SAD news that the independent Cadogan outfitters on The Square is poised to close after collapsing into administration. There has been a sense of shock because over 25 years the upmarket clothing store had been the epitome of an independent shop, self-confident and quirky.

Cadogan proprietor Alex Edwards knew of the vagaries of retail at first hand. For several year he and TV chef James Martin, who cut his teeth at the Hotel du Vin in Southgate Street in the mid-1990s, owned a delicatessen on The Square called Cadogan and James before rent rises made it unprofitable.

It is not a local newspaper’s role to be a blind cheer leader for its community. Supportive yes, but not afraid to criticise if it thinks it is warranted.

However, criticisms of Winchester as a shopping destination are wide of the mark. The days of owner-operated independents dominating the High Street have been history for years. Boots and WH Smith have been on the High Street for a combined total of nearly 200 years.

It's worth noting that most purchases are still made in 'shops' rather than online.

The hard fact is that independent shops have always come and gone and only a few such as B.E. Chaplin (1932), Warren and Son (1835), and yes, the Hampshire Chronicle (1772), seem to have been here for ever.

But there are others to laud: Char, The Hambledon, Consortium, Bell Fine Art, the Winchester Bookshop, Jeremy France Jewellers, Reads among others. It’s a long, resilient list.

http://www.hampshirechronicle.co.uk/news/15423808.High_end_fashion_store_goes_into_administration/