drive past the high street on the way to the park (18)
The library closed early on Saturdays and the café next to it lost its trade
Deliveries block the street between nine and eleven
Charity shops pay lower rates, so landlords prefer them
Half the units are owned by people who do not live in the town
The retail park got its road built by the county; the high street got a consultation
~ The car park behind t…The car park behind the street is unlit and unsigned (18)
~ Parking costs more on…Parking costs more on the high street than at the retail park, where it is free (17)
~ Residents drive past …Residents drive past the high street on the way to the park (17)
~ Business rates on the…Business rates on the high street are higher per square metre than on the park (16)
Parking costs more on the high street than at the retail park, where it is free
~ The retail park got i…The retail park got its road built by the county; the high street got a consultation (17)
~ Residents drive past …Residents drive past the high street on the way to the park (16)
~ The car park behind t…The car park behind the street is unlit and unsigned (19)
~ Business rates on the…Business rates on the high street are higher per square metre than on the park (16)
~ Young families shop w…Young families shop where there is a toilet and a place to park a pram (15)
Young families shop where there is a toilet and a place to park a pram
~ Parking costs more on…Parking costs more on the high street than at the retail park, where it is free (15)
The one bank left and the older shoppers went with it
Shopkeepers say they were never asked before the one-way system came in